Need recommendations for seamstress in Bangkok
 

We are hoping to buy fabric in Bangkok to have cushion covers (zippered, removable) for chairs made. We would like to bring the fabric to a seamstress in Bangkok who can make the cushion covers for us so that we can bring them home with us. We are also considering having bedcovers sewn.

Does anyone know of a seamstress in Bangkok who is specialized in making things for interiors (bedding/furniture as opposed to clothing)? Any ideas about how much this kind of work should cost?

Many, many thanks for any suggestions and information!

I use Julie's Cotton and Silk for clothing and she has also made home decor items such as pillows, seat covers and drapes. Bringing your own fabric is best and if you have a sample they can copy even better. They are located on 1279 New Rd and it is across the road from the Oriental Hotel. Ask for Moon and tell them that Gale recommended them.

Stichintime - Thanks so much for the recommendation of Moon at Julie's Cotton and Silk. Could you give us a sense of what kind of pricing we should expect and how long things take? Many thanks!

I can't remember the prices, but I have been doing business with them for over 10 years, and have thought their prices very reasonable. I would go when you first get to BKK to get started and then she would be able to tell you how long. If it is not busy season when you go, you have even better chance.

we have had good luck with Paya... they used to be on sukhumvit but have moved to a new address off of soi 63, sukhumvit.. i have these directions:

"take soi 63 off of sukhumvit to a left on soi 63/5 which is just before an esso station... it is on the right about 1/2 way down between suk. and new petchburi rds... it is opposite the Tao Paint Co...

tel: 02-711-4457

they made a fantastic fouton cover for us and it is just perfect....fair prices...

Stitch and rhkkmk - thanks so much for the info! Rhkkmk -- do you recall how long your futon cover took to make (could you bring in home with you or was it shipped?). Any sense of how pricing works -- is it per item? Thanks again!

This is good info--many thanks!


Forgive the change of subject, please:

A related question for people who have purchased JimThompson fabrics: How do the prices compare to the prices in the US? I was impressed by the fabrics (not only silk, by the way) at the JT showroom in NYC. Prices there seem fairly reasonable as these things go.....just wondering about the amount of savings vs the bother of shopping and shipping fabric home from Thailand. Do the Bangkok JT shops ship? (I am considering having curtains made)

WT---K thinks it took about a week to make....but it could have been less because we told them we would be out of bkk for several days... not long....btw, i think it only cost $85 and that included the very heavy weight fabric we chose from them....a steal really...

erica-- i think we have paid about 1/2 or less for the fabric as compared to usa prices....a real deal....K says it depends on what you are buying....these are from the outlets on soi 93, sukhumvit (we were there last month and they still have 3 floors of fabric from which to choose--- some at huge bargains.....there is also a small outlet on the same street as the main store---sorwongse....but the outlet has tons of fabrics: silk, cottons, etc...

you can also buy yard goods at the main store at full price....we also have had good luck there... it too is a bargain over usa prices when you consider the quality....

comment by our upholster: "WOW, i haven't seen this quality of fabric for a long time...." i thought that was a good sign...

our living room looks like a jt showroom now after the last few trips.... all but the sofa are covered in jt fabrics, plus the many pillows....

btw, the boys at the shops can fold that fabric in such small bundles that it is very easy to add them to suitcases for the trip home, or just buy an additional suitcase for the trip....shipping is very expensive...

have some idea about how much fabric you need for your projects before you leave home...

fabric is sold by the meter (~39")

Bob: Thanks very much! I am trying to figure out the savings between buying JT here or buying it at full price at the main shop, not the outlet stores. I suppose the only way to be sure is to get the price of a couple of fabrics and compare when I get there.. I had never seen the entire line before and was surprised at how varied the fabrics were. (I was in their showroom here yesterday) I had thought it was mainly Thai silks but they had all kinds of blends, cottons, wovens, etc....

its amazing what they have.....seems to me it would be considerable cheaper there.....you will be surprised at what is on offer in the outlet....many of the same patterns as at full retail.. make sure you go there too...

in the main show room they only have bolts of a small fraction of what they offer....many of the samples are just small pieces...

btw, where is the showroom in nyc...??

Hi Bob: I'm not understanding the set up. If they only have a small fraction of the line in the main showroom, where do they show the full line of fabrics?

The NYC showroom is at 939 Third Avenue in the D&D (Decoration and Design) Building. There is a Boston showroom as well and quite a few others in the US. These cater to the architecture and design trade, although there are various ways to get around this at some showrooms.

they have lots of samples but they are small pieces of fabric...there are full bolts of some of the most popular..

what kinds of prices are they quoting in nyc?

Bob: So if you like the sample, they would then order the yardage from another location?

I could take another look for you but as I remember, list prices ranged from the $30s to around $200 and probably more per yard. There would be a discount on top of that through a design professional. If you like I can take another look for a more accurate idea.

no need to take another look....my house already looks like a jt ad....

i'm thinking that the fabrics full price in bkk are $25 to $50 but not sure....

we have only bought fabrics that they had there in the store...not sure what the procedure is when ordering from small samples....but i suspect it comes from a warehouse around bkk...

Thanks, Bob. If you look at the site, you can find the address for the Boston showroom. Anyone can usually enter these showrooms, or at least that is the case here in New York. It might be fun for you sometime, in preparation for a return trip to the source....

Your house must have beautiful fabrics! Did you use JT for curtains and pillows? Do you put plastic see-through covers on the upholstery when Panda comes to dinner? Or are there JT silk bibs on hand?

I will try to find time for the outlet in Bangkok...now that I realize the range of fabrics in their line....some really beautiful fabrics!

we insist that he wear diapers on all visits to the darkest needham.... we also put plastic down around his chair when eating....we all have jim thompson place mats, but he is given a plastic mat which we had JT custom design...

the dining room chairs have jt fabric on them as well, but we put a green plastic bag on his....ocasionally he has slipped off and fallen on the floor....really funny for a non-drinker...

I've been in Bob's home , and the upholstery and curtains are absolutely gorgeous!

Now that I think about it, I do remember that Andy was served his meal out in the garage.

the garage is far nicer than our house... its a place to be coveted