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When I learned the news that Joann’s was closing I found myself in a state of sadness yet was not surprised. I couldn’t remember the last time I went to the store that wasn’t simply out of necessity for matching thread or just to find treasure in the remnant section.
While I will miss my store, there are better alternatives out there for fabric. Especially garment making fabrics. One of my favorite but seemingly obvious choices is Mood Fabrics. Not only do they have The Fabric Finder (an interactive guide that helps you find the right fabric for your project) but they automatically match thread and zippers to your fabric. THIS is one of the main reasons I would find myself at Joann’s, to meticulously search for the perfect thread that would camouflage itself to the grain of fabric due to its perfect color matching. Mood also has a plethora of free sewing patterns and a wonderful blog full of nuggets of wonderful information.
Fabric Wholesale direct is also a place worth mentioning. This is where I buy my muslin fabric, it has a nice sturdy weight to it and the more you buy the better the price. They have a good selection of fabrics and offer you a $10 dollar discount off your first purchase if you join their mailing list. I have been buying from them for a few years now and have always had a good experience.
I feel like not enough people know about WAWAK so I will tell you about them as well. This is THE BEST PLACE TO BUY SEWING NOTIONS! I find myself commenting on Facebook posts a lot lately just dropping this name. WAWAK has the best customer service and a real person in the United States answers the phone! It’s so hard to find good service these days, and after working in the retail and customer service industry for over 20 years you bet I will buy where I get the best service. WAWAK has recently expanded their notions to include bag making hardware and it does not disappoint. I have been buying their Profuse Felxible Woven Cotton Interfacing instead of Pellon’s SF 101 for years now and not only do you get way more fabric at 44” wide instead of Pellon’s measly 20” it fuses so much better to fabric. Be on the look out for sales and get on their mailing list for their catalog. Anyone that sews should know WAWAK exists.
It goes without saying that we should all support our local small businesses so please go to your local quilting shops for cotton fabrics. You may also be surprised at the great things you find there. I live in San Diego and frequent Rosies Calico Cupboard. I love talking to the nice people there, they have unique fabrics and they support local artists.
PLEASE, all my fiber enthusiasts find your local yarn shops! They are not only a treasure to our communities they are filled with knowledgeable people that have the life experience that AI just can’t replace. Once you knit or crochet with non-acrylic yarn you may never go back.
I may go back to the Joann’s just to walk around and take in a last moment in the store, but there are plenty of places to buy supplies. These are just a few that will help us keep our passions for creating alive.
I found a few pictures of myself and my kids at Joann’s to share with you. We will miss Joann Fabrics in our community but we will have lovely memories as well as plenty of fabric in our stash for years to come.
