New sewer - fabric store

[spinach]

Hi!

I just got a sewing machine (haven't a clue what I'm doing yet)and am wondering what fabric stores people prefer in the TC area.

Thanks!

[TLL]

Mill End Textiles has several locations around the cities. They have good prices and lots of selection.

JoAnn Fabric/JoAnn ETC has a pretty good selection, too. If you sign up for their mailing list at the store you will get 50% off coupons about once a month (though it takes a while to start getting them, and if you don't use them, they take you off their mailing list). They also have coupons in the paper once in a while.

I recently went to S.R. Harris (Brooklyn Center? Brooklyn Park? - somewhere up there) which is an outlet and all fabric is 50% off the marked price (why they don't just mark it with the discounted price I don't know . . .). It is HUGE and very overwhelming to me, but if you want a lot to choose from, they have that. The prices felt about the same as Mill End Textiles.

Good luck!

[jessikate]

I second what TLL said, and add Hancock Fabrics. Seems like they've got more than just the seasonal stuff, which is all I ever find at Jo-Ann Fabrics.

S.R. Harris is great, but best if you go sans kiddos and with someone who's less of a fabric addict than yourself (I am dangerous there alone!).

Oh, and welcome!

[Sara Mama]

S.R. Harris is simply to die for....

Some of the best prices around on silks and wools -- which are easy to sew with. As well as upholstery (easy to make shoulder bags and pillows with) and drapery fabric.

Cottson are nice, but the prices are not better than anywhere else and are not as high of quality as a good quilting store (there's a great, great, great place in Roseville, but I forget the name; plus Treadle Yard Goods in St. Paul, and another wonderful place in Chanhassen).

If you have the opportunity, take a basic sewing class. Treadle Yard Goods offers them. I've sewn forever, but I took a basic sewing construction class at St. Kate's and learned a TON.

[Sara Mama]

PS - Go to your local library and peruse a magazine called Threads it's inspiring, sometimes over your head, and provides some basic information as well.

Also, check out some books/ videos like "Sewing with Nancy" on PBS. She has some wonderful books.

[TrishLynne]

I do like S.R. Harris and Jo-Anns (those coupons are great!). We have a GREAT little quilt store with *beautiful* fabric near my house, The Quilt Block.

I buy most of my fabric through on-line buying co-ops. That way I get wholesale prices, and fabrics that aren't usually available through the local stores (hemp, sherpa etc.).

I LOVE sewing. I'm pretty new at it, but in the past year I've gotten really into it. I've made all of Ira's diapers, and I'm *trying* to make all of May's clothes, at least all of her pants/shorts/dresses. I'm also making slings to sell...thinking about having a booth at the local farmer's market.

[Sara Mama]

Hi Trish,
I'd love to know more about the buying co-ops. I sew a lot -- mostly kids clothes for my sons and to some exent (not much time) for a couple of shops locally.

If you are looking for fun and easy patterns for you kids, I would whole-heartedly recommend BURDA, which is German. The kids patterns are very simple and easy to embelish. For yourself, I would recommend VOGUE and to follow their body type guidelines. Their patterns may look more complicated (more pieces then say a McCalls pattern), but the end product actually fits your body!!

- Sara (we need a sewing emoticon!)

Also, here is a good site for diaper fabric (ie fun stuff like that Kissaluvs uses):Diaper Fabric (http://www.diaperfabric.com/store/Default.asp)

[TrishLynne]

This is a great forum for sewing in general:

http://www.amitymama.com/vb/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=7

Now the co-ops....These are e-mail lists, and most have REALLY HIGH VOLUME, like 100 messages a day! I set my subscriptions to either nomail (and read the messages at the site), or digest to make it more manageable.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/erinshempco-ops/ Great prices and fast turnaround for hemp fabric

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FabricsGalore/ Linda is a DOLL. I've gotten elastic, thread, fabric and patterns from her.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MomufacturedDeals/ I really like Holly as well, she has assorted stuff, sometimes organics, sometimes hemp, nice flannels, depends.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/snapshop/ This is for snaps (metal and plastic) snap presses, dies etc.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sewingsupplycoop/ I've gotten some AWESOME sherpa from Sherrie

Now I've joined some co-ops for dyes, but found that after shipping, I didn't save any $$. BUT!...I am going to be placing a dye order soon, probably in a month or so, and if anyone else wanted to order, it would save $$, as we are all local and can share the shipping cost. Here's the link:

http://www.dharmatrading.com/dyes.html


I order stuff fairly regularly from the above co-ops, and would be happy to split shipping (saving more money! :p) if anyone wanted to place orders together. Right now I'm ordering some thread from Linda, and I will be ordering some dies and plastic snaps from Wendy.

[spinach]

Wow! Thanks for all the great info TrishLynne and everyone else. Since I'm just a beginner, I'm going to start small but (assuming all goes well with learning to sew) I'll be very interested in the co-ops in the future.

Thanks again!