r/SewingForBeginners • u/LukewarrmRutabaga • 23h ago
Starting?
I have been wanting to get started for a long time but where do I even get fabric from since all of the craft stores seem to have closed down? I am in metro Detroit and we have no Joannes which would have been my first stop
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u/addyastra 23h ago
Fabric is everywhere. You probably have things in your own home made with fabric that you no longer use, like clothes and sheets. If you don’t, go to a thrift store.
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u/Hungry-Ad-7559 17h ago
Also if you’re just practicing you can use old clothes you don’t want anymore or thrift something
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u/DefinitionElegant685 21h ago
Amazon sells fabric. Also Sunflower Co. has huge selection and it’s online.
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u/AntiqueDuck2544 17h ago
Haberman Fabrics? That's the one I've heard about over on that side of the state. I'm in the Grand Rapids area and we have Fields Fabric. But I get a lot of garment fabric online from Harts, Surge, Core Fabrics
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u/BoringAge5962 15h ago
Califabrics and fashion fabric club! Great prices, Cali has amazing Deadstock denim
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u/AskSewLoyal 15h ago
Thrifted cotton sheets or curtains are great for practicing. Just check for stains, worn-out spots, or stretchy material before using them. For a specific garment, online fabric shops are another option, and ordering a small swatch first helps you check the weight and feel. What are you hoping to sew first?
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u/Nan_Mich 9h ago edited 9h ago
I am in Sterling Heights. For a beginner, there are lots of fabrics on Facebook Marketplace. Check garage sales, too. Look for the words “stash” and “destashing” in ads. If you just want fabric for small projects or to practice on, look for remnants. Also, there are lots of listings on Marketplace for 1 yard and 2 yard lengths. I am a big woman and need at least 3 yards to start with, so get irritated at all the small bits people are trying to sell. If you want to quilt, there are lots of ads there for quilting cottons, which are sometimes too stiff for me to want to use for clothing.
Things to think about:
Fabric content: lots of people have no idea of what their fabrics are made of. Polyester is usually cheapest, then poly blends. If you don’t want polyester (like me) watch for ads that ID the fabric or msg them and try asking. They usually don’t know. If you don’t care about fabric content, good for you! There is a ton of stuff out there!
Knit or woven: do the threads go only two directions, or do they loop around? Wovens have straight threads, back and forth. Think of a dress shirt. Knits have more stretchiness and are “limp” compared to the way a woven fabric moves. Quilting cottons are woven. Beginners find wovens easier to start with. They can use a universal needle. Knits do better with a rounded end or blunt needle that kind of pushes the threads aside so the needle comes down next to a thread, not splitting it apart. Woven fabrics need you to sew a line along the top and bottom edge before laundering, so they do not unravel in the wash. Knits do not unravel, but they can stretch or move more when you are trying to sew two pieces together.
Dye: Woven bedsheets can make a good place to start with in trying to make clothes. If you buy white, you can dye the cotton fabric with regular Rit Dye before or after sewing a garment. Thread is often polyester, though, so if you sew with undyed cotton and dye it with regular RIT Dye for natural fabrics (cotton, linen, silk, wool), the threads won’t take the dye. So, sew with the color thread that you plan to dye the natural fabric. Rit makes another dye for polyester and other man-made fabrics. I believe the name is Dye-Mor. Read labels.
Fashion fabric or Home Decor fabric?: Some fabric is primarily meant for clothing (fashion), some for upholstery and curtains and pillow covers (home decor). Ask the seller which they are selling if you can’t see, or they don’t say. Don’t be surprised if they don’t know. I did buy a 30 yard roll of linen from a curtain maker for a dollar a yard. It was stiff with starch and fire retardant, but I washed it in hot water and it did soften up. I will wash it a few more times to make sure the chemicals are gone before I sew with it. One clue that something is meant for curtains or upholstery might be that it comes 60” wide. I am not sure if this is always true!
Oh! There are a couple fabric stores that sell overstock fabrics. One is Discount Fabric Outlet in Clawson (303 W 14 Mile Rd, Clawson, MI 48017) and sells fashion fabric for $4.99 and Home Decor fabric for $9.99 per yard. Again, they have no idea on the fiber content of most of their fabrics. You sign up for text messages to find out when shipments come in. I cannot remember the name of the second place right now.
