Wool and fabrics - Online retailer recommendations?
Hey everyone! Currently trying to make sewing more of a hobby by creating things rather than just tailoring/repairing clothes I already own.
I've dabbled but haven't done much (fanny pack humble brag here). Thinking a good first project to get back into it would be making a winter cloak for my gf, this one in particular. Hoping to make it with wool or another warm, fairly snow or proof fabric, open to suggestions for alternatives too.
I'm aware making clothing tends to be more $$$ than buying premade, but having trouble justifying the price on some of the sites I've seen and hesitant when I can't see or touch the fabric before purchasing.
Curious if anyone here would have a recommendation for an online retailer that ships to the US that they think is a good deal? I was hoping to spend a max of $40-50/yard but would be willing to spend more if I got some friendly assurance of a seller's quality and customer service.
Thanks!
(P.S. chronic lurker and think this is my first post on Tildes so just let me know if there is a better group or tags for this!)
I have a few sewists in my family who had to hunker down especially hard during lockdown. Since their supplies normally came from local brick-and-mortal sources like Joanns, ordering anything online for the hobby was new territory. Long story short, I ended up joining a sewing/quilting discord and asked for reputable fabric sources for US buyers.
High fashion supplier from NYC, can be a bit pricier - https://zelouffabrics.com/
Old, and well known supplier - https://www.moodfabrics.com/
Bulk fabric for cheap, people like it - https://www.fabricwholesaledirect.com/
Kinda weird, secondhand/vintage/deadstock fabric seller - https://athriftynotion.com/
Scrap seller (by yard too) of leftover fabric from commercial makers - https://fabscrap.myshopify.com/
Sells designer and bulk fabric - https://fabricmartfabrics.com/
Designer fabric seller, small operation with lots of curation - https://gorgeousfabrics.com/
"Modern fabrics from respectful mills and sources" has a 15% off coupon for giving email - https://corefabricstore.com/collections/fabrics?usf_sort=-date
So far, I only have experience with Mood. Shipping was prompt but the free shipping cutoff is pretty high at $150. Zelouf has free shipping at $90 but some of their fabrics are more expensive so figure out what you need and try to compare carts.
I don’t have a recommendation for an online retailer, sorry. My girlfriend who makes a lot of dresses and children’s clothes swears to retail stores where you can see details and feel the quality yourself.
However, I do have a recommendation for a very cool site where I’ve found some nice patterns: https://freesewing.org/
It’s basically patterns that can be customized to fit the size and style of almost any type of human. I have a few shirts and t-shirts that my girlfriend made for me, and they are the best.
Good luck with your new hobby - it’s amazing to use your hands to make real stuff.
I love the cape! I just watched the Solo Star Wars movie, and Lando's selection of capes was quite something.
I agree with others that putting your hands on things it is worth a lot. During the pandemic, I tried buying fabric from fabric.com and it was pretty unsatisfying -- no matter how many pictures they post, you just don't know how it will look or feel. If you're determined to buy online because your local selection is limited or you want something specialty, you might consider buying small quantities or samples if they are available.
Joann is the best of our local options. When I want something a bit pricy, I keep an eye on the coupons (you can sign up and see them in the app). Just make sure you know the limitations, like you cannot use coupons on things that are already discounted, etc. This seems like it might be a longer project, so maybe you can space the purchases out to make full use of the 40% off one item coupons.
Final thought: I have a friend who is a local fashion designer -- she has her own shop and line. If I were going to embark on something beyond what I could do at Joann's, I would talk to her to see what her thoughts are, what local options are available, etc. If you have someone like that local to you, it might be worth reaching out or visiting their shop.
From what I understand, once you understand the types of weaves and materials you can actually get a pretty good idea of what a fabric will be like from its description. But we’re talking about quite a lot of experience that needs some degree of dedication.
Another vote for athriftynotion.com and I'd like to also add https://www.fabricmartfabrics.com . They generally have a large selection of many types of fabric, though not in every color. If you're trying to do a test run, they can be a good source for slightly cheaper material in the same weave as the expensive stuff. If you're willing to work with what is in stock as far as color/pattern, they're cheeeeap. Also, if you want someone's opinion on color matching, drape, or hand (feel), you can call during working hours and a real person in the same building as the fabric will pick up. Don't expect any particular bolt of fabric to be in stock long, it moves pretty fast. Also keep an eye on the daily sales, they cycle through the fabric categories and everything is on sale eventually.