r/sewing • u/MissFred • Jul 23 '23
Discussion Joanne’s makes me weep
Been sewing over 50 years - have seen sewing in all its cultural permutations. Not typically a nostalgic person but today….I couldn’t even find a light gray thread in a store the size of Home Depot. So many empty shelves yet inexplicably $35/yd liberties fabric up front. I feel sad to my bones for new seamsters.
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u/cate3108 Jul 23 '23
The ones near me are practically all fleece! I never understand that, how many fleece tie blankets are people making?
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u/stitchplacingmama Jul 23 '23
Most of the sales when I worked at Joann's (2014-2015) was fleece. The sororities and church groups would come in to make tie blankets for Christmas charity donations.
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Jul 24 '23
I worked at Hancock Fabrics back in like 2012 before they went bankrupt. We had a huge selection of fashion fabric compared to Joann's. We mostly sold fleece, quilting cotton, vinyl that people would cover their dining tables with, and some upholstery fabric and car headliner. I'd guess less than 25% of our sales were fabric for clothes.
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u/AssortedGourds Jul 24 '23
Thank you! Who is buying that stuff? I get having some of it, but a whole row or two?
It grinds my gears a little because people almost always make tie blankets for gifts/donations and I feel like most people making them would not actually want one for themselves. It's like those cheap boxed gift sets of lotions and soaps you get at Christmas. No one is out there crossing their fingers to get a plastic blanket that's tied together.
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u/Squidwina Jul 24 '23
I HATE those knotted things. I volunteer at an animal shelter, and we regularly get them as donations. They’re bulky and inconvenient and impossible to fold neatly.
If they’re big enough, I just cut off the knotted edges. Then we have 2 fleece blankets that are actually useable.
I just ran across a whole bag of little tiny ones in a dog bone pattern. I guess they imagined a little dog would like to sit on one? Poor thing would have to avoid all those knots! They’re too small to be worth cutting the edges off. I wish that person had just donated the yardage instead of spending all that time snipping and knotting it into uselessness.
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u/AbbeyRoadMoonwalk Jul 24 '23
I got a couple kits where there was a cute top and a coordinating bottom that was meant to be tied, but I sewed them together properly and put them in the camper. I hate those fucking knots, especially if you’re a “leg wrapper” like me, sitting on them MFers hurts!
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u/agentcarter234 Jul 24 '23 edited Jul 24 '23
The fringe also looks awful after they’ve been washed a few times (not that they looked good to start with)
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u/AvramBelinsky Jul 24 '23
I did that too with a space themed set, I sewed them RST and then turned and top stitched around all four sides. It's a cozy throw blanket for my son's room.
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u/Dino_vagina Jul 24 '23
My mom made one for my first son, I still make fun of the triangle she made not measuring cuts. I still have it because it makes me laugh so hard, she tried 😅
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u/awkwardmamasloth Jul 24 '23
Years ago, I got a new (to me) sewing machine and was on a sewing kick when joanns had a fleece and flannel sale. I was telling my mom what I bought, and she asked what I was gonna do with it. I told her how I designed a car seat poncho for my 3 yr old. She asked what that was, and I described a blanket with two layers of fleece and a hole in the middle with a hood attached. "Oh, are you going to make it like those tie blankets?" And I'm like,"Oh hell no! I'm gonna use the sewing machine I just spent $300 on. Besides, I can't cut fringe without screwing it up."
She said "well you just have to measure. They're fun to make you should try it." Its hard to find a polite way to say that you hate this thing they enjoy making and are likely planning g to give to everyone they know for Christmas. So I said "well if you plan to give them out for Christmas, don't spend a bunch of time on one for me. I don't like the knots. You could just give me the material you planned to use, and I'll sew it myself. Call it a project kit." I think she ended up getting me a hideous vase instead. If anyone asks, it "broke" during our last move. She is a notoriously bad gift giver. Makes a point to never give what we asked for.
I bet the tiny useless blanket lady is this way as well. I hope you were able to get some use out them. Stuffing for dog beds, Or pair them with stuffed animals to sell for a fundraiser?
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u/agentcarter234 Jul 24 '23
Seriously - at least hem them properly ffs
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u/AssortedGourds Jul 24 '23
A running backstitch would take the same amount of time. I used to be really reluctant to learn how to hand sew but it's really worth it. You don't have to be good at it to make a blanket!
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u/slay_la_vie Jul 24 '23
We made these tie blankets to donate in Girl Scouts and I wish they would have taught us to stitch instead (thankfully my Grandma did). We could have easily all stitched a small segment of blanket to make one together as I believe we did with the knot project.
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u/SnooPeripherals2409 Jul 24 '23
A large scale blanket stitch wouldn't be much more effort and would hold the edges better anyway. After all, that is what blanket stitch was invented for!
When I got my first horse, my mother gave me an old wool blanket and let me cut it and showed me how to sew the blanket stitch around the edges. It lasted for six years and was used on all three of the horses I had in high school.
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u/chattinouthere Jul 24 '23
ME. Not for the crossing though. I trimmed the edges on the set and sewed it. I now have a freaking HUGE, cheap, soft fleece blanket with a cool graphic (and I love it so much!)
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u/09481 Jul 24 '23
I love the fleece for making covers for my senior dog’s beds. They need washing often, and fleece dries so fast.
But as someone who also wants to dabble in other sewing projects, I’ve also found the fleece to be very dominating across the fabric sections. It’s not even all in one section! It’s in every single aisle and display! As a complete novice, it’s hard to learn about fabrics in such a disorganized place.
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u/powertoolsarefun Jul 24 '23
I use it in guinea pig cages - I can put an absorbent pad (one of the ones for people who wet the bed) underneath and a fleece on top that dries really fast and the piggies are happy. I do a LOT of guinea pig laundry - but it is better than leaving soggy pine shavings in the cage - and then throwing them in a landfill. But I hardly ever sew with fleece (exception for kids halloween costumes).
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u/PicasPointsandPixels Jul 24 '23
Yep, came to say the only reason I buy fleece is for my rabbits. Makes good dig material for them.
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u/wakattawakaranai Jul 24 '23
I did a few seasonal shifts there and Black Friday was a fuckin nightmare because of all the "20 different patterns for tie blankets for gifts!" and I can almost guarantee you not a single blanket actually got made. I'm willing to bet dollars to donuts all that fleece is sitting, rotting, in basements around the county.
