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Suzan Steinberg

@fabriclady3

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Owner of Stonemountain & Daughter Fabrics in Berkeley, CA. Fabric lover and indie pattern wearer! @stonemountainfabric

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✨ This recent make was part of our Staff Spotlight @stonemountainfabric — where we choose a specific pattern, fabric, or sewing technique and invite our Stonemountain & Daughter staff to each create their own version. I always love seeing how everyone interprets the same inspiration in such different and personal ways.For this Spotlight, we focused on beautiful yarn-dyed cottons and favorite garment sewing patterns. I chose the Wren Blouse and this gorgeous textured yarn-dyed cotton in stone, and I truly love everything about it…the texture, depth, softness, and the way it feels like something I’ll wear for years. Yarn-dyed fabrics have so much richness and character, and they’re wonderfully easy to sew, wear, and care for.The #wrenblouse by @chalkandnotch is such an easy, wearable shape with a soft scoop neck and relaxed feel. @kimheggins and I made a small hacks to soften the sleeve a bit so it felt less frilly and more like something I’d reach for every day. That’s always what I’m drawn to…pieces that fit beautifully into real life. I can already picture this with favorite jeans, easy summer pants, and layered into cooler weather.And thank you, @kimheggins, for making one for you and one for me…it’s always more fun to collaborate together ✂️✨One of the things I especially loved about this Spotlight was celebrating independently published sewing patterns. We carry indie patterns exclusively at the shop, and supporting these talented designers feels so meaningful. If you’ve been curious about garment sewing, this is such a lovely place to begin. Check out the blog for the entire teams makes on our website at stonemountainfabric.com ❤️If you’re local, stop by @stonemountainfabric and see all of our Staff Spotlight garments on display through May. And if you sew, I hope you’ll join us and make one of your own 🦋#MeMadeMay #WrenBlouse #YarnDyedCotton #stonemountainfabric by @fabriclady3

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2 months ago

#MeMadeMay2026 has been amazing so far ✨ It’s incredible to see so many people sewing and wearing their own clothing and sharing their creativity with the world. The sewing revolution is happening! Indie Fabric Stores are making a comeback! Here I am in my beloved Lander Pants by @truebias in front of @stonemountainfabric 💚 So grateful to be part of this inspiring sewing community and to see handmade wardrobes blooming everywhere. ✂️🧵 by @fabriclady3

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3 months ago

Me Made May moment 💕Loving our green door @stonemountainfabric and wearing my Weekend Getaway Dress by @lieslandco, sewn up in a drapey rayon with stars…because if you know me, you know I’m always looking up at the night sky ✨Me Made May has always been such a joyful time for me and for the store. We love wearing handmade clothing, sharing it, and being endlessly inspired by all of you.Say hi and drop a comment if you’d like—I’d love to hear what you’re making this month ✂️💫🦋 by @fabriclady3

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3 months ago

This fabric store has been part of my life for almost my entire life.Forty five years ago a little fabric store opened its doors in Berkeley…and somehow it pulled me right in.Sometimes I stand in the store and take it all in. The colors, the bolts of fabric arranged like a rainbow, the hum of activity, the conversations people are having. It still feels a little miraculous that this small shop has grown into such a vibrant gathering place for makers.I was 22 when I stepped into fabric retail to work alongside my dad. I held such idealized memories of his funky little fabric store in Hollywood, Bob Steinberg’s Fabric Emporium from 1967 to 1972. By the time I was eight, his store had become my Sunday playground. I loved running between bolts of cloth and rummaging through embroidered patches with all the wild symbols of the 60s.In my twenties a mentor shared a simple idea that stayed with me: find a need and fill it. There has always been a need for beautiful fabric at a fair price, so I went all in for fabric and for this business.It was a man’s world then, passed down from father to son. Inspired by my mother who broke through in the record industry in the 70s, I took the challenge to carve out my own path.Over time I fell in love with the creative side of the business—graphics, marketing, and especially buying fabric. For decades I’ve traveled to New York, Los Angeles, and trade shows searching for beautiful textiles for the shop.Now at 67+, I feel deeply grateful for this life and this community. Running a small independent fabric store isn’t easy, and we never take our survival for granted.What keeps me going is the creativity I see every day. Fabric becomes part of people’s lives and their stories.Forty five years later the fabric is even more beautiful, but the real magic has always been the people who walk through these doors. I feel incredibly lucky to still be here sharing it with you.If you’ve been part of this story, I’d love to hear when you first discovered the Mountain. by @fabriclady3

