Costume Resources in the Baltimore Area
Lisa Ashton
A good source of information for costuming events happening in the Baltimore area would be the Greater Columbia Fantasy Costumer's Guild, P.O. Box 683, Columbia, Maryland, 21045.
No trip to this area would be complete without a trip to G Street Fabrics, a well-known fabric store located at 11854 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852 (301-231-8960). A HUGE store with a separate store downstairs for quilting and decorator/furnishing/drapery supplies. They usually have an in-store quilt exhibit. They also have a large stock of books, and carry patterns difficult to find; also a large area for notions, trims and fringes. Although known locally as somewhat expensive, they will have things no one else does—and many tables of bargains and remnants. The salespeople are extremely knowledgeable.
In Baltimore, there is Fabric Warehouse, 2301 North Point Blvd. (410-285-3227). It has a reputation for a large, frequently changing stock and good prices.
Another small store I would like to plug is Seminole Sampler, 71 Mellor Avenue, Catonsville, Maryland 21228, 410-788-1720. A fellow quilter took me to this store, and, although not primarily a store for general sewing or costuming, they do have one of the widest collections of the most beautiful print fabrics and calicoes I've ever seen. They also carry a very full line of quilting/sewing supplies such as rotar cutters and boards, and usually have gorgeous quilt displays. There are many stores around the area which carry beads, buttons, and miscellaneous craft supplies, such as Ben Franklin, Craft Country, Beadazzled, Fantasy Beads, which can be located in a local phone book once you are here. There may well be some button or gem/bead shows around at that time.
There are also the Smithsonian museums and Textile Museum in downtown Washington, D.C.
If ye be interested in Pirates, matey, there are some pirate clubs around the area, and they all recommend the Pyrate Prymer. This can be ordered for $5.00 plus $1.50 shipping & handling from: No Quarter Given, c/o Christine Markel Lampe, P.O. Box 7456, Riverside, CA 92513. I highly recommend this collection of articles to prepare your gear for a pirate fantasy! It includes chapters on clothing patterns boots, hats, jewelry, weapons, recipes, maps, names, all aspects of the pirates' lives. Start your pirate costume now!
I look forward to seeing all of you at Bucconeer, suitably attired, of course.
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