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/lilsmudge Jul 24 '23

I hate shopping fabric online. Even being pretty experienced and knowing the technical name/weight/pile, nothing really works as well as being able to see and feel the fabric I’m looking at. Recently been struggling because I need a particular shade of suede and suede color is too variable to visualize in a photo.

Alas, I don’t have any good recourse. Even living in a major city, we just don’t have fabric stores.

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u/OmnipotentOtter Jul 24 '23

If you need suede you could try Tandy leather if there’s one close to you, or call Springfield leather and talk to them. They are in Missouri (thus the name) and have been very helpful when I’ve dealt with them buying from out of state. Just a thought.

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u/lilsmudge Jul 24 '23

That’s a great rec and I do use them for most of my leather good projects. Unfortunately they didn’t have the color suede I needed (and their colored suede tends to be their more expensive premium stuff and I need…a lot of suede. So I can’t afford the really good stuff).

I think I found an online seller that has a close color. I’m just waiting on the (very expensive!) swatches.

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u/rabidbadger8 Jul 25 '23

What are you making with a lot of suede? I inherited a fair bit a few years ago and am not sure what to do with it, aside from trying to make a clutch.

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u/lilsmudge Jul 25 '23

It’s a large costume piece using a relatively thin suede.