We visit New Orleans the most because my little grandma, cousin, and uncles live there. We love the culture, food, people, and the WARM weather.

NOLA has a bunch of amazing fabric stores, including the last couture fabric shop in the south, Promenade Fabrics. We love them and have blogged about them quite a few times. This visit I thought it would be fun to feature a totally different store. Jefferson Variety Store is where the locals go to buy Mardi Gras beads, glitter by the pound, wild fabric, hats, feathers and so many other things. It did not disappoint!

This family owned shop is located in an industrial part of town and is easily missed. The staff are all family members were incredibly friendly and helpful. I love to listen to conversations inside of fabric stores. Most fabric people are open, honest, and fanatic creatives.

I had so much fun in this store of show stopping essentials that I had to buy a couple pieces although I’m supposed to be practicing my, “year of less.” I got my fabric to the cutting table and when I approached one lady I discovered that apparently other family members that do not work at the Jefferson Variety also hang out there for fun! What a cool store. I bet generations of children have been raised in this happy place.

Jennifer cut my hot pink mermaid fish scale fabric and my shiny silver fabric that I would later figure out was embellished with glitter. She shared with me that the store is around 64 years old and that it would not have survived if it wasn’t for Mardi Gras. Mardi Gras was the most popular topic of the locals everywhere we went. It’s the biggest thing and comparable to football.

I made baggie, tapered, hot pants from the hot pink fabric. They are so much fun to wear and I even got a call from David Lee Roth saying he wants them back! The glitter fabric is waiting outside until it tells me what it wants to be. I’m thinking Christmas tree skirt but you never know. I may get crazy on it!

Behind the scenes~

Other photos from our vacation.

Thank you Uncle Todd and Uncle Robert for all the time you spent with us, it means so much to us. A special thank you Sewfabulousnola for telling me over and over about this little gem.

Thank you for reading,

Tracy McElfresh

Dream it! Sew it!

Tracy McElfresh
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