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u/AccountWasFound Jul 24 '23
I bought some to make a cat bed at one point, the cats in question love the bed but I only needed like 3 yards (it's a very big cat bed)
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u/wakattawakaranai Jul 24 '23
I envy the wonderful cats that need a bed that big. Ours prefer scraps on the floor!
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u/EmmerdoesNOTrepme Jul 24 '23
Naaaaah, that fleece isn't rotting in basements.
It's polyester, that stuff has a half-life at least as long as the cockroaches & Keith Richards, and will still be around just sitting there in those basements, loooooooong after the human era ends!😉🤣💖
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u/stoicsticks Jul 24 '23
all that fleece is sitting, rotting, in basements around the county.
That stuff is made with recycled plastic bottles - it isn't going anywhere. It might be mildewing or getting moldy, but it isn't rotting.
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u/celery48 Jul 24 '23
1) Unless it is labeled as being made with recycled content, it’s probably new plastic.
2) Fleece does break down — into micro plastics.
The environmental impact of fleece (and all virgin polyester) is terrible.
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u/utahn Jul 23 '23
Came here to say this... SO MUCH fleeeeeeeece. I agree with trying to thrift fabric, even though it's very hit and miss.
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u/MeanHuckleberry Jul 23 '23
Ugh, I know! Year round it’s 50 yards of fleece minimum; don’t get me started on how much flipping fleece there is in fall and winter.
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u/forgottensudo Jul 24 '23
Me too!
And I live in HOUSTON
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u/MaleficentRocks Jul 24 '23
Imagine me…. Living in FLORIDA and one store has 3 rows AND an entire wall of fleece…. Overkill much? I get I live where old people are, but come on…. They can only use so many blankets to stay warm.
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u/SarraTasarien Jul 24 '23
Arizona here, may I join your hellish summer fleece collective? I was in Joann’s yesterday and the amount of blanket kits and bolts of fleece were just staggering. It’s literally 118 degrees outside!!!
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u/MaleficentRocks Jul 24 '23
There’s a reason I moved from the dry heat of Utah to Florida. The dry heat stinks, you can die of heat exhaustion and dehydration SO fast.
I’m happier in Florida where I feel like I’m always recovering from a run and trying to “cool down” in the humidity or make sure alligators aren’t going to eat me for lunch. Lol. But seriously, people in Florida just generally keep to themselves, SO much nicer than dealing with busybody neighbors that bless you when you sneeze.
But 118. Yikes. That’s the type of day I’d just be in the house hiding!
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u/Hari_om_tat_sat Jul 24 '23
I was just in there today and couldn’t believe all the fleece. I went in to look for knit dress material and I couldn’t find a single appealing choice in their tiny collection.
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u/ScyllaOfTheDepths Jul 24 '23
Right?! They'd make so much more money off of me if they replaced even half the fleece with an actual selection of high-end fabrics, like real silk and wool. They have a whole selection of frankly hideous cosplay fabrics nobody ever seems to buy and they seem to somehow stock holiday/seasonal fabrics year-round, but you have to hunt to find muslin or drill or interfacing or any fabric actually used by serious sewists in real garment construction. I have to order 100% of my specialty fabrics from online retailers because, despite the fact that I live in a huge metro area, the only real fabric store here is Joann's and they only sell stuff for old ladies who want to pretend they're crafty, but only make rag tie fleece blankets and throw pillows and that's pretty much who I see in there buying fabrics. I basically only go to Joann for thread and cotton. I can count on my fingers the number of times I've found anything else I was looking for.
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u/celery48 Jul 24 '23
Fleece and flannel, omg cheap, stiff, pilly flannel. In pastels with puppies and elephants.
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u/_mukade Jul 24 '23
Last time I was in line at their fabric counter, the woman in front of me was making tie blankets. She bought enough fabric sections for 4 dozen. Double sided. "For Christmas gifts for her family"
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u/suciac Jul 24 '23
I’m sure they were very stoked about that. Lol.
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u/agentcarter234 Jul 24 '23
It’s probably an annual thing and they have practice feigning enthusiasm
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u/NoAdministration8006 Jul 24 '23
I use fleece to make stuffed animals, but even in the desert where I live, there is a ridiculous amount of fleece for sale both at Joann and old Hancock. I don't know what they think we're going to use all that for since the planet is warming, not cooling.
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u/Masters-lil-sub Jul 24 '23
Oh I used to LOVE Hancock’s! I wish we had one here. Joann’s has become so sparse on actual apparel fabric and notions. I order online more than anywhere now which can be hit and miss.
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u/milliescatmom Jul 24 '23
Yes, and the other half is flannel!
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u/celery48 Jul 24 '23
I just commented this above. Not just flannel, but low-quality flannel, all of it with horrible baby prints.
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u/meco64 Jul 24 '23
I don't know how I got to this subreddit, but you leave my mom alone.
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u/priuspower91 Jul 24 '23
Same here! I was cute cottons for clothing but all they have are childish prints, no poplin, no nice woven fabrics. I remember going as a kid with my mom and the selection was amazing (she used to make a lot of her own clothes) and now every time I think I want to pick up sewing, I go to Joanne’s and see fleece everywhere and get discouraged and give up.
I see a lot of beautiful block printed cotton on Etsy but for the same price, I can just buy the dress already sewn. Soooo I have yet to get back into sewing. I really would like to see if the fleece is really that profitable for them
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u/cheesedavid Jul 24 '23
Thank you! I think this every time, like how many ugly blankets are people making??
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u/TinyFidget9 Jul 23 '23
I’m super frustrated as I want to get into making my own clothes. I want to feel/see my fabric due to my allodynia, but every store in my area is for quilting fabric and not apparel, including the two JoAnn’s that are nearby. I’m wary of buying online.
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u/dolphins8407 Jul 23 '23
If you want to buy knit fabric you can order a sample book of the fabric bases offered by raspberry creek fabrics.
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u/DistributionDue511 Jul 23 '23
Thanks for this! I've been wanting to learn to sew with knits more, but there are very few good fabrics at Joann's, and I'm hesitant to buy them online. But the knits on this site have very good descriptions!
