Hasta La Ideas

Joining the growing spate of yarn stores pulling double duty as coffee shops, Paris’ Sweat Shop provides a social environment where sewing enthusiasts can fuel up on caffeine while also toiling away on their latest craft projects.

Located in the increasingly chic 10th arrondissement, a neighborhood near Canal Saint-Martin, the cafe-slash-workshop houses a large communal table and 10 Singer sewing machines where craftsters can rent out the machines on an hourly (€6/hour) and daily (€25, with tea and coffee included) basis. Thanks to kooky decor and a menu of organic muffins and vegan nibbles provided by the nearby eatery Bob’s Juice Bar (owned by Steven Alan’s brother), Sweat Shop has already become a decidedly hip hangout for sewers and non-sewers alike.

Those looking to hone in on their craft can also sign up for one-day workshops with various experts and designers including Marie-Claire Idees’ Celine Dupuy aka “Mlle Kou,” a designer for the magazine’s home and decorating-focused blog. Sweat Shop also offers knitting workshops, in addition to sewing seminars that double as English conversation sessions (cheekily titled, “Patch Up Your English”).

Taking the concept of “café couture” even further by selling DIY sewing packets, the space has a lot in common with Wool and the Gang and their popular knitting kits, supplying everything you need to create your own unique item of clothing.