Fabric

December 2020 UPDATE

So, it has been a while since I updated this post. My fabric buying habits have changed. Especially since I now manage a fabric store. So, yeah… It feels like a good time to come back to this and give updates!!!

Unfortunately, Love Adore Knits is no longer available. Small businesses close all the time, but it is heartbreaking for those involved, and customers who love them. I felt very lucky to be able to work with the husband of the owner to find loving, happy, sewist homes for the last of their fabrics. If you missed the LAK legacy sale earlier this year, it was a heartwarming experience. All the love was shared for LAK and it made my heart so full and happy.

Sly Fox Fabrics is obviously my favorite fabric store. After publishing this post, forever ago, I definitely started ordering more frequently. Then did the entire first year of the Work It posts in collaboration with SFF and LOVED it!! The selection is always full of happy, beautiful fabrics. Great bases to choose from. Amazing prints and all the solids I could need. Plus the prices. The prices are definitely happy! Then, my boss bought SFF and moved it to Georgia, so now I get to pick out all the beautiful fabrics and send out happy fabric packages!!

I do still grab something quick from Fine Fabrics from time to time. But it is dang rare. Especially as we are working on expanding the types of fabrics offered by Sly Fox. The rest of these companies still sell beautiful fabrics and have decent prices. Sometimes the shipping makes me wince a bit, but that’s online shopping.

So that is my update on fabric shopping. 😀

ORIGINAL POST:

Buying fabric might be one of my favorite things. It is so fun to wander a warehouse or a website and find beautiful, unique, hopefully soft fabrics of all sorts. I love the unfettered possibilities at hand!

I’d like to say that most of my fabric comes from a local place that has an amazing selection and better prices, but alas, I often succumb to the gorgeousness filling my Facebook feed. The trouble there is that is can be scary buying from a new fabric company! I’ve seen so many people scammed and cheated out of their money over fabric.

So, I’m going to break down where I spend way too much money and share some of my favorite fabric sources!

One of my new favorite places, is Love Adore Knits (NOW CLOSED). They are such a sweet company, have gorgeous fabrics and amazing prices. They have frequent sales and super fast turnaround time for shipping. I am obsessed with checking out their website and planning an entire closet full of gorgeous pieces. Their website is available Wednesday 5 pm to Saturday 5pm. Then they close down, clear out and ship all those orders. If you order multiple times, they do combine and refund overages, which is always nice. Also, from what I can tell, they do sales A LOT!! So their already low prices are even better!

Talking about new obsessions, Sly Fox Fabrics (slyfoxfabrics.com)is killing it with beautiful prints, bold colors (if you haven’t noticed, these speak to me), a wide selection of types of fabric, and wonderful prices. Plus, Katy does a reveal video of new fabrics every week and gives them away!! Now, I never win anything (like, in life, I’m just not the lucky one), but it is fun to connect with the shop owner, see all the fabrics and pairings and chat with other fabric lovers. And she often does a Sly Buy!! The Sly Buy is one fabric, offered at $5 a yard for just one day, or until is sells out. Pro-tip – IT ALWAYS SELLS OUT!! Because it is always gorgeous.

Another place I recently started shopping is Knitpop (knitpop.com – this one is an affiliate link – if you buy something after clicking it, they send me a small portion of the sale – it adds nothing to your total, but is appreciated on my end!). Talk about inexpensive fabric!! Wow! They have a wonderful selection and low, low prices. I was thrilled when we loosened the purse-strings a little earlier this year because they still had the snowflakes I had been dying for all winter!! Now that I have a few yards in hand, no idea what to make!! But in general, gorgeous prints, fun custom fabrics and great quality. Also, damn, the turnaround time is ridiculous.

We spent a long time eyeing up Sincerely Riley before ordering. Not because she’s shady, but because her gorgeousness sold out before we could get our hands on it!!  Darcey has amazing taste and puts together beautiful mystery boxes.  She often posts an inspiration pic and you get fabrics that coordinate with the photo.  We ordered some of the sweater boxes and let me tell you, they are effing gorgeous. (sincerelyrylee.com/)

A not-new favorite has to be So Sew English Fabrics (sosewenglishfabrics.com). I swear half my stash is from So Sew English. So is half my closet!! 😀 They have fun, trendy prints on ridiculously soft fabrics at reasonable prices. What?! The thing that they ALWAYS get me with (like every effing time) is the gorgeous bundles Chey puts together! Sometimes the fabric isn’t available by the yard, sometimes it is. But every time, I lust and send pictures to my sister hoping she’ll cave and buy more fabric. Plus they are now doing a deal of the day! They reduce the price of one or two fabrics for just one day. I need a third job…

Also not-new to me, but damn, have I been ordering from them for quite a while is Fabric Mart (fabricmartfabrics.com). Now, my Facebook feed isn’t filled with them (probably a good thing) and I don’t see a ton of social media in general, but they have AMAZING fabrics and the best prices. Seriously. They do flat shipping, so I always order when I can order too much, to spread out the cost (it is only ten bucks, but still). They have the best sales. Every day, new stuff goes on sale or drops into the various clearance sections and they have a Sue’s Pick deal. Guys – they have an entire section of $1/yard fabric. And it isn’t terrible, gross, ugly, not-usable fabric.  The other half of my stash is from here. They have amazing quality at how-do-they-stay-in-business prices and really fast shipping! If you aren’t buying from them, sign up for their emails and see if they can’t tempt you.

Those are my main online shops. I do branch out when I want something specific, or a new shop has something I just can’t pass up (after doing ample research, of course). And I do buy online at Joann and Fabric.com and window shop at Mood.com and a few others.

I also shop at Joann Fabric in person, sometimes. I find they are getting more frustrating to deal with, the more competition they have. Their cuts are often short, most fabrics shrink a lot and they just don’t have the selection or competitive pricing I’m looking for. Sometimes they have something I just can’t get anywhere else in a timely fashion and every once in a while they have something I HAVE TO HAVE!!!! Did anyone score the Harry Potter Maps cotton lycra? I asked about it and was told they haven’t had it since the 70s and it wasn’t orderable. Um, what?! So, their customer service is also leaving me wanting. But, they are still a solid standby and for those not lucky enough to have room to stash fabrics, or have access to the warehouse I’m about to mention, it is a great option for something close and convenient.

Atlanta is a great place to need fabric though. We have tons of shops for anything you could need!! Cute little quilt shops? Check. Small, crazily “organized” apparel fabrics? Check. GIANT WAREHOUSE OF APPAREL FABRIC? More than one option!! My favorite is Fine Fabrics. Its about 15 minutes from my house (with light Atlanta traffic). Most their knit fabric runs 4-6 bucks a yard, they are super generous with their cuts and they have literally any type of apparel fabric I could want. (I’m lusting after some of those flipping sequins that change colors right now to make a bomber jacket. That’s normal, right?) They also have walls and walls of zippers, elastics, stretch lace, and thread cones. All at prices that make me grab stuff, just in case I might need it. Now, it has downsides. They don’t list fabric content on anything. Nothing is organized. It is loud and crowded. Not everything is price tagged. But, the customer service is killer!! They are beyond helpful, friendly and knowledgeable!

I hope this small breakdown of just a few options is helpful to at least a few people! If not, it makes me happy. 🙂 HAHA

What are your favorite places to shop?!  I’d love some suggestions for more or to hear your thoughts on these places!