First off I want to thank everybody for their comments last week! Your answers were so informative and I appreciate very much the input I've received. It seems unanimous that most of us savvy sewing designers want to dress simply in really nice t-shirts with smart detailing and thoughtful sculptural elements, clothing that serves a purpose yet it's stylish and special. I was concerned that my entry had come off a bit dark (or you'd think I was giving up a dream) but I was so pleased to see you all excited about my new found utilitarian viewpoints and felt elated hearing that many of you share quite similar thoughts. I do not want to ever stop making beautiful dresses that I dream of at night, or avant-garde puffy sleeved jackets or over the top skirts- I just want to strip these ideals of beauty down to their true meaning and find a medium in which I am fulfilled and the product is economical. I think art serves a very important purpose in our lives and I see more and more blogs, websites & publications celebrating the creations of the d.i.y. community everyday. I was asked to create a How-to for Foam magazine which I am contemplating what I'll do for it now- but but in the mean time check this out: Foam Magazine I think the BurdaStyle community is very forward-thinking and right on track with a sustainable and progressive future ahead indeed. Fashion is outrageously over-priced and outrageously expensive to produce & I will never stop designing. I don't want to be limited though, by the high price one pays to produce these lovely creatures- so I am taking the path of less resistance and rethinking fashion, one step at a time.

Hi Alison - I am new Burda Style member, and am based in NYC. I love your voice in the blog posts. I wonder if you would consider writing about your favorite fabric stores? I am dying to know some of the hot spots that are not Mood... Thanks! Lee Ann (thewestover)

I will embellish Lee Ann's request but there is one store I must mention now:

Metro Textiles: 265 West 37th Street Suite 908 New York, NY 10018 Phone: 212-209-0004 (Outrageously inexpensive gorgeous fabrics and cool appliques, completely affordable)