Jim Thompson Outlet for Silk in Bangkok

The Jim Thompson Outlet on Sukhumvit Soi 93 is open every day from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. They have a range of silk from heavy upholstery fabric, to lighter weight for clothing. The lighweight silk is called 1 ply. It is washable and great for sewing up quilts or clothing. Silks are on floors 1 and 3. They don’t have chiffon or anything light like that. The lightest I saw was a shimmery white silk in a couple of different weaves that would be good for blouses or dressy clothing.

The solid color one-ply silks are 350 baht per meter ($10 a yard)

One-ply silks are on floors 1 and 3.

The printed silks are 500 baht per meter ($15 a yard).

Clearance tables on every floor with prices as low as 300 baht for a 2 meter piece ($4.35 a yard) for pure silk!

This is silk-blend upholstery fabric.

Jim Thompson Sale at BITEC December 7-8-9, 2012

The semi-annual big blowout warehouse Jim Thompson Sale is on! There are thai silk products, cotton fabrics and accessories, clothes, purses, makeup cases, Christmas cards, hats, tote bags, and toys at Hall 106 BITEC 10:00 – 17:00. Cotton fabric is 250 baht per meter, and silk goes for 310 baht per meter. I bought polo shirts for 850 baht marked down from 1600 baht. Clothing is in U.S. sizes and nice cotton.

There are some items made only for the BITEC sale. There are two sales per year, in June and December. Items are discounted over 50% from retail. BTS sky train station –  Bang Na, exit 1 a short walk to BITEC. You’ll see a large sign. Inside BITEC grounds, catch a shuttle to the entrance.

There is a coffee shop at the sale so you can have a snack. Upon entering the hall, staff give you a large plastic bag to shop with, and they cover your purse with a plastic bag and tie it. Once inside, fill your bag with items. It’s a madhouse!

There are tee shirts, silk shirts, purses and bags, bean bag chairs, placemats and table cloths, duvet bed covers, etc. After shopping a while, you can go sit in the middle, which is a roped off area. Here people sit on the floor and spill out the contents of their bags. They sort and reconsider, and rest and wait for other members of their party. Finally, head to the checkout. After paying by cash or credit card, take your receipt out to the lobby to the counter for a free gift if you spent over 6,000 baht. In the lobby there are fruits and veggies, flowers and gift food items. Then at the counter at the front right, get free gift bags and boxes. Just show your receipt. Have fun!

ASEAN Silk Heritage at Queen Sirikit Convention Center

Browse through premium silk and silk products at Asean Silk Heritage 2012

• 5 – 9 December 2012
• 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
• At Queen Sirikit Convention Center in Bangkok
• MRT station – Queen Sirikit National Convention Center

Find silk at good prices and see weaving demonstrations. Find out about Thai weaving traditions. Silk will be on display from various districts in Thailand. The Nakhon Chai Burin Group of provinces are known for their fabulous silk.

• Hang-grarok or Squirrel Tail silk woven in Nakhon Ratchasima
• Mat Mi tie dyed silk from Chaiyaphum
• Bright colored silk also known as Lava made in Burirum
• Surin’s famous silk with threads of different colors wound together before weaving

Silk from these provinces and others will be on sale!

A fashion show “Silk Style” will showcase the newest fashions. Enter to win a gift voucher for discounts on silk and silk products at the show!

Where to Buy Silk for Quilting in Thailand

My Thai silk stash and my cat

Find silk by the yard at these places:

• The Old Siam mall in Chinatown

• Chinaworld mall in Chinatown – 300 baht per meter at a shop on the ground floor

• Jim Thompson fabric outlets, 550 to 650 baht per meter, both open 9.00 am. – 6.00 pm, two locations:
• Soi Sukhumvit 93
• Surawong

Thai silk is very sturdy. It can be washed in the machine with any detergent. The colors do not run. However if you wash it, the silk will become wrinkly. The wrinkles will never come out. This is because each fiber shrinks down to a different size. Thai silk should be ironed with a very hot iron, no steam. I have blouses made of Thai silk which I have washed in the machine. They didn’t shrink a lot, but they now have a wrinkly look but I still wear them. If you dry clean them, they keep the pressed look. I use silk to make quilts, without any fusible or backing on it. I mix and match cotton and silk patches in my quilts because I like a scrappy look.