Z Fabrics
316a Congress Street
Portland, Maine
Almost four years ago now, a friend and I headed to Z Fabrics to check out the new! fresh! locally owned! fabric shop that had just opened in town. Nestled near some other favorites - Angela Adams, KnitWit, Ferdinand, NorthStar Cafe - Z Fabric calls a fabulous and funky building it's home there on Congress Street.
At that first visit, we were so pleased to discover that this cozy little shop held a whole lot of what we loved...and could never find at the nearby chain craft stores. Carefully selected fabrics and notions, modern styles, and so many favorite designer's prints that I had not yet seen in person. I also discovered, bustling about the shop, it's owner - the lovely Mary Zarate (who I just so happened to attend high school with - such is living in the same town you grew up in!). A sewist, naturally, who was excited to be sharing her love of the craft, learning more alongside her customers, and living and working what she loved.
In the four years since, the selection at Z Fabrics has grown with it's customers - there's organic cotton, wool and linen, Japanese fabrics, and much more lining the walls of the little shop. Not to mention the classes offered (that fill up so very fast), and the community that has grown around it. I am so grateful that we have this independently owned, customer-friendly spot in which Portland's sewists can shop, learn, and gather together through a love of crafting.
Yesterday, I popped in for a little bit of fabric fondling (yes, indeed), visiting, and shopping (the results of which - below - I hope to show you sooner rather than later) and a little bit of photographing for you, as one more stop on this tour of my Portland.
Happy Stitching!
