haberdashery revisited

When I wrote this post, this is the kind of place I was thinking of. Two huge walls of buttons. Shelf upon shelf upon shelf of ribbons. Another wall of lace. A section devoted to dressing-gown cords. Another to tassels. Jars of pom-poms graded by size. Needles, pins, threads, scissors, feathers, elastics, felt, doll's heads. And, yes, bra straps.

I found it all at The Haberdashery Shop in Ramsgate. As haberdasheries go, it's huge (although it's about to move to a new location) - in a section of an old department store with a listed frontage with fabulously evocative 1930s windows. It may not have been all period fixtures and fittings and mahogany, but what it lacked in tradition, it made up for in stock.

It was utterly mesmerising and bewildering, and I wandered up and down the aisles trying to work out what I came in for.

Was it blue or gold or pink or white buttons? Was it thin or thick ribbon? Velvet or or satin or cotton?  And did I really need some glass-headed pins? Or shoulder pads? And could I justify some bra straps?

It was a lovely quandary in which to find myself. In the end, though, I came away with just a very modest selection of ribbons and bows, but a huge and lasting impression of a wonderful haberdashery.

Comments

[Viv]

Oh, do I know that feeling. Here in Hamburg, we have this fab button and accesoory (sic!) shop where I go when I think something really deserves very, very special buttons. Contrary to you, I mostly leave with more than just the 4, 5 or 6 buttons I was originally planning to buy there....you see, they have lovely assistants there who really help you finding just the *right* buttons for, say, a lovingly knitted cardigan. Unfortunately, they always show you their fave ones, too...

[m]

Remember those signs by the lifts in old-fashioned department stores ... Haberdashery notions, 3rd floor? Used to intrigue me as a child because I always wondered what a haberdashery notion might be. And now I see your head is spinning with them!

[Gina]

That has made me want to jump on a train and visit Ramsgate!

[Sarah R]

Oooh, I had to enlarge those button photos just to see them all close up. There's a really cool pale pink one that looks rather origami-ish...seventh row from the left, fifth row up.

I'm afraid I would not have been so resolute and would have come out with pockets full of buttons.

[Lesley]

It's surprising we don't see more real haberdashery shops opening, now that so many people are back to sewing and making. I suppose most haberdashery these days is mixed in with supplies in general craft stores, or the odd back wall of the fabric store. So its range and quality are determined (and inhibited) by space and what the storekeeper can buy in bulk. Lord knows where I'd go if I wanted a bodkin or some bra elastic ...

[raina]

I am amazed at the button collection. Wow. I am speechless.

[Red]

What fun. This weekend I went to a yarn shop with a friend and her 2 year old son. He spent the entire time looking at the buttons, talking about what each one was, and pulling out the tubes and putting them back.

It goes to show that an eye for detail and beauty develops early.

What will you do with what you got?

Glad to see you're posting again. I've missed your pictures and vignettes of life over there (I'm in the US).

[Georgia]

A shop like that would make me very heppy indeed, Darling. Not sure if I would have shown as much self restraint as you did.

[Ruth]

I can see myself forgetting why I came If I found myself in a shop like the one you pictured. "Don't wait for me, honey, I'll be here a while!"

[Rachelle Blondel]

Oh Jane I am so glad you found that shop. I grew up in Ramsgate and Doug & Sandra's haberdashery was one of the places I loved to spend my pocket money, money when I got a job and now when we go home to see family its my first point of call. I must admit that its the only thing I miss about the place though!!

[Kutri]

Goodness, doesn't that sight almost make you want to EAT those buttons and ribbons! :-D

[Jo.L]

WOW. I feel a trip to Ramsgate coming on.
Doug & Sandra thanks for holding on while fashion caught back up with you.

[Hazel]

Oh fantastic! I must get the other half to take me to Ramsgate :)

[Lynsey]

Is it wrong to be drooling over photographs of buttons??

[Elizabeth]

That's amazing. I've never been to a store like that! I'd be lost....

[catherine]

Wow, wow, wow : paradise!

[Jean]

I will have to search to see if there is a local haberdasher, we do have some wonderful stores for quilt fabrics. Here's one http://www.quiltessentials.com/

[suse]

I can't BELIEVE you didn't buy bra straps.

Also, the 'listed' shopfront took me a minute. I thought it was listing to starboard, being so old and all. (I had a yachtie childhood).

[Teresa]

It makes you think about bra straps. The idea now is to renew your bra at least every three months but there was obviously a time when they were expected to last as long as possible. Makes you want to hang around to see whether a little old lady of ninety comes in to buy them as she is still wearing a bra she bought when she was twenty.
Sounds like the subject for a thesis for those of us studying for our degree of life in domestic science (sorry - sometimes I just can't help share my quirky sense of humour with the world, no offense intended).

[Kelly Fletcher]

This is what I hope heaven is like! And thanks for the shop names in your original post. I'm relatively new to London and, although I have banned myself from The Cloth House for a while because of a lack of control once through the doors, I haven't been to the other two.

[Lindsay]

What a wonderous sight. If only my local haberdashery looked like that - instead I have to make do with an ever shrinking corner of Daniels department store.

[Shelly G.]

I have been to places almost as wonderful as your haberdashery, but I love the rows of buttons in containers... So wonderful... I would want to spend time just looking and thinking about all the possiblities... It is hard not to want it all :)

[paula luckhurst]

Oh, I like this so much: ribons, buttons, anything like that.

[kuka]

gorgeous photos (always!!)
I especially like the one in the top - I love purple and yellow together!

[Heather Fontenot]

I am so very excited! My copy of The Gentle Art of Domesticity shipped today. I plan to spend a whole day, curled up with my knitting and your book sometime this week.

[Willemtje]

What a coincidence! When I saw the pictures of buttons and ribbon I immediately thought of a shop in Ramsgate we visited last year, then it turned out you'd been to that very shop! I bought some yarn there that I am currently using. We also visited the other places you photographed and had a wonderful time exploring the area. Thanks very much for your blog,

a Dutch knitter

[Anne]

If you are ever in San Francisco, you must visit Britex Fabrics, the closest thing we have to a haberdashery (4 floors of lovely fabrics, buttons, trims, & inspiration!).

[Alex]

Where abouts in Ramsgate is this fab Haberdashery Shop?

[x vInTaGe VioLeT x]

wow - what a fabulous shop - we have quite a good one locally, it has loads of dressmaking and quilting fabrics , lots of{but not enough}buttons, braids and trims,lace & ric-rac and all the expected haberdashery - the only thing i HATE about the store is the fact they constatly play "country and western" music.
I sell vintage buttons and vintage haberdashery items on Folksy.

[cristina]

I'm crazy for buttons!!!!!!!!cri

[Rini Boer]

Wow , this are lovely pictures !
Rini - the Netherlands

[Lora]

Those photos are very nice. I have never been in such a good haberdashery, though I really like them. I have taken a photo of one haberdashery in my town today, but it is old and much less colourful, moreover one cannot come through and see through the things, but has to ask at the counter, then wait while the attendants find the things among rows of boxes and hand ladders.