A visit to ribbon paradise

The Ribbonerie is one of those San Francisco stores that you have to see to believe. An entire store just for ribbon? You bet! Ribbon in every imaginable color, a myriad of patterns, dozens of widths and materials, vintage ribbon and newest designs — if you can't find what you're looking for here (or come up with ten new ideas for projects while you're browsing), you may have a real problem.

Paulette Knight has been importing ribbon from all over the world for more than 25 years. It all started with a couple of spools of wired ribbon that she brought home from a vacation in Paris. After she ran her import business out of her apartment for several years, she opened the store in 1997. Florists, event designers and needlework enthusiasts are among her most loyal clients, but a visit to the Ribbonerie is definitely worth it for anybody who can appreciate a beautifully curated collection.

I visited the Ribbonerie on a field trip with my floristry class, and judging by the "Oohs" and "Aahs" coming from our group, Paulette can count on a few new pilgrims headed for her ribbon mecca in the near future. Paulette is also a lovely storyteller and very generously shared her experience as a businesswoman and shopkeeper with us. Merci, Paulette!