Just Opened

Topstitch

by Elisabeth Holm

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Here's a little Sewing 101: The topstitch binds multiple fabrics in a garment, and is both decorative and functional. It's fitting, then, that three of Philly's most popular handcrafting shops have formed a collective of the same name.

Topstitch is a triple threat: The new Market Street boutique, gallery and workshop is a collaboration between Babooshka, HoneyMilk and Kinked Works. All three shops have been closed to concentrate on the new venture.

"We want you to feel like you're in our closet," says Babooshka owner Francesca Sloan. It's worth noting that said closet includes designs by Cholita and Emmaluv, Victoria Chan's hand-sewn leather belts, Linda Fleather jewelry and Rabid Fox's hand-cast children's toy rings.

Joining Sloan's reconstructed vintage is HoneyMilk's Julie Stone Waring and Linda Smyth, who specialize in handcrafted clothing and jewelry and children's wear. The ladies also brought along Carrie Powell, who will curate the Topstitch Gallery's monthly local art installments; the first will feature paintings and drawings from Brielle Duym.

Shoppers can crash on the red velvet couch in Topstitch's backroom lounge or walk past the antique French doors to peer into the Topstitch workshop, where you might find Kinked Works' Kylie Grant and Kurt Hunte sewing and silk-screening. If you're lucky, you might even get your hands on a new item before it hits the racks.

Soft opening Feb. 10; grand opening March 2; Tue.-Sat., 11 a.m.-7 p.m., Sun., noon-5 p.m., Mondays by appointment, 311 Market St., second floor, 267-322-4057