We researched dozens of online fabric stores to determine the best of the best, paying close attention to textile, pattern selections, quality, price point, and level of expertise. We narrowed it down to the top 10 fabric stores, with craft giant JOANN as our front runner, thanks to the company’s vast collection of fabrications, affordable prices, and ability to shop online or in-store. We also included Spoonflower for its amazing customization feature and Queen of Raw for its deadstock fabrics and sustainable solutions. Here are the best places to buy fabric online. On JOANN’s site, you can easily navigate the company’s offerings with its “Shop by fabrication” feature and seasonal picks. You can also purchase a small fabric swatch to ensure you have the right textile, color, or print for your project. And, for bigger projects, you can request a bulk order. If it’s available in a store near you, you can even request in-store pick-up to avoid shipping fees. The downside to shopping for fabric online at JOANN is that there is a yardage minimum. However, if you need less than a yard, you can also stop by the closest brick and mortar store to purchase fabric in more specific measurements. There is one downside to shopping for fabric at Minted, though. If you’re working on a bigger project, obtaining enough fabric could be tricky since the print width is 54 inches and the maximum continuous length of fabric is 10 yards. The fabric is also only available in 1-yard increments, so you might have some excess textile after completing your project. The tricky thing about shopping for textiles at Mood Fabrics is that there is so much to choose from, but the company knows this and created several tools to help you select the right material. You can shop by skill level, project, or take the company’s fabric quiz to help you narrow down your choices. And, if you’re still stuck, there is a live chat feature that allows you to connect with a fabric specialist. We also love that Mood lets you buy fabric in ½ yard increments. While this might not be ideal for smaller projects, it is one of the best yardage minimums we have seen for online fabric shopping. Just keep in mind: if swatches are important to your project, they aren’t available per piece of fabric, and the fabric swatch books are expensive. The main con to shopping for fabric on Etsy is that quality can be harder to gauge, so it’s important to check out the shop and product reviews when vetting the best textile for your project. Additionally, shipping costs can range a lot—and be expensive—depending on where you are ordering from. If you’re planning a project or sourcing material for upcoming designs, Blue Moon Fabrics offers a selection of textile swatch cards to support your design process. And, for those looking for eco-friendly fabrics, the company also has a collection of recycled textiles, including polyester, spandex, fishnet, and more. The only downside to purchasing textiles from Blue Moon Fabrics is that it has a fashion focus, so there isn’t a whole lot of textile variety and probably not the best choice for someone looking to create home decor accessories or upholstered furniture. Thanks to its marketplace nature, Queen of Raw has a lot to offer in terms of variety, quality, price point, and origin. There is a corner of the website dedicated to smaller inventory (under three yards of fabric available) and, if you’re in need of more, there is a category for over 250 yards available, too. We also love the scrap fabric pack offerings as they are ideal for smaller projects or creating samples at a lower cost. The only downside to Queen of Raw is the shipping cost. Because it’s a marketplace, you can purchase your fabric from sellers all around the world, which usually warrants higher shipping fees. It can be tricky not being able to touch and see the fabric in person before ordering. But, with Loom Decor, you don’t have to worry about that since the company offers fabric swatches with speedy three-day delivery. The only downside to purchasing fabric online at Loom Decor is there is a minimum order quantity of one yard, and the fabric is sold in 1-yard increments. So, if you need one and a half yards, you’ll need to order two yards of fabric. The downside to shopping for fabric at West Elm is, unlike other fabric stores, there isn’t a lot of variety in terms of fabric—and all textiles are made with home decor in mind. There’s also a minimum order quantity of one yard, and the fabrics are sold in 1-yard increments, so you might spend money on excess yardage.
Level of Expertise
According to Olsen, woven fabrics such as cotton, linen, shirtings, and home decor canvas are great fabrics for beginners. “Fabrics that stretch, have a lot of drape, embellishments, or finishes may require extra prep work, special techniques, and additional tools to complete a project,” she adds.
Increment Limits
You’ll find that a lot of stores sell their fabric in 1-yard increments. While this is common, it often leads to you paying for excess textile that you don’t end up using. However, some sites, like Mood, lets you buy fabric in ½ yard increments, which is one of the lowest yardage minimums we’ve found in our research.
Why Trust The Spruce
Contributing writer Jessie Quinn is a lifelong maker and is known for roaming the fabric aisles at her local craft supply shop. For this roundup, Jessie used her years of meticulously researching and purchasing craft supplies (including fabric) to help guide her as she carefully vetted each store’s fabric offerings. Jessie considered material quality, fabric variety, color and pattern options, price point, and each textile supply’s level of expertise to determine the best places to buy fabric. As a result, Jessie created a thoughtful and robust list of the top fabric stores for all of your sewing and crafting needs.