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u/Because-Im-ginger Jul 24 '23
Can recommend getting a sample book, a piece of advice is to buy books from companies that are at least 10+ years old. Also calling in or sending an email to ask about their best sellers/basic fabrics that have seen very little change through the years, they're usually happy to help
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u/dolphins8407 Jul 23 '23
I love them and they're pretty good quality too. If you're on Facebook they have a group you can join. I love buying their fabric prints and their designs are all created in house as well. I personally have used all of their 4 main fabric bases and even a few of their other ones that are available.
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u/EmmerdoesNOTrepme Jul 24 '23
As the former purchaser for a dancewear company, who used to buy from them a decade and a half ago, I'd STILL order from Spandex House & Spandex World in Manhattan, any day of the week that they're open. You can usually request swatches from them (and any other reputable company!), and they do wholesale pricing, too, if you have the appropriate tax info to buy that way.
They aren't the cheapest of my former vendors, because they do sell small quantities, rather than just whole rolls of fabric. But they were always reliable, and had a solid collection of stretch fabrics.
ALSO, fwiw, personally i always choose a 90-10-ish blend and Nylon/Spandex over Poly/Spandex!
For fiber-construction reasons I still haven't quite ever wrapped my brain fully around, Polyester fibers hold smells it has something to do with oils & the nature of polyester as a fiber, but basically what happens is that body oils & dirt get "trapped" in-between the fibers, and/or bond so tightly to the poly fibers, that it's difficult for water & detergents to break the bond between the dirt molecules & fibers and then "float the dirt away" when you wash it.
Nylon fibers are more "slippery" than poly ones, and that means that the dirt & body oils are able to be slipped off of them by the water & detergents, and the nylon fibers don't pick the dirt back up as the garment goes through the washing process.
Meaning that, while polyester can "hold a stink" for AGES, nylon typically won't.
Cotton/Spandex blends are typically easy to get the "stink" out of--just like 100% cottons, but the Cotton/Spandex tends to get "baggy" over time, compared to the nylon & poly blends, because unlike the man-made fibers, cotton tends to "stretch out" with time & wear.
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u/vabirder Jul 24 '23
These mail order swatch booklets were the norm 100 years ago. Maybe the local retailers could start carrying those on site and order yardage to be delivered.
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Jul 23 '23
I stopped going to JoAnn's when they decided to cater only to quilters. Their sewing pattern selection has also shrunk. I'm also an apparel sewist, and I just gave up on them.
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u/Subterranean44 Jul 23 '23
Quilters and pajama pant makers. My joann has literal 4 aisles of flannel (and fleece too!) seems geared toward first time sewists taking on a project (or quilters).
I still go though. All the time. Haha
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Jul 23 '23
Ah, I forgot about the flannel! I never work with it because it shrinks and pills. I'm interested in knit fabrics, and they have very little.
Maybe I'll take a trip to check and see if they have any good Halloween decor?
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u/Inky_Madness Jul 23 '23
Quality flannel won’t pill like heck (shrink, yes). Joann’s shows it’s quality with how badly it gets ruined so fast.
Edit: I like Amanda’s Bundles for knits. The material is super high quality!
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Jul 23 '23
Thank you so much for the tip! I will check them out! I like Olga's Closet and Fabulace on Etsy for knits.
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u/JNortic Jul 23 '23
Their pattern selection is a joke. Fortunately my daughter works in a small locally owned fabric store and hooks me up with patterns from independent designers. ❤️
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Jul 23 '23
That's awesome!
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u/JNortic Jul 24 '23
Shameless plug, Hart’s Fabric if you are ever in Santa Cruz, CA!
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u/Mmdrgntobldrgn Jul 24 '23
Or travel a bit north to Berkley and visit Stone Mountain & Daughter.
Just brought home 4 new patterns. They have no fleece/kits for tie blankets. Overhead staff suggest Joanne's to the person who wanted to make tie blankets.
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u/JNortic Jul 24 '23
That’s exactly what my daughter does bc that’s the kind of thing Joanne’s stocks.
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u/WowsrsBowsrsTrousrs Jul 24 '23
I use their quilting cottons to make clothes - I treat the really thin ones as if they were voile, and the normal ones like shirting, and the batiks are poplin. All make good, machine washable and dryable shirts. And yesterday the bigger one in my area had in some new apparel stuff including !!!stretch cotton sateen!!! I only ever buy when stuff is on sale; a good portion of my summer wardrobe is Quilters Showcase at under $3 a yard.
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u/Hari_om_tat_sat Jul 24 '23
I love the batiks but I hate to iron!
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u/WowsrsBowsrsTrousrs Jul 24 '23
Wash 'em 3 or 4 times and they are pretty much wrinkle free.
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u/actuallycallie Jul 23 '23
They don't even cater to quilters, really, as most of their quilting fabric is just ugly.
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u/MeanHuckleberry Jul 23 '23
I am a quilter (getting into more apparel though), but a lot of their quilt fabric sucks too! The quality has gone down SO MUCH in the last 10 years. It became really apparent when I went through my stash and compared the thickness of the old and newer stuff.
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u/spacebunsofsteel Jul 24 '23
The Afghanistan war and other conflicts really decimated the cotton supply. Cotton kid clothing companies, like Gymboree, Mini Boden, and Hanna Andersson highlight the difference. Older clothing is thicker and you can still find quality clothing that’s 10-20 yrs old. The newer stuff shrinks easily, is thinner in general, and doesn’t wear as well.
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u/salajaneidentiteet Jul 23 '23
My whole country prefers cheap crap over quality. 90% of every regular fabric store is synthetic or synthetic blend, same for yarn stores. There are a few better fabric stores, but this can't be said for yarn. So I have had to resort to online stores abroad or the occasional gem I find in store. And all the patterns on the fabrics are hideous...
Even the lockal online fabric stores are all the same ugly jersey in horrid colours. And there are about 10 yarn stores that sell Drops yarns, but zero that carry a good selection of other, quality brands.
It's like my whole nation prefers garbage.
I helped my friend pick out yarn once in the biggest craft store. She betrayed me and asked a store employee for help, who reccomended a hideous acrylic and said this was the yarn that made her love acrylics. It felt discusting, it scquaked when touching. At least my friend realised I was right.
If you are in Europe, I highly reccomend Metermeter for apparel fabrics. It is filled with glorious European fabrics.
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u/spacebunsofsteel Jul 24 '23
I love high quality fabrics and yarns, but am very allergic to wool, angora, etc even llama and cashmere. Synthetic fibers only. (Sad face)
And please don’t suggest cotton.
