Fabric is every decorator’s weakness. I have the hardest time passing up a color or pattern or weave that catches my eye! Truth is, I don’t pass it up often, and that’s why half of my office is dedicated to fabric storage. (not so good)
I think there is a time and a place (and a budget!) for all different methods of fabric shopping. I am a big fan of online browsing (L&S is truly great), and I go to Design Centers a lot (some of these photos are from D&D showrooms).
But I have to say that I really, really love to find those less-known usually local fabric stores that almost always have vintage yardages that are selling for a song. And don’t tell me there is no such place in your town. I’m sure there is! There has been one in every city I ever lived in.
Interior Alternative (Newark, DE)
Here in Manhattan, I love Mood and B&J for the sheer quantity of selection, but probably my two favorite stores are in my neighborhood: P&S and JEM fabrics.
Vintage Brunschwig et Fils at Mood
Citrus cut velvet chevron? Yes please! at P&S in Tribeca
P and S has a great selection of burlap in tons of colors. I’m considering this neon pink to cover a lampshade in my girls’ room.
LEOPARD! EMERALD! SILK! $50/yd at Mood
The key to success in finding that great hole in the wall is persistence. First, ask around. But if/when everyone suggests Joann’s (which by the way sometimes has awesome stuff in their clearance stacks), type ‘fabric store’ in google maps and hit up every last one of those places.
And don’t judge a store by it’s first few rows of unfortunate Christmas themed calico. That happened to me last year when we moved to Dover. I noticed a sign out on the highway: Wholesale Fabric Store! Open to the Public! I stopped by to pop my head in and quickly decided the selection was lacking, based on the rolls I could see from the front door. A month or two later I decided to give it another shot and discovered an entire room in the back full of beautiful vintage fabrics! Also, the owner of the store became a friend, so win-win.
Fun, right? It’s Waverly! These are from Mood…
Do you have a less-obvious source for fun fabrics in your town? How great would it be to start compiling a little directory? I’ll start:
Boston, MA: Zimmen’s in Lynn
Dover, DE: Wholesale Fabric on Rte 13
Newark, DE: Interior Alternative
Phoenix, AZ: Home Fabrics and SAS
Philadelphia: Jo-Mar and lots of the shops on Fabric Row (I like about half of them on 4th). If you’re looking for vintage yardage, go straight to Home & Office Decor on the corner of Fitzwater and 4th. It’s not clean or organized, so be warned, but there are deals to be had!
New York City: P&S and JEM (don’t miss out on all the french trims! Such an amazing place!)
This post is right up my alley as I'm having trouble finding a quality fabric store in Phoenix.
I've been to Home Fabics, which was promising, but the SAS on Indian School Road was a huge disappointment. Are there other SAS stores I'm missing?
I've been searching for a modern floral with no luck. Help!
My fabric woes: http://turnuptherad.blogspot.com/2011/01/fabric-frustration.html
fab post! I always though Mood was mostly for clothing only fabrics…. not really upholstering. I'll have to check the mood in LA soon.
xoxo,
hallie
Gaffney Fabrics in Philadelphia also has a huge selection and extremely good prices:
http://www.gaffneyfabrics.com/
Not sure about their vintage selection, and you need to be in the mood to dig around, but worth checking out!
I have a "Pennsylvania Fabric Outlet" in my area. I don't know if they are connected, but it is my favorite haunt….lots of deadstock. I just picked up 11 yards of the most amazing fabric there. I got it home and looked up the manufacturer. It turns out it is over 30 years old. Makes me love it more.
Anybody got some good ones in Atlanta besides L&S and Forsyth?
Great post! I love Interior Alternative and have been going there for years but never even gave a thought to checking out the spot in Dover. So nice to have a hometown reference! I'd love to know who you used for upholstery when you lived in DE and would be very grateful if you'd PM me the info… thanks.
I love your blog. The only one I read. Can you please tell me where the white/gold/blue stripe fabric is from?
In Atlanta—Fabric and Fringe Warehouse in Marietta, GA (a suburb up I-75).
My favorite in Atlanta is by far Fabric World. You have to be diligent to find good fashion fabric, but they've got loads of great upholstery fabric.
And in Boston, Freddy Farkel's, Sewfisticated, Lorraine, and more here.
Thanks for the tip on Zimmen's in Boston! This directory really is a great idea, as everyone DOES suggest Joann's and I have spent a lot of time looking for alternatives. In the Boston area I would add the awesomely-named Freddy Farkel's in Watertown, MA (great upholstery fabrics, and they do upholstery there too) and Winmill Fabrics in Chinatown is OK too.
Oooh, Annelise, thanks for the link to Boston ones… good stuff.
I love fabric. Gainesville (Florida) doesn't have much going on though. There are a lot of bead stores for some reason, but no fabric.
I'm fascinated at how your nails are always painted!! With three kids! And a full time job!
Anyone aware of any in chicago?
SR Harris Fabric Outlet in Mn!
http://www.srharrisfabric.com/
Interior Fabrics in Houston is fantastic! I've been going there since I was a kid with my mom. They have fabrics featured at interior design stores for a fraction of the cost. They have locations across Texas, OK, LA, CO and AZ. They have a website and you can order samples online for $1 http://www.fabricresource.com/store2/index.cgi?page=Locations.htm&cart_id=1298987565.2711#viewpoint
I was just thinking yesterday that I needed a little inspiration in the fabric department. I love this post!
