craftgrrl | Sewing on tissue lamé

Halp, please! I need to make 4 capes for my boyfriend, myself, and our two friends by the 30th.

I'm not sure what kind of needle and thread I need to use, and I'd like these capes to come out nice! I don't have the fabric yet, though.

ETA: Do you think that lamé is too difficult to sew as a beginner? It seems to be an odd fabric, after all...

ETA again: Okay, so I was GOING to order from Fabric.com, but I've been informed that Fabric.com's express shipping isn't very express at all...so, would anyone happen to know some good fabric stores in Philadelphia where I can find several different colors of lamé?

Thanks so much! Sorry for text-only.

X-posted to sew_hip