Alternative to the fabric store, that is.
Fabric stores are great. But they are also dangerous places for us crafty women. Not to mention lines are sometimes ridiculous and fabric quality is not always top notch. You better believe I have a favorite + perfect + overpriced local fabric store. But…we need to eat. Sometimes.
So today I am going to share with you some of my other favorite places to find fabric. These are cheaper and/or just better alternatives for some projects!
go look in…
Purging your closet might be on your to-do list anyways. So if you need some fabric for a small project, go see if there is something that doesn’t fit you anymore or you don’t wear or even like. You might be able to recycle it into something new without even leaving the house! Saving the planet…one re-used blouse at a time.
I’m always looking for vintage linens and huge men’s shirts. You can’t go wrong with either of those and you can typically score a deal at thrift stores and garage sales. You can also feel good about recycling. (Just make sure to wash it!!) Check for unused fabric and supplies, too!
Etsy is full of fabric! I love buying designer prints on etsy. If I know exactly what I need, I love having it show up at my doorstep. Sellers are often willing to give you any cut you need. It’s pretty cheap, sometimes cheaper than quilting stores even when calculating in the shipping. It’s also nice to support home businesses.
After using a painter’s drop cloth for a competition hardware store challenge, it’s always nice to have one on hand. I’ve used a painter’s drop cloth to make bags, owls, and dinosaurs! It’s a large piece of canvasy fabric for a low price.
Bedsheets are another great source that you can find at a lot of stores. I bought two queen sets from Target and turned it into this comforter, this pillow, this chair, and this lamp! Find a good price on a sheet and you’ve got quite a few yards to play with! Great for quilt backs, too.
There are a few of my fabric obtaining secrets. Not like you need any more.. :)
Do you have any alternate fabric sources to add?
Andrea @ Sew Divertimento
09/15 at 1:23 PMThanks so much for the ideas!!! I’m always forgetting to look in my closet! =)
http://www.sewdivertimento.blogspot.com
eye_on_sparrow
09/15 at 1:38 PMWhen people know you love to sew they may offer you their small or large fabric stashes when they are downsizing. I have this happen to me all the time. I usually take everything offered and go thru it keep what I can use and donate the rest.
MrsDG@TalesFromHomemadeHouse
09/15 at 1:41 PMI have to say my favourite is still my local fabric store…it has the usual purse draining fabrics in the upstairs section but it also has a HUGE bargain basement downstairs were you pay by weight instead of by yard. I bought a yard each of 4 coordinating patterned cottons a few days ago and it cost me under £5 (which is about $5.50-$6????)…it really is amazing…but yes I have also been known to cut up our old clothes…sometimes if my husband has a shirt I love the pattern of I tend to watch it hawk eyed and will it to no longer fit or become unusable!! :D Here’s the link to my local fabric store, it is in the UK but they ship… http://www.abakhan.co.uk
Teri
09/15 at 2:38 PMI have made many bag out of a canvas dam that farmers use to flood irrigate their farms. You can pick them up at any farmer/rancher tack and feed store (like Cal Ranch). You just have to wash them in hot hot water before you use them because they have a chemical waterproofing technique on them. They are like a really thick denim and make the sturdiest bags/purses.
Bratling
09/15 at 3:32 PM1) Donations. People find out I sew, and give me mass quantities of fabric. Sure, some of it is just plain ugly or just not to my taste, but that’s what donation centers were invented for.
2) Yard sales. I’ve gotten whole collections of fabric (three-four largish boxes) for under $20 before. Be careful, though. Some people try and get retail.
3) fabric.com. It’s a favorite of mine. It’s as dangerous as any fabric store, but I love their $1.95/yard section! And since their prices are already discounted, I also love their 40%, 50%, and 60% off sections.
The Old Fashioned Way
09/15 at 3:57 PMSecond hand sheets and pillow cases work for me too…the cotton is usually nice and soft and makes flowy skirts. Lovely and super eco friendly!
Tori
09/16 at 2:38 AMVery nice post! You didn’t really leave anything out! I like to hoard fabric napkins and cotton scarves! Pier one, world market, and west elm all have colorful finds!
Rose
09/16 at 3:27 AMWhenever I go to thrift stores I pick up vintage notions and yards of fabric left behind for lucky buyers. If I walk past a lovely sheet or valance or curtain, it’s mine. :)
feelincrafty
09/16 at 4:03 AMYes, Yes! I just made a trip to Goodwill yesterday to try to find a sheet for a quilt back. And the front is going to be a recycled duvet cover that is going to be too big for the new bed! Love recycing fabric like you suggest. I also always go through my husbands bags that are headed to Goodwill!
Amber
09/07 at 10:05 PMI use goodwill sheets or table clothes for all my costuming, when you need 5 yards of decent fabric it gets pricey; or you just get a king size sheet or two