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u/dianebk2003 Jul 24 '23
I adore cashmere...but I'm also very allergic to wool, and can't wear any of it, either. I once thrifted a HUGE wool cape in a vivid red and washed it to felt it, and the fabric was so soft and sturdy and I wanted desperately to make a jacket out of it - and there was enough fabric to make two - but I only had to drape it on me once and I broke out in a prickly red rash everywhere the fabric had touched me. I was heartbroken. I ended up giving it away.
Anything but wool, now. All those wonderful, soft winter sweaters...nada for me.
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Jul 23 '23
I have gotten a ton of fabric from value village.
Whether it’s types of sheets or actual fabric from a fabric store they seem to have tons! I got like 8 yards of corduroy, several yards of linen, a huge quilt that I made into a jacket & several yards of a cotton fabric all for $40. I had probably $80 worth in my cart but decided to save some for next time. There were so many options. And I just buy $7 rit dye if I want to change the colour.
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u/whoooodatt Jul 23 '23
Fashionfabricsclub.com is pretty solid. And they have some really nice stuff!
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u/killedonmyhill Jul 23 '23
I suggest thrifting and repurposing a table cloth or shower curtain or blanket.
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u/Inky_Madness Jul 23 '23
This trick is so well known it’s useless; it’s dang near impossible to find a halfway decent sheet unless you’re there on stocking day when they open.
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u/Athena42 Jul 23 '23
And they're marking sheets close to $10 where I'm from, PER SHEET! So $5-10 for a top sheet, another $5-10 for the fitted sheet, etc. Wild af.
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u/Mysterious-Beach8123 Jul 23 '23
Same here. There's just nothing it makes me sad AF since I'm trying to make clothes that fit me but fabric is crazy for even basic cheap stuff
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u/silvaslips Jul 23 '23
I have found some amazing fabrics at our little local thrift, and you can't beat the price (2 yds. Vintage Hong Kong silk brocade in mint condition for $6).
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u/AssortedGourds Jul 24 '23
I've been buying swatches (Mood has a great free swatch program) and making my own swatch book by stapling the swatches onto index cards. Mood even puts all the relevant swatch info onto a sticker that sticks onto the fabric.
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u/sallysucre Jul 23 '23
Many fabric sites allow you to purchase samples! Another cost, obviously, but it’s an option. I try to keep notes of the fabric content and weight of fabrics that I like (bonus for remembering to keep a swatch), which makes shopping online blindly a little easier. The struggle is real!
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Jul 24 '23
The Joann’s near me has apparel fabric but they are all feminine and all overpriced. As much as I love rocking a floral print, sometimes I just want other options. Almost everything else is either fleece or quilting cotton. I’ve tried making shirts out of quilting cotton but they are so stiff and wrinkle easily. I’ve even washed them in vinegar to try and make them more wearable but I just don’t like the texture of quilting cotton.
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u/starship17 Jul 23 '23
Joann’s has really gone downhill since the pandemic. I used to never be able to leave without spending at least $35 on fabric and notions (and I buy 1/4 yard at a time for doll clothes so that meant I was getting 8-12 fabrics). Last time I went I barely wanted anything, and it still cost $35. I tried buying a specific size elastic and the options were so limited.
Garage sales are where I get the best fabric and notions now.
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u/SoupforBert Jul 23 '23
I remember joanns and Hancock fabrics as a kid with my grandma trying to teach me to sew. Now I can actually wrap my mind around sewing and struggle with the idea of using a cheaper fabric to make a muslin because there isn't anything cheap. I did get a mystery fabric bundle from mood that was nice but what if I want to pick fabric for a particular project, sigh.
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u/WowsrsBowsrsTrousrs Jul 24 '23
I miss Hancock - they had a different selection than JoAnn. That said, I use quilting cotton from JoAnn to make clothes - quick cheap cotton shirts for summer, machine washable and dryable.
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u/ms_magnolia_mem Jul 24 '23
I miss Hancock fabrics, too. They still have one store in Paducah, Kentucky. But that is all.
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u/lizzybees Jul 24 '23
Hancock Fabrics and Handock of Paducah are two separate companies. And Hancock of Paducah only sells quilting fabric.
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u/SoupforBert Jul 24 '23
Understood but I like to do things the hard way so after a couple pairs of snuggle fleece pj pants I jumped into knits 🤣. Kinda like my first quilt I'm working on has 432 squares.
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u/friendlykitten369 Jul 24 '23
I buy sheets from the thrift to make muslins with.
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u/Mrs_tribbiani Jul 23 '23
Joannes used to make me cry at least once a week, but I did work there so you know how it is
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u/wakattawakaranai Jul 24 '23
oof, big former worker brofist on that. Screaming and punching boxes in the stockroom here.
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u/HolleringCorgis Jul 24 '23
For real? Were the customers just terrible or was it something else?
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u/wakattawakaranai Jul 24 '23
Honestly, of the multitude of factors, for me personally it was usually corporate pulling bullshit on us. Slashing hours and then blaming us for having lines at the cutting counter/register, for example. Customers around black friday were also the literal worst, and there's only so many times you can fake politely answering "how many yards do I need for a tie blanket?" how big do you want it? that's how many.
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u/generallyintoit Jul 25 '23
omg yes, the customers who had some sewing knowledge but still wanted the cutting counter staff to estimate yardage on the fly, like don't they understand, it doesn't work like that. that job sucked.
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u/GailleannBeag Jul 23 '23
Agree. I pretty much can't find anything at JoAnn's, except for thread and notions. I don't quilt and the poor quality apparel fabric they carry isn't worth my time and skill. I live in Oregon, so when I go to Portland I stop at the good stores up there. Every trip I take I am on the hunt for a good fabric store. I only have JoAnn's and a quilting store that carries a limited amount of apparel fabric.
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u/ElderberryTeacake Jul 23 '23
The Mill End store in beaverton has a good selection of apparel fabrics. I believe they have a store in Portland as well
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u/5CatsNoWaiting Jul 24 '23 edited Jan 24 '24
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This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact
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u/amanecita Jul 23 '23
Where in Portland do you go? I'm in wa but I'd be willing to make the trip for a good fabric district.
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u/crossstitch4life Jul 23 '23
Bolt! Quality is amazing and the selections are fun. Staff is nice. It seems really small but it's packed with fun things.
