They sold me too much fabric for a dress. They could have recommended less. Ended up paying for an…read moreextra yard.

We went to the SM Southmall branch to buy fabrics, and this guy with a beard (who looked bored with…read morehis job) 'assisted' us. We were having second thoughts about the color he gave us--it was way different from the sample we had. When we asked if there was any other fabric that matched the sample, he just shrugged us off and went to assist another customer. He was rude and definitely not helpful. When we finally chose the fabric, he charged us for both fabrics.

I find the fabric stores in Glorietta Mall to be more expensive, stuffy and noisy so I often opt to…read morego to the one in Dian street. When I was still studying Fashion Design and Merchandising in De La Salle College of Saint Benilde, this was my go-to fabric store if I didn't want to bother going to the ever chaotic scene of Divisoria or wait for my turn in Carolina's or Fabric Warehouse in Glorietta. The shop is decent size and definitely bigger than the branch in Glorietta. They have a lot of fabric stocks and choices as well as crafts supplies like beads, ribbons, laces and all that jazz...even masks, tiara's and gloves if you're looking for prom accessories. No matter what time of the day I go there, the crowd isn't that big or there's no crowd so I'm free to roam around without hassle as I please and ask for ready assistance from the staff. There's also parking! So if you're a fashion student in Benilde, a designer, love to make or spruce up your own clothes or you're big on arts and crafts and you live in/pass by Makati, stop by this Carolina's Lace Shoppe branch. :)

This is no doubt my most favorite Carolina's branch in existence EVER. I can't imagine my life and…read morebusiness without this store. As somebody who has Carolina's-hopped a fifth of her life, I've come to find that each branch has its own "personality". This one is the most accommodating, a refuge to my emergency fabric needs whenever I don't have time to beat the traffic to Divisoria. First of all, they have a huge variety of materials available by the yard. Though quite chaotic at a glance, you'd get a sense that they are actually arranged by type. Like the first shelves would house the more expensive and imported fabrics (the Italian flimsy stuff, etc), then you head over the back and you'll see more commonly used ones for gowns. There would be enough selections of Satins, Charmeuse, Taffetas, Chiffons, Organza, Cotton, Linens, Rayons, and Tulles to create virtually any gown. Not just that. You can go nuts over the lace selections. Every now and then, gorgeous corded/beaded, bridal, Spanish-ish, or Indian-ish laces stocks will come. That's not including their customizing services (You can actually avail of their laser cutting services). If you're looking for a quick stop that has it all for an emergency outfit material mission, Dian's branch is the place to be.

The mom of Carlo is a "suki" (loyal customer) here. So, when he said it was time to buy the fabric…read morefor his suit, his mom knew where to go and when. Yes, we went here the morning of Chinese New Year! There were so many people! But, there were discounts in all the stores. :) To get to the shop, you have to squeeze your way to the Yangco Market building. Once you're inside you have to walk to the very end. The shop will be right in front of a Barong and Jusi shop. The reason why we went all the way to this shop (honestly, this section of Binondo is the fabrics and textiles area) is because Carlo's brother bought his fabrics for his wedding at this same shop. So, of course, we expected discounts! The fabrics here are of very good quality and, from what the owner told us, is sourced from the "original" fabric warehouses. Not sure if that's true but, I felt the quality in the fabrics he showed us. Note: we made the mistake of saying that we were making a suit for the groom. The fabric price for a groom's suit to a normal suit is way higher. We did get a discount but, seriously the same fabric was Php200 less when you say it's a normal suit.

Very bad customer service!!! I called them on their landline, and they say the signal is bad he…read morecan't hear the material i was looking for. I texted the materials to their company number and gave it a couple of mins before calling them again. And when I called he was so rude saying he didnt get the text yet and for me to call back. I wouldnt have mind if I have to call back but the way he says it. And I called again and still got the same arrogant tone. Even scolding me for asking a question. Is that how you treat customers??? The arrogant staff is named William. I hope management will do something about the situation.

