Crossing the river!
18 April 2012
One of the things that always amazes me is when I hear people ... on both sides of it ... say "I don't cross the river". And I always think ... oh honey, you have no idea what you're missing! Like being able to visit Sewtropolis! If you're afraid to cross over from the St Paul side to the Minneapolis side you really need to check your fears at the car door and head on over.
Sewtropolis relocated a few weeks ago to their new space at 48th and Chicago. It's in a darling neighborhood with some gift shops, coffee spots, and tasty restaurants. If you're familiar with the area, its across the street from Turtle Bread and near to Pepitos. You can take fencing classes nearby too if you're looking for a new way to slice up your fabric!
Nikol's skills shine in one major way ... she's great at teaching! When I was there she had a group of kids learning to sew and I have to say ... I've never seen anyone that calm around such energetic sewers! If you want to learn to make garments, this is where I'd go. As she expands into quilting classes, I can see her going far!
Sewtropolis has a bend toward the modern look but I found plenty of fabrics that I liked! I'm more of a middle of the road person ... not modern not traditional. Once a month, Nikol hosts the Minneapolis Modern Quilt Guild in her party room. Don't let the word 'modern' scare you off ... its all just quilting but with a new approach. We all can relate! And there's plenty of eye-candy to go around. The atomosphere at Sewtroplis is very friendly and welcoming which is what I love the best!
Not all of the fabrics are on a bolt and the kits aren't always folded into bags. Clever displays here! The location came with these pretty yellow awnings that bring a mellow, happy look to the inside of the store. I can imagine sitting in the class area on a cold Winter day and still feel like I'm in a warm oasis!
They make bias binding. If that's not enough to get you in the car ... well then I just don't know what will! For those of you on the Minneapolis side of the river ... well you won't have any trouble finding Sewtropolis ... you're already on the right bank. Coming from St Paul ... take my way ... mostly because you get to see some interesting neighborhoods on the way. Cross the Marshall Street/Lake Street Bridge and turn left on Chicago ... then just drive until you get to 48th and look for a parking space. It's that easy. Worth the trip!