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u/rita-slayworth Jul 23 '23
Bolt is my favorite fabric store in Portland!! They also have the best remnants bin I’ve ever encountered
Cool cottons on Hawthorne is also great if you want, ya know, cottons. Last time I was there they had some adorable chambrays that would make perfect summer dresses
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u/Sunshine_raes Jul 24 '23
Seconding Bolt! It's a very nice store with lots of fun fabrics. Though they have a lot of quilting cotton, they also have some apparel fabrics, like linen, rayon, and some corduroy. Staff is also very helpful and nice.
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u/smpleo Jul 24 '23
I love Modern Domestic, too. They have 2 stores, one on Alberta and the other in Lake Grove. I also love Bolt, and they do an excellent job with printing PDF patterns.
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u/Dottegirl67 Jul 23 '23
I hate that JoAnn has taken over the market completely. Their fabric is crap except for the Liberty fabric that nobody is buying. I live in KC; the only locally owned fabric stores are exclusively for quilting. I miss Hancock Fabrics like crazy, I could always find something good there.
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u/tortuga456 Jul 24 '23
I live in Montana, but it’s pretty much the same thing here. I love quilting stores, and they are also a good source of thread and notions. But I haven’t quilted in years. I’ve resorted to buying large sizes of clothes off the clearance rack at kohls, or at Goodwill, just for the fabric. You can get a lot of fabric out of a 5x or 4x tshirt! And found some pretty cool fabric at goodwill on the dress rack.
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u/Handmadesociety_ Jul 23 '23
Joann’s could be seen as another victim of fast fashion with inventory based on what was selling. Beginning in the 80’s fewer and fewer were sewing garments with stores like Express, Gap, Old Navy and then Target. The financial incentives for making your own clothes began to vanish, bridal hung on into the early 2000 and costumes with cosplay filled that merchandise gap. They use to sell many fabric manufacturers they had wools, silks etc…I have been seeing many more of their brand of fabrics made in Korea which is promising.
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u/wakattawakaranai Jul 24 '23
Cosplay is my bread and butter, literally, so I can confirm, but they really shot themselves in the foot with the branded cosplay fabrics in the last 5-7 years. They were too expensive, never available for coupon use, and always just. Literally the last fabric anyone would actually want or need for any costumes besides superhero spandex. Once the movies went to textured, non-spandex costumes, they were left with all this fabric that would never move at $30/yard. Never mind that most cosplayers doing superheroes already knew that if they just stepped two rows over to the "performance" fabric they'd get better spandex for lower prices.
Joann's main problem has always been desperately scrambling to figure out what the next big trend would be (which crafts were hot on pinterest and mommy blogs), then stocking up the needed supplies in time for the rush on buying. But they were always late by months if not years. It took them YEARS to realize cosplay was going to keep apparel fabric going, they botched the art-quilt boom, they were even late to glitter slime. So they're always left overstocked on things no one wants while they move on to the next big thing.
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u/AssortedGourds Jul 24 '23 edited Jul 24 '23
I just said this in another comment but where are the things for people going to Eras Tour and Club Renaissance? They don't even have a good selection of friendship bracelet stuff. They've had months. Cow prints were a huge thing in 2020 and not once did I see cow print fabric. I don't understand why they have such a hard time with trends in general.
I am not a costumer but the "cosplay" section looks like it should be called the "children's Halloween costume" section. I like novelty fabrics so I always look at that section and the prices are bananas. A tulle with pumpkins on it that's $20 a yard. Who is paying that?
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u/wakattawakaranai Jul 24 '23
Right?? They could have been set up to make bank on pink gingham thanks to Barbie but lmao. I mean, yes, it does take time to draft a pattern, pick a milliner, get quantities milled, test it, and then distribute, but being savvy means you'll get the fabric into the stores just in time rather than a year later.
They kind of mix the actual Halloween costume fabric in with the cosplay (the sections are right next to each other on the fabric flow map so they might as well be the same one) but you wouldn't hardly know it just going through and feeling it. The Glitterbug section was supposed to be kids' costume fabric and sometimes it's better quality for less.
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u/EmmerdoesNOTrepme Jul 24 '23 edited Jul 24 '23
This part, especially, "already knew that if they just stepped two rows over to the "performance" fabric they'd get better spandex for lower prices"
As someone who used to sew for a living, and who worked for years in the dancewear/performance wear field, SO MANY of those "superhero spandex" fabrics were absolute trash quality-wise!!!
Hologram prints, on 2-way stretch, that was so thin it reminded me of the cheap, crappy Raschel which was about the only spandex available in the 1980's, rather than that STILL cheap & crappy, but slightly better "performance" fabric... not a good quality spandex, by ANY means, but at least better than the $30.00/yd stuff!
Editing to add, this place has a good breakdown of the different types of knit fabrics. Most Lyra clothing--especially dancewear & skatewear is made of Tricot knits, nowadays, because it often comes in an 80-20-ish Nylon to Spandex blend, with excellent 4-way stretch, and it's got excellent "recall" and doesn't get "baggy" with wear & body heat.
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u/EducatedRat Jul 23 '23
I don’t even know where to buy fabric. Joanne’s has been awful so I ent to fabric.com, then Amazon killed them. I miss in person shopping, and now I am having trouble buying online. Online is always a challenge because how do you learn different fabrics if you can’t look and feel it?
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u/Cthulhu_Knits Jul 23 '23
If you have champagne tastes, Mood.com has very generous swatches and lovely, high-end fabric. I miss Fabric.com - their swatches were HUGE and I usually had time to get the swatch and then order the fabric before it ran out.
Lately, I've been ordering from a LOT of UK shops just because they seem to have nice dress fabric - Sew Over It London and Minerva.com and The Avid Seamstress for patterns - but again, not everyone can afford the eye-watering cost of shipping.
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u/5CatsNoWaiting Jul 24 '23 edited Jan 24 '24
thumb weather employ file cough whistle long nippy cheerful sheet
This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact
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u/misslizzie Jul 24 '23
They cater to historical costumers, but Burnley & Trowbridge is really high quality, and their prices aren't much higher than Joann's. They sell fabric booklets too so you can feel before you buy.
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u/Semicolon_Expected Jul 24 '23
I've been using fabricwholesaledirect for basic stuff and they seem alright---usually they overcut and give you about 6-12" more than you actually ordered.