This is one shop I never not go to whenever I'm in Tabora, especially when I'm looking for…read moreembellishments that I need in bulk. Like when I did a gown of Elsa for a client before. That little sumb'ch needed more than a hundred snowflake-shaped sequins. If I bought them in Carolina's smaller packs, I probably would've spent around 500 pesos. But I actually saw a better version here from their wide selection of bulk sequins. One pack was just 85 pesos. Talk about huge savings. I also love the way the store's semi-complete. This is where I buy my fusing 'cause they have the usual thickness that I needed for gowns, among others. They too sell a lot of yarns and ribbons here, which I normally have zero use for, except for DIY cat toys.

very helpful!! quick service, good prices, so much to look at, extremely smooth process! salamat po!read more

This place is a costume and dress maker's wonderland because they have everything you can…read moreconcievable need to make that costume or dress work. Not only do they have fabrics of all types and colors, they have enough buttons, beads and sequins to dress all the religious statues in Manila. They have lace and trimmings, all sorts of yarn and thread and all sewing accessories. They have crochet needles and patterns, embroidery boards and patches. It comes in pretty handy when a trip to Divisoria is a little bit too difficult.

This shop is like a refuge from the unforgiving exo-divi atmosphere. Usually, when I Tabora…read moreshop-hop, I end up in Everson (and Wellmanson) towards the end, cause it's kinda near the end of the street. So when I enter, the super relieving air-conditioning was some sort of unhealthy rejuvenation from all the sweat bestowed upon you by the sun. I guess this shop is more for the crafty people and not the sewing people. But I still frequent it, looking for stuff I can invest on, like swarovsky-looking beads. They always work well in gowns, and they come really cheap. And then, I leave when I'm all freshened-up. They have a lot of cute ribbons though, and those little flowerettes you can glue on your scrapbooks. They have those in rubbon form though, so you have to cut them individually. But that's the fun of it, don't you agree? This shop is a must visit for all you thrifty crafters, and for those who wants an aircon break from their divi quest. The latter is free!

I usually refer to this shop as "the awesome button place at divi" my entire life, until now, when…read moreI had to dig deep into my stacked receipts just to know its name for Yelp purposes. I kid you not, this is one amazing shop that will make you shake your head and realize that you will never ever see a place with so much buttons in your life. Possibly even ever again. (Unless of course, you'll go to another shop equivalent in India, hah). I just cannot stress over how much buttons they have in stock here. And it's not just buttons you would see in your everyday garment. They have buttons for ANY kind of clothing you can ever come up with in your head. I'm not exaggerating. The selections of colors, designs, shapes, and sizes of buttons here is CRAZY. Whenever I go here, I just awe at everything. In fact, I already memorized the placing of the buttons, like for example, this side has the golden Victorian-ish ones, and this corner has the ones with gems in them, or this side has the boring plastic ones. It's just a really fun experience for any crafting or sewing enthusiast, or a button-hogging dork like me. You can buy a really "mayaman-looking" button here for 4-5 pesos each. Sometimes, when the button design gets complicated, you can get them for 8 pesos and above. But seriously, I don't even care. There's probably no shop out there I can get those for way less, anyway. I button-hoard from here. A LOT. I just regret never really taking a picture of the shop's interior or exterior, or the beauties for sale. Most of the time, my face is just tightly glued against the glass and nothing can ever pry it off.

Deovir is an artist's heaven…read more This could actually be my only statement and it would pretty much sum up Deovir. They have so many items available for use of artists which cannot be found in bookstores. Being the premiere art supply store, they have a wide range of products, from brushes, paints, paper, pencils, etcetera. This goes for even supporting materials such as thinners, binding mediums, and other art-related needs. Being not so familiar with and not comfortable in exploring painting mediums, I recently called them to ask for advice as to what I can use for an upcoming project. I needed to use a paint that would adhere well to textile, will be permanent despite washing, but needs to likewise have the correct consistency for brush calligraphy. With a short discussion of my options, I knew what I needed and even had my orders prepared already for payment and pick-up. Indeed, it pays to go to a specialized shop for, well, special art needs.

For me, a trip to Deovir is always entertaining. I've been known to stay for more than an hour…read moreinside the small space, just browsing through different art and craft materials without a specific agenda in mind and thinking about the creative possibilities. There are canvasses of all sizes ready to be spread with acrylics, oils, watercolors, pastels, etc. There are reasonably-priced, artist grade brushes. There are craft foams, polymer clays, charcoals, and a lot more. If there is something that I need for a craft or a project, I immediately look for it in Deovir. And I get a sinking feeling if I cannot find it in their shelves, because that means that I am unlikely to find it anywhere else locally. The staff are very helpful, and they know what they are talking about. There was this time when I was assembling a painting kit as a gift, and a friendly salesperson gladly discussed the comparative pros and cons of acrylic and oil, and why the former might be better suited for a novice than the latter. Seriously, I look for excuses to visit this store even though I know that it's not good for my wallet. They also have an online shop but sadly, the online inventory is very limited.