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Shopping in Singapore

9/19/2013

12 Comments

 
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The fabric shops on Arab Street in Singapore
Singapore is a very modern city that has been a place for trade where cultures have mixed for centuries.  The largest population is probably the Chinese, but there are strong communities of Malaysian, Indonesian and Indian people as well. I'm not sure if any fabric actually gets manufactured in Singapore, but there is lots and lots of fabric one can buy from many different countries.  

And I am very lucky to have a cousin who has lived in Singapore for 14 years and knew all the places to go.  She took me in hand for a full day and I want to share that day with you.
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We started on Arab Street.  This is a neat old neighborhood where the shops are in old two story buildings, very different from most of Singapore. The neighborhood is Arab and a very large and famous mosque is only a block away.
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There was shop after shop stocked with beautiful cottons, silks and synthetics ... no wool or wooly fabrics though. Singapore is right on the equator and it is hot there all year round. Check out the fans near the ceiling. All shops are open to the outside with no A/C.
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These metal shapes are the stamps used to print wax onto fabric when making batiks.
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Which of these eyelets should I buy??? The colors are SO bright ... hmmm ...
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I chose white. I can dye it any color. The saleslady burned some of the embroidery thread to see if it was cotton so if I dye it the thread will dye as well.
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Here are my Arab Street purchases ... White eyelet with a border on both sides.  And two hand printed cottons from India with borders on one selvage.  I'm not sure what these fabrics will become.  Stay tuned.
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Time for a potty break, but you have to buy toilet paper with a coin from a dispenser BEFORE you go into the bathroom.  Oh well ... when in Rome ...
Now off to Chinatown.  The shops here are all jammed into a couple of buildings with 4 or 5 floors.  Most of this complex sells ready-to-wear clothing, housewares, food you name it. There are also travel agents and money exchange offices, probably banks, but we were focused on finding fabric. It took a few false turns and asking a few people, but we finally found the area with fabric and craft stores. The shops are similar to the ones on Arab Street.  They are all open to the hallways, but all indoors.
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Much of the stuff is made in China and similar to what you can find in the US, but I found a store with some really nice Japanese fabrics and I bought an indigo print linen I hope to make into a skirt or pair of pants. Could be a jacket though, would look nice with jeans. hmmmmm
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Then my cousin know of an area with craft and notion stores.  That required more asking and a few wrong turns.  Really we weren't that lost.  She has shopped here many times before, but once you start walking around it is like a maze and all the floors start looking the same.
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Here I really felt like a kid in a candy shop!! But I had to remind myself, I had a small suitcase and my vacation was only half over.  I still had Cambodia and Bangkok to shop in!  But, I did buy a few things.  Velcro in colors I can't find.  A neat hand crocheted collar for $1 and some nice hand bag findings ... see ...
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The day went by SO fast. If I go back, or shall I say when I go back, I will make a list!  And maybe ship stuff back.

But, what fun.
12 Comments
Marylou
9/19/2013 12:04:48 am

Thanks so much for taking time to blog. I experience so much vicarious fun through them, but I lust and covet when I see those colorful fabrics. I'll just have to go there someday.

Reply
Haldir
9/24/2013 05:03:52 pm

Thank you for the Entry. :)

But just to correct you a bit, the "Tanned-Skin" people in Singapore are called Malays, and NOT Malaysian. ;)
Most of us have our Roots in Indonesia (from our Grandparents or Great Grandparents or Great-Great Grandparents time): Javanese, Bugis, Boyanese, Minang etc, and only a small percentage might had originated from Malaysia. So that's why we called ourselves Malay, especially that a few decades ago, only those whose IC says "Malay" as their Race, are entitled to Free Education (and this got all the Javanese, Bugis etc to change their Race to Malay)

FYI, Malaysian are the Citizen of Malaysia, our next Door Neighbour, as are Indonesian from Indonesia! XD

As for Culture-wise, ya, we Malays are more towards those seen in Malaysia since they're our nearest neighbour but many of our Culture & Practices are also from Indonesia, tho' had been diluted to be more "moderate" or "modern", and developed into our own versions.


And I can see you had went to Blk 32, People's Park Complex (or also known as People's Park Food & Shopping Centre). ;)
If you had taken the North-East Line (aka Purple Line) of the MRT Train, just need to exit via Exit C (People's Park Complex/The Majestic) and you will see Blk 32 right in front of you. :P

The last place you went to seems Textile Centre, along Jalan Sultan & North Bridge Road. :)

Reply
Andrea Schewe
9/25/2013 02:32:35 am

Thanks for the correction. Next time I'm in Singapore I will let you know!

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Val LaBore link
9/30/2013 03:21:17 am

I would have bought YARDS of that solid white eyelet fabric. It would make a beautiful bustle gown, or Edwardian summer gown.
LOL, I just got back from France and England and was taking photos of the bathroom oddities too. LIke toilet paper dispenses in pieces like Kleenex from a metal box on the wall.
Val

Reply
Steven Ong
12/2/2015 01:03:22 am

Hi, I am used to be in the fashion business and have a lot of fabrics some of them still in the roll. Are they anyone who wants to buy it ?

Do email me if anyone interested? it will be dirt cheap!.

Stevenong88@gmail.com

Reply
Andrea
12/3/2015 04:23:08 am

I'm happy to post your comment Steven, but perhaps you should try selling your fabric on Etsy or Ebay. I bet people would snap it up.
What and how much do you have?

Reply
Steven Ong
12/3/2015 05:41:20 am

Actually i am looking for people who wants just grab everything at one go. about 20 roll.

Andrea
12/3/2015 11:02:43 am

I give my extra fabric to my local college costume shop. You might try that.

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VIrginia Brown
11/1/2016 08:02:28 pm

Are there any independent dressmakers and how much do they charge, also can they make from a picture??? A1 cloths not rubbish required

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VIrginia Brown link
11/1/2016 08:03:07 pm

Are there any independent dressmakers and how much do they charge, also can they make from a picture??? A1 cloths not rubbish required. Wl be in Singapore from 28/12/2016 for a month

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Devi
6/20/2017 12:01:19 am

I was trying the recollect the fabric name - found on ur page - thanks bhatik

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Hand embroidered coats link
7/15/2017 01:38:05 pm

If you are planning for shopping in singapore then I think This blog is very useful for that peoples.

Reply

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    I am a commercial pattern maker who is now "sewing over 50"!
    I love to sew and hope to encourage others to come back to sewing.
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