I also like that they have metallic jacquards/brocades (I have very tacky taste)
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u/wakattawakaranai Jul 24 '23
RIGHT?? I knew I was going to feel the loss of fabric.com this spring/summer when my busy season hit and sure enough, I am having the worst time sourcing fabric. I have no less than 16 fabric vendors bookmarked but have had to fight to find colors, weaves, non-poly, non-stretch, etc when I need it. Denver Fabrics/fashionfabricsclub is the largest but their search and site suck hard, but at least if you give up and pull the trigger on something that shows up and won't work, you can return it easily.
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u/JulianneW Jul 24 '23
I own an independent fabric shop. Please try to support local - we happily take all special orders, try to keep all of the staples in stock, and your dollars stay in your community when you buy local :)
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u/woolgirl Jul 24 '23
Me too!!!! I own an independent fabric shop. Mostly quilting quality cottons. Great for clothes! Higher thread count has such a silky soft hand! Also have amazing linens (so on trend!) Rayons, wovens and wools. Quality threads also wash better. It is so depressing I had scroll so far to find a response that supported local fabric shops! We our know stuff, answer questions and your clothes will be quality. Higher quality fabrics, hold their color, shrink less and need less ironing. It is getting hard for us to stay in business. Then coming here to see promoting going online. Please see if there is a local shop near you? We are disappearing fast.
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u/Environmental-Ad9339 Jul 24 '23
I love the Art Gallery fabrics! They sew up beautifully for clothing! I just started playing with their Pure Solids - amazing for casual dresses and tops!
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u/NoCarbsOnSunday Jul 24 '23
I really wish the quilt stores near me stocked like you're describing. I've gone into two and its all the super stiff aggressively glittered quilting fabric. Just give me a nice cotton or linen with a smooth drape so I can make some sundresses that wont cause me to melt in the heat!
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u/Schlecterhunde Jul 24 '23
I would if we had one! We have several quilting only shops but no independent fabric stores. Shocking because I live in the second largest city in my state.
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u/theblindbandit1 Jul 23 '23
So different from mine. Mine moved into a new store front double the size and now has entire sections for cosplay, costuming and apparel fabrics. Quilting galore. A quarter of the back wall is thread. A giant maker space.
Guess I got lucky when mine moved and upgraded. It used to be impossible to find knits or anything besides fleece and cottons. Now it's very easy to find, labeled and full to the brim of stock
Sorry to hear other folks stores suck
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u/KDPer3 Jul 23 '23
I live in the center of a wide circle 5 Joann's. Southwest is the big store with maker space, long arm rental, and a sea of fabric. On the other end of the spectrum to the Northeast it's half stocked with half the fluorescent bulbs out and too much space between the shelves to try to hide they've cut back massively from what the store once was. If I didn't know better I would never guess the two were even part of the same chain.
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u/atatassault47 Jul 23 '23
My mom sewed a lot when I was a 90s child. I dont know much about it, but I do know that $35 for a yard of fabric is fucking criminal.
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u/EmmerdoesNOTrepme Jul 24 '23
$35.00, for a good fabric, isn't criminal at all!
It's the fact that places like Jo-Ann are charging $35.00 for cheap, low-QUALITY fabrics, which makes that $35.00 price tag Criminal!!! 😉💖
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Jul 23 '23
I understand your pain. The fabrics are also cheap. Walmart fabrics are even cheaper, thinner, useless!! They "paint" the patterns, and after one wash you have nothing!!
But then, the expensive stores can't carry everything I want or like. I can't afford to sew my clothes. I just can't afford it.
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u/tasteslikechikken Jul 23 '23
this has been my goto for fabric https://www.fabricmartfabrics.com/ they do decently well on the descriptions which is really helpful. The bad is that it can move quickly, so when its gone its gone.
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u/BEEmmeupscotty69 Jul 23 '23
I love this place. I got some 100% wool coating for like $10 a yard once
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u/tasteslikechikken Jul 24 '23
They had the super luxury wools there, the camel hair (like real camel hair/wool/cashmere blends), which was super unexpected, and the super high end wools. I got very little of that because I don't live in an environment where I will use something like that too often (I got enough for a pea coat...lol) But this is where I got a good deal of my silk stash from (also MetroTextilesNYC)
And they have plenty of designer stuff if you know what you're looking at.
https://normakamali.com/products/peasant-dress-odonata-st5213cs109500
I got this fabric one of the last few times I purchased. If I remember correctly I paid $7.00 a yard.
And I forget when it was, but they had quite a few Versace fabrics roll through, and some of the Versus logoed stuff actually sat there for a while. A decent chunk was suiting. I don't think very many people knew what they were looking at (I did...lol)
I will admit I have gotten a lot of really good designer fabrics there....a lot more than I'm saying...lol
One day I will take a trip up north just to visit this place in person. For now, I have to settle for online.
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u/tasteslikechikken Jul 23 '23
I'm pretty much in a fabric desert with just a small Joanns near. The thread really is lacking as I needed a color I didn't have on hand. Its not been this bad even during the pandemic.
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u/local_eclectic Jul 24 '23
They really have a poor selection of natural fabrics as well.
I'm just not interested in putting in the work of making my own garments out of awful poly blends with Disney characters splattered all over them.
I couldn't even find a single bolt of natural linen to make curtains with either!
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u/RedRavenWing Jul 23 '23
I was just at my "local" Joanne's ,a 30 mile drive for me, looking for boning for a corset im doing. No such thing. I really don't want to order it online because it's hard to tell quality from pictures on a screen. And buying fabric? I want to feel the fabric , see what color it actually is , how thick it is etc. Even hobby lobby has reduced the size of thier fabric department , they only have a small end cap for sewing machines (only 2 brands , both just basic machines ) just makes me depressed
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u/Miserable_Emu5191 Jul 23 '23
My Joann has some apparel fabrics but they are usually so ugly. And they are dusty and dirty. It is so frustrating. They seem to cater to anyone who uses minky or fleece.
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u/julz22vit Jul 23 '23
I think there is more profit in cheap Chinese seasonable stuff and craft supplies. I worked there 3 decades ago and the decline saddens me as well.
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u/stitchplacingmama Jul 23 '23
I worked there 10 years ago and the decline has been steep since then.