WOW such great choices and thanks for all the great ones to visit when we are in the area :) Love the emerald leopard the most!
Jenny, I'm so glad you warned us against "first impressions". I live in Philly and have avoided Fabric Row because many of the stores display their selection haphazardly…sounds like I should check out some of those places this weekend!
In Chicago: Textile Discount Outlet at 2121 21st St. It's enormous and incredibly cheap.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/textile-discount-outlet-chicago
http://megafabrics.com/
I normally hit up the shops off the beaten path. It's hard for me to pass up fabric too. I guess it's why I have a ton of it.
Hi Jenny,
This is such an awesome post! Thanks for including Philly in your list. I've had good luck at Jo-Mar in the past, but I've always felt a bit intimidated by Fabric Row. I think I'll give it a shot now that I have a few specific store recommendations. This post is so helpful!
Zimmans in Lynn is really good — for one closer to the city of Boston, there's also Freddy Farkel's Fabric Warehouse (yes, that's really the name)
Rahway, NJ – Fabric Warehouse Direct
ESPECIALLY when they have their 50% off sale.
In Baltimore, there's DeBois Textiles. Often the very latest offerings from the big American houses, including Schumacher, Ralph, Duralee, and more. This weekend, they had some KWID Imperial Trellis heavy linen for $40/yard.
they also have a massive selection of vintage clothes.
oops! that last comment was really from me.
Any hidden gems in Raleigh area?
For anyone just north of NYC, there's a fabric store called Sew What's New in Nyack, NY that's really excellent. SO MUCH FABRIC, great prices, and a really nice manager(/owner?).
I just moved from Atlanta to Nashville, TN. Any FAB fabric places you can recommend in Nashville?
In Dallas I really like fabric factory near the galleria. There's also a ton in a row on Perth street off of Harry Hines blvd. They are more for basics though. In Houston I really like High Fashion Home. Visiting there this weekend, can't wait!
When I lived in NY, EVERY project began at P&S. Love it! Here in the Twin Cities, every project begins at SR Harris, a HUGE (30,000sf) warehouse where everything is always 50% off the already-low prices. I realize how much I love them when I post about them almost weekly on my blog.
Sacramento- Triad Fabrics (in Roseville)
Fabric Depot in Portland, OR is awesome! So huge and they have 40% off sales just about every other weekend.
Thanks to Lee for mentioning the Textile Outlet in Chicago, but does anyone have ANY OTHER recommendations in Chicago besides that place? It is the only place that keeps getting recommended to me but there's got to be something else in this city! It's enormous and amazing, but I find it's only good if you need plainer stuff. Whenever I go in search of fun home fabric, I come up empty handed. They've got some animal prints and some standard patterns you'd see at Jo-anns, but that's about it.
I've also been to Vogue Fabrics downtown and it was more in the style of some of the places in Jenny's post, but the selection wasn't huge and the prices weren't that awesome. I hear the one in Evanston is bigger but I haven't been. Any other suggestions for Chicago out there? I want a place that looks like the picture above of Interior Alternative!! :)
i want to go there!
In Atlanta:
Lewis & Sharon (obvi)
Forsyth Fabrics
Peachtree Direct (only open on weekdays, grrr…)
Gail K fabrics on Cheshire Bridge
Now I need to learn how to sew!
cannot wait for the results from this post!
home fabrics….I go waaaaay too often!
I want to go to there.
Lauren, you're awesome.
I just love fabric shopping! I'm like you, I often buy a lot, not knowing exactly where it'll end up!
Does anybody know of any in the Greater Detroit Area in Michigan? I have heard of a warehouse in Warren which I have not visited yet.
My name is Sarah and I have a little fabric shop in Boston, Grey's Fabric and Notions. We have lots of cotton prints in various weights (lawn is my new love) and are getting in some nice silks and linens. Stop by if you get the chance or check us out on the interwebs to see pix and class scheds.:
http://www.greysfabric.com
Would love some suggestions in Northern CA- we've had a few independent stores close in the past years and I'm having a hard time finding anything other than Joanne's.
I LOVE LZ Textile Discount Outlet and both locations of Vogue Fabric in Chicago. I reupholstered a victorian sofa and sofa chair with fabric from LZ for less than $6 a yard. And, did ceiling to floor velvet curtains for $4.95yd with huge drapery tassels that were 4 for $10. It's a whole day trip, as it is ENORMOUS!
I took your advice and googled 'fabric stores' – got some great new ideas to check out! Thanks for this great post. –deb
Thanks so much for sharing! I love mood but I will definitely have to check out the other NYC stores too. I just found an amazing linen store called Gray Lines Linen. Soo much cheaper than Mood's linens and huge selection. 260 W. 39th Street #4.
Is that what Heaven looks like? :) Jonalynn, try Fabric Depot. I like it – it's in Phoenix at Cave Creek and Bell Rd.
Oh, found your site through a 2009 link to a painted upholstery project on Apartment Therapy. :)
Does anyone have any suggestions for Ohio? Cincinnati, Cleveland or Columbus?
Thank you so much for telling me about the store in Newark DElaware. I have been living in Delaware for 6 years and never knew about it- this is going to be great!