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5 months ago

It’s been a minute since I’ve posted personally — I’ve been deep in fabric land! When Joann’s closed, things at Stonemountain really took off… whoa, did we get busy!Luckily, I’ve also had time to be with family and friends (my secret to staying somewhat grounded in all the creative chaos ✨).And then — this happened! 🎉The East Bay Express named Stonemountain & Daughter Best Fabric Store in their Best of the East Bay 2025 issue! 🪡 I had the best time at their party celebrating so many great businesses that make this community amazing—shop, eat, craft LOCAL!So much gratitude to my amazing team, our incredible community of sewists, makers, friends, family, and dreamers who keep us inspired every single day. And a big shout-out to the East Bay Express — one of the last independent newspapers still lifting up small local businesses like ours.Feeling thankful, tired, joyful, and very full of fabric. ✂️ 😍 #stonemountainfabric by @fabriclady3

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9 months ago

✨Staff Spotlight Time!✨One of my greatest joys as the owner of @stonemountainfabric is seeing what our amazing team creates with just three yards of fabric and a pattern of their choice. The creativity and care they pour into these projects always inspires me—and this time, it was my turn!This shirt was made with love for me by our talented team member Kim, using our Designer Deadstock 100% Linen, finished with matte plastic buttons and Shir-Tailor fusible interfacing. I prepped the linen using the Sandra Betzina method—iron hot, wash, iron again—so it would be wrinkle-resistant and ready for Kim to work her magic ✨We sized it down a bit for a more fitted feel and shortened the sleeves. I also chose a solid color missing from my wardrobe—something versatile I could wear all the time. And truly… every stitch feels like a blessing. To wear something made by someone who cares deeply is such a gift. Thank you, Kim 💛🌿 On a personal note, I’ve been quieter here lately—working hard behind the scenes at the store while moving through a big life transition. My dad passed away about three months ago, and this weekend we’re gathering to celebrate his incredible life near his home. I miss him every day. He was a true fabric legend and guiding light, and I feel him with me in everything we do.Our store is thriving—more people are discovering us since Joann Fabrics closed, and it feels like pre-pandemic times again. Full days, big smiles, fabric flying off the shelves. Thank you to our beautiful community for keeping this dream alive.Here’s to handmade garments, heartful sewing, and carrying the past into the future—with love. 💫#StaffSpotlight #StonemountainFabric #SewYourStory #LinenLove #DeadstockFabric #MadeWithLove #SewingCommunity #SewingInspiration #BayAreaSewists #GarmentGoals #StonemountainMagic #stonemountainfabric @stonemountainfabric ✂️❤️✂️ by @fabriclady3

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a year ago

Bob Steinberg1933 – 2025My beautiful dad passed away peacefully this morning, surrounded by love. He was 92—a true trailblazer, a generous spirit, and an incredible partner in life and work.We started in a 1,000 square foot space in a funky part of Berkeley and, against all odds, built something to last. We faced every challenge together and created a legacy full of heart, purpose, and community.As I navigate the waves of love, loss, honor, and remembrance, I carry his spirit with me. We will carry on—keeping the flame of sewing and the love of fabric alive for the next generation, with hope and renewed purpose.He was deeply loved and will be missed more than words can say.Thank you for holding us in your hearts.With love,Suzan by @fabriclady3

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a year ago

Had a heartfelt conversation with my dad, Bob Steinberg—our founder and partner of 44 years—and it reminded me of the philosophy that’s guided us from the very beginning:Every indie fabric store is a star in our universe.And the more stars we have, the brighter it becomes—for sewists, pattern designers, and the whole creative ecosystem.We’ve always believed that one of the best values in the economy is yardage. Fabric. Textiles.If you can sew it yourself, you can dress beautifully, live creatively, and build a wardrobe with meaning.All we ever wanted was a level playing field. For decades, we stood tall while big chains pushed predatory pricing and corporate partnerships that erased so many small shops.But things are changing.With many chains closing and even Amazon stepping back, a new age is opening. Communities can once again build and support local fabric stores—just like the quilt shops did in the late ’80s. And look how they have flourished—into a $5 billion industry rooted in loyalty and craft.There’s space for both online and brick-and-mortar in this next chapter. We don’t need the whole pie—just our slice. And we want others to have theirs too.This is the indie fabric shop movement.And you’re part of it. 🌟#indiefabricstore #sewingcommunity #fabriclove #garmentsewing #makersmovement #slowfashion #supportsmallbusiness #stonemountainfabric @bob.steinberg.739 by @fabriclady3