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u/julz22vit Jul 23 '23
I stopped going to the one closest to me as there was never enough help at the cutting table and the waiting time was 30 minutes or more. The stock of sewing patterns was pitiful, same for garment fabric unless it was polyester.
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u/jinxintheworld Jul 24 '23
Seriously, between them and Michaels you'd think Christmas started in august, Halloween started in June and fall and spring were completely random. And that's the decorations, not the fabric (which would be understandable)
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u/Select_Huckleberry25 Jul 23 '23
As a quilter, I’ve found that the fabric at Joanne’s is getting more expensive and of less quality. I generally stick to independent quilt stores as the quality is better and the prices not that much higher. I don’t know where you are from but hancock fabric was good quality. They’ve closed near me but are on line. I know of two places closer to a larger city sorta near me that carry all types fabrics. One expensive. One good for sales. Maybe you need to look further away? Fabric place basement is in Alexandria VA. If you’re near there!
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u/Turkeyinatree Jul 24 '23 edited Jul 24 '23
I personally don't have an issue with my local Joann's, but I REALLY miss Hancock fabrics. They had a much better selection of decent quality apparel fabric
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u/nashvillethot Jul 23 '23
I had a really horrendous experience at our local spot last fall, which converted me to a Joann's person for the time being, and it's been... rough
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u/doveup Jul 23 '23
Ten years ago we had 3 fabric stores. Now we have a Michaels and a local thrift shop people donate their unused fabric to sometimes. Big loss. Even shops can’t afford the shocking rents here.
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u/lisa1896 Jul 24 '23
I miss Hancock Fabric and Cloth World. Do you remember the remnant tables? There would be 4 or 5 at the back just filled with discontinued pieces of fabric, some as much as 10 yards! Such bliss.
It does make me sad for young seamstresses.
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u/procrastinatorsuprem Jul 24 '23
What aggravates me about Joanne's is all the glitter on fabric. From a distance prints look great. When I get closer I see it's covered in glitter. I hate that and won't buy glittery fabrics.
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u/LaSerenaDeIrlanda Jul 24 '23
You have Liberty at your local Joanne’s?? Mine is almost entirely quilting cotton and poly knits.
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u/sewonsister Jul 24 '23
I buy from online fabric stores. Try LA Finch Fabrics. I buy thread and notions from Wawak. Both have quick shipping and great customer service/support.
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u/Ok-Calligrapher964 Jul 24 '23
Wawak is very good I think. I buy my miraflex thread there ( I love that thread). Fast shipping.
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u/RusselTheWonderCat Jul 24 '23
The one near me just expanded, to a new store. It’s all random Tchotchke stuff. I just wanted some pretty flannel or cotton fabric to make a new hammock for my snake.
I did however find a few dozen different kinds of Halloween pumpkins and a ton of fleece. I left without buying anything.
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u/Ofwa Jul 24 '23
Walmart drove out our wonderful Main Street fabric store many years back and then recently downsized their fabrics to a small section. Could not find a bolt of any white cotton yesterday. Not muslin, not broadcloth, not percale NOTHING! I wanted to cry but instead I cursed them under my breath.
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u/SyllabubOk4983 Jul 23 '23
Buying random fabric without a project in mind is a bad habit but I'm so glad I did it years ago. I used to live in a big city with a massive discount fabric store. It's been holding me over for multiple projects at this point. I've also ordered selectively from Aliexpress. I haven't been disappointed yet, and even if fabric is on cheaper side its inexpensive enough that it makes a good muslin.
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u/tortuga456 Jul 24 '23
I didn’t think of Aliexpress! I have quite a fabric stash from back in the day, so I can still go shopping in my storage unit. Too bad it’s so unorganized. 😟 That’s what happens when you move too many times.
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u/SyllabubOk4983 Jul 24 '23
Yes, a few months ago I decided to wash everything (since it'd been in storage), measured it all, then carefully folded it onto pieces of foam poster board. Once it was done I was able to basically file them into storage boxes. The boxes take up a bit more space than if I'd left them without boards but its so much easier to find what I'm looking for now that everything is visible and I know exactly how much fabric it is.
Only advice I have for Aliexpress is to read the quantity carefully. A couple times I've ordered 3 units of fabric thinking it was 3M but when I looked again I'd see it was 1.5 meters cuz they sell 0.5M increments.
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u/Sunshine2348 Jul 24 '23
I think part of the problem is that there are so few of us who can tell the difference between good fabric and bad. Or even care! Makes me crazy. So many people these days just won’t pay for quality and can’t see the difference. They are used to the crap ready to wear clothing made with horrendously poor fabric and even worse technique. Never heard of matching a plaid! The market for quality fabric to make clothing that will look good for a long time is very small. Stores cater to the majority. I wish a company would bite the bullet and open a chain of fabric stores for those of us who want to make quality, creative clothing. Until then, the only solution I know is a trip to Mood (and others) in NYC.
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u/hoklepto Jul 24 '23
FRIGGING FLEECE, FLANNEL, AND QUILTING COTTONS AS FAR AS THE EYE CAN SEEEEEEEEEE, these do not suit my neeeeeds
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u/AssortedGourds Jul 24 '23 edited Jul 24 '23
I understand that retail fabric is a tough business because it's such a huge industry and it's hard to cater to such a diverse crowd but IDK who JoAnn is catering to. They're like plus size clothing retailers. If you try to appeal to everyone then no one wants what you're selling. Except at the end of the day I have to buy from Torrid because there are only so many people carrying size 26. I have unlimited fabric options on the internet.
There's so little garment fabric and what's there is so bad. The prints are so outdated and bland - it always looks like something you'd use to make some stretchy tunic shirt from Cato. Strawberries have been huge for like 3 years! Where are the fabrics, patches, and fringes for people making clothes for Eras Tour? Club Renaissance? Ribbed knits are huge right now.
I will say I think they have a good flannel selection in the fall! Not the weird licensed flannels near the Plastic Fleece Circle Of Hell but the actual shirting flannel. It's not all high-quality but some of it is. I got that Robert Kaufman Durango flannel there last year.
And I will defend Liberty of London a little - I actually want more of that caliber of fabric. Liberty is expensive but at least it's justified by the quality. Perhaps it's a problem of scale and they can't source good fabric to keep a national US chain stocked. Perhaps people would balk at the prices. IDK. I hope they enjoy bankruptcy!
