Silk, glorious silk!

I've been in Paris since last Wednesday, and Jeremi joined me on Thursday. (He was staying behind for a job interview which was cancelled. Booo!) While I'm actually here for work (one project meeting last Thursday and Friday, and one for a separate project today), I thought it would be a good chance to buy some fabric to make my wedding dress, the bridesmaids' dresses, and even more. I want to make something with a solid bodice and a sort of patchwork
skirt, with different shades and textures of creams (for the bridal dress) and reds (for the bridesmaids). If you're desperately curious about the patterns I'm basing these creations on - I'm talking to you Gloria - you can check them out here and here.

I wanted everything to be made out of silk, and found the selection in Jena to be somewhat wanting. Okay, so it was really more like non-existent. But I knew that I had a trip to Paris in the near future, so I decided that it could wait for the fabric stores there. I looked a bit on the internet about where the best place to find stuff was, and everything suggested the neighbourhood in Montmartre at the foot of Basilique du Sacré Coeur, and so I booked a hotel nearby.

On Saturday we set out on foot to find it, and it wasn't hard. The crowds were the first thing that tipped us off...
...and the ridiculous number of fabric stores.

There was fabric as far as the eye could see...
...and full stores devoted to notions (buttons and zippers and the like, mercerie, in French). There were also a few shops that had bins of discounted clothes, which were completely packed with some very aggressive shoppers. This pictures doesn't come close to illustrating the craziness, but it was as close as we could approach without endangering ourselves.And here we found ourselves at the foot of the hill, looking up at the beautiful church, and behind us stood Tissus Reine, the grandmammy of all the Montmartre fabric stores. We spent the next few hours there, breaking for lunch before heading back for lining, and Jeremi even returned today while I was at my meeting. This place was insane.
Not only was it three floors of craziness, but it had a whole counter along one wall on the first floor (at least 10 m or 30 feet long) which was completely stocked with bridal material, four shelves high. This fabric is rather expensive and somewhat delicate, so you're not allowed behind the counter, but rather have to ask one of the people who work there to bring you down any fabrics that you might be interested in. They don't leave you unattended with them either, so you'd better know what you want before you get their attention. Most of the fabric was available on open tables, but the bridal stuff and anything delicate (laces, things with beads, silk lining, etc.) was kept out of reach. We certainly learned a thing or two about fabric terminology through all this! (Just ask Jer about the difference between a dupion and a faille, he's a pro.)

The store was also filled with these miniature mannequins, about a meter tall, who had beautifully tailored clothes to show off the fabrics. Here you can see me with a few in the background.
While it looks quiet in this picture, and while it was somewhat calm when we first arrived around noon, by the time the store closed at 6:45 it was a nuthouse. Thankfully we'd had a couple of carafes of wine with lunch, so I wasn't freaking out too much with the crowds (or the amount of money that we spent).

Now I know you want to know what we bought, right? In total, around 30 meters of silks, some embroidered, some beaded, in different shades and textures. I know that sounds like a lot, but remember that it's to make and line a bride's dress, two bridesmaids' dresses, a ring pillow, and even a couple flowergirl dresses. (Jer did go back today to get something else for another little project, but that's a secret for now...) And in closing, here's Jer enjoying the bounty.
I'm never going to convince him to sleep on cotton again, after this...