We recently returned from a trip to France and England. The purpose of our trip was to attend the l'aiguille en fete (needlework trade show) with friends from The Sampler Guild in England and met up with members from Holland. I had the opportunity to take the Euro Star from London to Paris with a couple members, a fun way to get to Paris. We had a great time, but wish the weather would have been warmer.
The pictures are inside the convention center where the show was held, I took the picture from the upstairs, the vendors were not happy about people taking pictures and I didn't want to get yelled at. You can see the number of vendors, too much to buy! They had needlework, knitting, quilting and sewing, so there was something for everyone.
We arrived in Paris early and had time to visit some other shops, here are the links for you to check out before you visit Paris:
Des Fils et une Aiguille - this is my favorite shop, it is near a Starbucks, which is a great place for spouses to wait while we shop. The shop has a new owner who speaks English. The shop is small, but packed with charts, fabrics, threads and lots of samples on the walls.
Bonheur des Dames - I have visited this shop several times too, they have their own designs that they sell as kits and some charts. It is a large store and there is a restaurant across the street for spouses to have a drink.
Marche' Saint-Pierre - Six floors of fabric, they have every kind of fabric your can imagine. I purchased silk and organza. The street has fabric stores on both sides, you could easily spend a week and not see it all.
Declercq Passementiers - A friend told us about this shop and I loved it! The shop sells tassels, they are made in France and Vietnam. I have never seen so many beautiful tassels, they are expensive, but worth the Metro ride to see.
Le Bon Marche - This is a department store, but they have a very nice needlework department. When we were there they were remodeling, but still had a nice selection of supplies and tools. Also, a good place to have lunch.
Pierre Herme - If you want a real treat, go to Pierre Herme. The macaroons are the best. My favorite are the pink ones, rose flavor with raspberries. Not cheap and not very big, but try at least one.
Thanks to The Sampler Guild in England members for planning this great time in Paris. We had meals together with lots of visiting and laughing, visited the l'aiguille en fete and Au ver a soie. They also, helped me to leave some money in Paris.
A wonderful trip that will be repeated someday.
