Sew ;)…you’re starting Parsons Fashion Design this Fall? EXCITING! I graduated from the AAS program in May. I am almost a bit jealous of all of you starting this week - I loved meeting everyone and learning from such amazing professors...but, this is about you, not me, so here goes:
Your teachers will tell you the specifics when you get to class, but I wanted to share my basic supply list. Over the semesters, I’ve learned that these things will get me through my construction classes!
Basic Supplies:
- Measuring Tape
- L-Square metal ruler
- Variform Hip Curve metal ruler
- 18” x 2” clear plastic ruler
- 6” x 1” clear plastic ruler
- French Curve (and/or Vary Form Curve Rule – metal – Parsons Professor Luz Pascal designed the first version of these! She's amazing, by the way!)
- Paper Scissors
- Fabric Scissors (you will want a really nice sharp pair!)
- Embroidery scissors or thread snips (small scissors for when you are sitting at the sewing machine/serger)
- Size 10-13 hand-sewing/embroidering needles
- Pins (probably #17 satin steel, or dressmaker pins – just buy the box, you’ll use them!)
- Push Pins
- Wrist pin cushion (you could make one! Just put a button on under your fabric “pillow” to protect your wrist from long needles & pins!)
- Thread (get white, black, and a color of your choice in 100% cotton)
- Muslin (your teachers will tell you what weight to get depending on the project)
- Pattern Paper (has 1” dots and markers all over it and comes in rolls by the yard. This is actually called “Marker Paper” in the real fashion world, because it allows you to lay out the pattern and see how much fabric you need for each full pattern.)
- Manilla “Sloper” Paper (like manilla files, but a little thicker and usually green on the other side – often come in huge rolls like fabric)
- Red/Blue Pencil
- Chalk
- Pencils & Pens!
I still think that you should go to class before purchasing, as teachers may request a specific type of muslin, ruler, pattern-paper, pencil, etc…but it’s good to know what you might be carrying around and the size of bag you may need!
There are tons of great stores in the Garment Center, but for these basics I would head (between 7
th & 8
th Avenues) to Sil (257 W. 38
th Street), Panda (247 W. 38
th Street), and/or Steinlauf & Stoller (239 W. 39
th Street). Elegant Fabrics (222 W. 40
th Street) is a great place for swatching (about 2” x 3” pieces of fabric), but they are really over-priced to actually buy fabric from. They also sell pattern paper (and give students a 10% discount – really convenient since it is NEXT DOOR to 232 W. 40
th Street!). At 208 W. 40
th Street is “Style Fabrics” (though at this time, they don’t have a name plaque anywhere, so just look for the number 208), and they have great prices for being so close to school and carry some good knits.
Good luck & Happy Shopping!
<3 A.
