Bringing a unique blend of fabric and classes to the Indianapolis area, the French Seam, a fine fabric boutique, provides more than simply fine fabrics for those who stop in to the shop. For French Seam proprietor Courtney Young, the shop brings together Indianapolis’s creative community in an energetic learning environment. With its rich selection of fine fabrics and quality sewing machines, the French Seam offers a wide array of classes for all ability levels. “It is exciting to see the enthusiasm about the sewing community and interaction with these women and men,” says Young. The shop’s sewing courses sets the shop apart in a healthy sewing community. “We believe that the sewing community locally and regionally is very healthy!”
Started by mother-daughter team, Courtney Young and Linda Compton in 2011, the French Seam combines their passion for fine fabric and love for sewing. This mother-daughter duo share a blog wherein they write about the wonder of stitching, and they have also contributed many times to other informational blogs like www.sewmyplace.com/sewing-table-reviews. The focal point of the shop is outfitting Indianapolis’s creative community with the tools and sewing skills they need to create. “Our classes range from a basic introduction to sewing, introduction to quilting, and we move into many different types of garment and craft classes.” Classes offered by the shop include, “Introduction to Modern Sewing,” “The Archer Blouse,” “A Wardrobe Classic: The Trench Coat,” and “For the Mini Fashionista” to name a few. Classes are offered seven days a week, in the mornings and evenings.
One of the most popular courses, “Introduction to Modern Sewing” includes teaching students the basics of a sewing machine as well as an understanding of the fundamental aspects of sewing. Young remarks on what students will take away from the class, “The student will have a better understanding of fabric; how and why to use the different fabrics with different patterns/outcomes. The student will learn how to straighten a piece of fabric and why that is important, working with various seam allowances, following basic patterns, how to work with different interfacings and inserting a zipper.” By introducing the art of sewing to students, the shop fosters creativity in the Indianapolis community. Young and Compton’s journey to provide customers with an opportunity and the necessary tools for their sewing knowledge and mastery recently included a storefront move.
“Our recent move to a new location, after five years in business, was determined primarily out of a need for larger facilities to handle the training aspect of the business.” The new store location at 9335 Castlegate Drive in Indianapolis also allows the store to offer a new line of sewing machines. In addition to a wide range of classes and sewing machines, the French Seam carries modern cottons, silks, linen, Italian wools, knits of all varieties, finer cottons and lace. “We also feature a “Luxe” line of fabrics that can be special ordered from Italy,” says Young.
The “Luxe” collection features designers like Armani, Prada, Pucci, Valentino and Carolina Herrera. Fabrics are changed seasonally but some of the core pieces are offered year-round. Patterns are also available for purchase and include independent patterns for apparel, quilting and handbags as well as Vogue, McCall’s and Kwik Sew patterns.
For Young and Compton, the most important aspect of the French Seam they’ve enjoyed has been the friends they’ve made along the way. Future plans for Young and Compton include training the current and next generation of sewers. “We are very proud to be able to help this vibrant community and assist them in learning new skills and give them access to a wide variety of fabrics for their creations.” Young and Compton believe in the power of the creative process. “It is the creative project that is the ultimate outcome in fine sewing.”