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a year ago

This is the time.The garment sewing, quilting, and crafting renaissance is happening now—and we’re not just witnessing it, we’re part of it.For so long, big chains and corporate systems shaped this industry. But now, a beautiful shift is underway. People want connection, creativity, and care. They want to buy from folks who actually sew. Who love fabric. Who understand the joy of making something by hand.It’s not just about one store or one voice—it’s about all of us.A rising tide of indie shops, pattern designers, teachers, and makers.We can all be seen. We can all soar. Together.When you support small, independent shops, you’re fueling the entire ecosystem of creativity. Your projects make it possible for us to keep bringing in new fabrics, discovering new designers, and growing this beautiful world we share. Makers and indie stores rise together—yard by yard, story by story.📸 In the photo above: me with Whitney & Jenni from @tomkatstitchery—two amazing women leading the way on YouTube with their sewing expertise and deep commitment to the maker community. What a gift to meet them in person and share in this moment of hope and momentum!#indiefabricstore #sewingcommunity #quiltinglife #garmentsewing #makersmovement #supportsmallbusiness #slowfashion #sewistsofinstagram #communityovercompetition #fabriclove #tomkatstitchery #stonemountainfabric #fabriclover by @fabriclady3

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a year ago

A New Era for Fabric Stores Is HereI’ve always been an optimist. It’s what’s carried me through decades of running an independent fabric store in a changing world—through the rise of big chains, corporate pattern monopolies, fast fashion, and now, massive store closures like JoAnn’s.But today, I feel something shifting.Not just in our store—but across the fabric world.There was a time when every town had a local fabric shop. Just like there were local bookstores, music stores, and video shops. Most are gone now, replaced by online giants or closed by corporate strategies that never had community or creativity in mind. And somehow, through all the changes, we’re still here.And we’re not alone.A new generation of independent fabric stores is beginning to rise—stores built on love for sewing, for community, for texture and touch and slow, intentional making. Not built to scale. Built to serve.This is our moment.The big chains had their time. Now it’s time to return to the roots—to passion-driven shops run by people who actually sew, who know their fabric, who care about your project as much as you do. We’re not just selling cloth—we’re passing along knowledge, inspiration, and connection.If you want to see more beautiful, community-powered fabric stores in the world, support the ones that exist now. Share them. Shop them. Talk about them. Because this is how we begin again.For the next generation of makers, let’s build something lasting.With so much gratitude and hope,Suzan by @fabriclady3

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a year ago

It’s no secret—I’ve always loved a classic button-up with a little flair! ✨ This round of our Staff Spotlight @stonemountainfabric gave me the perfect chance to dream up something fun, arty, and versatile. I can dress it up with nice pants, keep it casual with jeans, or even wear it as a light layering piece. 🎨I'm obsessed with our rayon/linen blends—they have the dreamiest drape, stay crisp, and feel so soft against the skin. This Picasso Theatre print (an out-of-the-box choice for me!) is going to be so fun to wear to my next buying show in Chicago! 🎭✈️Even more special—this shirt was sewn for me by my dear friend and collaborator @kimheggins 💛 In one of the photos, you’ll spot us twinning in our Jenna Shirts, each in our own fabric choice. Nothing better than sewing memories together. ✨👯‍♀️I also added a pop of extra fun with Atelier Brunette bias trim on the back and on my pocket—because why not add a little more joy? ✂️🎀Now the big question... belt it or not? I can’t decide! Would love to hear what you think! 💬Fabric:🎨 Lady McElroy - Trudi Linen/Viscose - Picasso TheatreButtons:✨ Joy Enamel Button - 20mm in MustardPattern:🧵 Closet Core Jenna Shirt & DressWorking alongside all these talented, passionate makers makes my work—and my life—so much sweeter. Feeling grateful for this creative crew every single day! 🌟 by @fabriclady3

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a year ago

Nice to spend time with family 💜 by @fabriclady3

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