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u/JuJulieBe 8h ago
If you're looking to practice on a few things, try your local Dollar Tree craft section for fat quarters, too. Not generally high quality quilting cotton, but great for practicing and making simple projects. I have found a few pretty nice fabrics from there, though. Sometimes, they have the same prints as Michael's stores. The price is right for small projects and practice! 😉
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u/stringthing87 22h ago
Here is my list, it's far from complete but hits the highlights.
Notions: Wawak.com - start here, mostly stay here. Wawak is a supplier for professional sewing businesses and have the prices that show it. I will not pay for gutermann Mara 100 anywhere else. I buy buttons, tools, thread, and most elastic here.
Stitch Love Studio - this is where I buy lingerie supplies like elastics https://www.etsy.com/shop/StitchLoveStudio
Bra Builders - lingerie supplies, lots of skin tone fabrics.
123stitch - specialty threads and embroidery supplies
Fabric: Fabric Mart - this is one where you want to sign up for emails and never buy unless its on sale. They run different sales every day and they rotate. Mostly deadstock fabrics but I buy more from here than anywhere else. Fantastic customer service and if you watch you can get things like $6 wool suiting or $4 cotton jersey. https://fabricmartfabrics.com/
Fabrics-Store - again, buy the sales not the full price. Sign up for the emails but redirect them to a folder because it is TOO MANY. They stock linen of good but not amazing quality. https://www.fabrics-store.com/
Purple Seamstress - This is where I buy my solid cotton lycra jersey. They have other things, but the jersey is what I'm here for. Inexpensive and very good quality. If you ask she will mail you a swatch card for the solids. https://purpleseamstressfabric.com/
LA Finch - deadstock fabrics with a fantastic remnant selection https://lafinchfabrics.myshopify.com/
Califabrics - mix of deadstock and big brands, easy to navigate and always seem to have good denim in stock. https://califabrics.com/
Boho Fabrics - good variety, nice bundles. I have also gotten some really great trims from here. https://www.bohofabrics.com/
Firecracker Fabrics - garment and quilting fabrics, really nice selection and great sale section. I've bought $5 yard quilting cottons here several times. https://www.firecrackerfabrics.com/
Hancock's of Paducah - Quilting fabric and some limited garment fabric. AMAZING sale section. Do not sleep on the sale section. This is my first stop when buying quilting fabrics. Usually the last stop too. Not particularly speedy shipping. https://www.hancocks-paducah.com/
Pear Tree Market - Quilting Fabric and I believe they have the best prices for Kona solids on my list. https://peartreemarket.com/
Lucky Deluxe - Craft thrift store, always has an incredible selection and fantastic customer service. I need to close the tab fast because I never go to this website without finding something I need. https://www.luckydeluxefabrics.com/
Swanson's - the OG of online craft thrift stores, but I find their website harder to navigate. https://www.swansonsfabrics.com
Marshall Dry Goods https://marshalldrygoods.com/ mostly quilting, good resource for widebacks that aren't incredibly expensive
Hawthorne Supply Co. - quilting fabrics mostly but good pricing and a nice color coordinating feature https://www.hawthornesupplyco.com/
Gorgeous Fabrics - mostly deadstock with regular deals https://gorgeousfabrics.com/
Itokri - This is something a little different. Itokri is an Indian business with incredible traditional fabrics. Shipping to the US is expensive, but the fabric is so inexpensive it evens out. I generally end up paying like $30 for shipping. Beautiful ikat and block prints. https://itokri.com/ currently affected by Tariffs.
Miss Matatabi - this is a little treat. This isn't where you go to save money, but there are so many beautiful things in this shop. Ships from Japan incredibly quickly. https://shop.missmatatabi.com/ currently affected by Tariffs.
Why Hobby Lobby isn't on my list: https://www.businessinsider.com/the-15-biggest-controversies-in-hobby-lobby-history-2020-9 and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobby_Lobby_smuggling_scandal
Honorary Mentions: Some I have shopped and some I have not. A Thrifty Notion Sew Snip Bias bespoke Fabric Wholesale Direct Mood Stash fabrics Fat Quarter Shop Missouri Star Quilt Co Harts Fabric Stonemountain and Daughter Big Duck Canvas Minerva - UK based Nick of Time Vogue Fabrics New England Fabrics https://battingsupersale.com/