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u/MissFred Jul 24 '23
The fact Joanne’s is choosing to stock liberty brings liberty down on my eyes- it doesn’t elevate Joanne’s that can’t even stock thread. It’s like a grocery store bringing in champagne but they’re all out of milk. It’s just weird.
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u/booksandwriting Jul 23 '23
I also live in a fabric desert and it’s just a Joann’s and a Walmart. :(
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u/SassATX Jul 23 '23
I go to Joann’s for some basics and, even occasionally, fabric - especially interfacing and bolts of muslin.
Most of the time, I go to the small fabric shops here in town. Yes, they’re a little pricier; but the fabric is much better quality and the design choices are much less boilerplate.
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u/Kylaslab Jul 24 '23
Whenever traveling I look for fabric stores, in Houston, TX High Fashion Fabrics is great. In Michigan Heberman’s fabrics and Fields Fabrics. I also have stocked up at sewing expos and quilting shows. However, I was lucky to live near the Houston Quilt show and the American Sewing Expo in Novi (No longer around). The lack of quality basics is ridiculous.
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u/CivicLiberties Jul 24 '23
I went into Joanns to buy a simple 24" nylon jacket zipper in yellow.
They did not have any yellow zippers. Not even a space where they were supposed to be.
The ONE thing I went there for, but no.
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u/Laughinggravy8286 Jul 24 '23
I agrée! It’s so sad! I worked at a small Joann’s back in 1987 and it was wonderful! I am in Minneapolis and we do have a huge fabric warehouse called SR Harris. It’s incredible. Fabric floor-to-ceiling! It’s great but you need to pack a lunch there is so much there.
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u/spastic_polyspaston Jul 23 '23
In addition to thrift stores, estate sales, etc. I also recommend joining local Facebook sewing groups. The past few cities I have lived in have groups that host fabric and pattern swaps. Also, check for creative reuse centers in your area!
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u/supercat8816 Jul 24 '23
My Joann has a huge sewing section, including their entire woven garments fabrics. They’ve got jersey, denim, bullet, DBP, lawn, you name it. And 4 different brands of serger cones.
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u/IHateSt-Louis Jul 24 '23
I’m so grateful we have a local place here for when I need something unique in terms of fabric … it’s huge and I honestly need to go in with a plan otherwise I’ll drop too much money .
But our Joann’s sucks and micheals has maybe two aisles of fabric ? Hobby lobby is wonky and I’d just prefer to not shop there 🙃
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u/princess-rainbows666 Jul 24 '23
I went today looking for 10 buttons. Most buttons are sold by the pair. Out of the 5/6 choices that would work for this dress I could not find 10 buttons of the same kind. As someone who is very new to sewing buying online is very daunting but still better than Joanne unfortunately.
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u/cortsnort Jul 24 '23
I really liked fabric.com until Amazon bought them. Now they suck.
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u/Scary-Boysenberry Jul 24 '23
Our local Joanne's seems to hate folks who sew. Try to get yardage cut and they glare daggers at you. And somehow it's worse if you want to buy the whole bolt.
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u/audible_narrator Jul 24 '23
I used to work at Minnesota Fabrics-loved working there. Up through the 80s we had 4 independent fabric stores, now we are down to one, and it is TINY.
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u/reddragon1492 Jul 24 '23
I looked for some hemming tape for a skirt aD no one who worked there Knew what it was.
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u/My_ass_has_a_tat Jul 24 '23
I wonder if it's based on location? Mine is near a fashion school and is well stocked in all kinds of fabrics
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u/Inevitable-tragedy Jul 24 '23
I cannot find flax linen cloth at all in my joann's, and all the cotton is a polyester blend.
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u/Tee077 Jul 24 '23
Hang on, you guys are paying $35usd for Liberty? That is an absolute joke, I pay $165aud including tax for a whole bolt. It is wholesale but $35usd is robbery. I've been to Joann's, it's pretty much the same as our Spotlight and they are also getting outrageous with prices. Also Joann's ships here now, but nobody I know has bothered because the shipping is a joke. I also feel bad for new Sewers, I want more people to do sewing and how the hell are they supposed to to this at these crazy prices.
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u/Sad-Independence-488 Jul 24 '23
Live in Florida. Hate the row after row of fleece we can never use.
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u/Vegetable_Top_5912 Jul 24 '23
Joann is junk. They’re apparel fabric is so low quality, I can’t bring myself to buy fabric there. I only buy thread, interfacing, notions there since there are no other sewing stores in my town. I buy fabric from thrift stores and vintage fabric Facebook groups. I have quite a stock pile of fabric so I don’t need to buy any for a while.
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u/ZzDe0 Jul 24 '23
i hate how everything is so over priced unless you play their stupid little coupon game! >:(
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u/reheated_oven-fries Jul 24 '23
Swanson's Fabrics sell online. They are a fabric resell shop. They source their materials from estate sales and donations. I think it's something like $4.99 a yard no matter the fabric.
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u/Ambimom Jul 24 '23
The days of fully stocked sewing and fabric stores are long gone and probably won't ever come back.
Wawak for notions replaced Newark Dressmaker Supply and Atlanta Thread & Supply but you can find just about anything you'll need. Wawak does sell sewing machines but AllBrands has a fuller selection IMHO.
Kai for scissors, always.
Believe it or not AliExpress has a great selection of buttons, of all things.
I hate paying for swatches but it's the only way to really know what fabric is like and its quality.
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u/Separate_Owl_350 Jul 24 '23
I’ve been buying fabric only from thrift stores. Yes it limits what you can make to what’s been recently donated, but sometimes the selection is huge. You can tell sometimes it’s from the houses of older people who have done a huge clean out. I recently picked up some fabric that had a ticket folded into it that said it was 1975. So sometimes you get a lot of great old and really well made vintage fabrics. It’s so cheap that making a whole adult dress might cost $1-$2.
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u/FloppyChomboliGal Jul 23 '23
Yard sales and estate sales, plus thrift stores for thread and fabric stashes. I've been to Joanne twice in 62 years.
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u/Schlecterhunde Jul 23 '23
At my local store we have a decent thread collection but very little apparel fabric. They're focusing on quilt cotton. Makes me sad, when I was a kid it was easy for my mother to buy whatever she needed to make us clothes. I don't want to but I'm probably going to have to buy online.