Where to Buy Unique Fabrics & Notions
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If you’ve been sewing for a while you know that finding Unique Fabric and Notions can be challenging. Many local stores don’t carry specialty items such as leather or lace; and searching online for these items can take a ton of time. You’re more likely to give up on the search before finding that perfect fabric or trim.
With that in mind I’ve scoped out a few of my favorite shops in this list of Unique Fabrics and Notions. I don’t consider this list complete and as I find new sources for unique sewing notions, I will continue to update the post.
Where to Buy Leather
If you’re a fan of Project Runway, you may have noticed a few designers use leather in their garments. If I were inspired to create a bomber jacket, I’m pretty sure that my local Joann’s wouldn’t sell any type of leather. Realistically, most of us are more likely to add a bit of leather to a bag project, but would have no idea where to find reasonably priced pieces of leather. Until now.
The Leather GuyMN on Etsy* is your go-to leather source. You can get small pieces of leather that are reasonably priced and perfect for embellishing a project. If you would like a larger piece for something like a jacket, you will need to contact them for a price quote. They have exquisite dyed pieces as well as sparkly and hand stamped leather. (I’m kind of in love with the metallic champagne leather.) With over 23,000 sales and 6,000+ positive reviews I can confidently recommend them.
Where to Buy Lace Trim
Recently, I wanted a wide piece of lace with a finished hem to create a shirt extender. I checked locally and came up empty handed. Turns out, most fabric stores don’t carry very much lace.
While most sewists aren’t going to be making a wedding dress, occasionally we do have a need for a small piece of lace for special occasions. Maybe you want to add a lace insert to a simple garment, embellish a top, or perhaps have a child who needs a flower girl dress.
When I needed a piece of lace I shopped at LaceLindsay on Etsy*. They are located in Hong Kong, but their location wasn’t a problem. I had my lace in a few days and it was exactly what I wanted for my project. Since I don’t have a huge need for lace pieces, I have Favorited this Etsy shop.
Where to Buy Unique Japanese Fabrics
Every year when I attend Quilt Market in Houston I get to see the latest Japanese fabrics. It would be impossible to describe these exquisite and unique fabrics in a short blog post. They have unbelievably creative designs that you won’t see anywhere else. And, don’t even get me started on the voiles.
The problem is finding these incredible fabrics here in the US. Most local quilt shops may carry one or two bolts of Japanese fabrics, but no one is carrying the latest in everything. Except Miss Matatabi on Etsy*. She has a huge Etsy shop in Tokyo with reasonable shipping rates and every luscious Japanese fabric imaginable ~ the quilted double gauze alone will make you swoon. Shipping is fast and reasonably priced. A small piece of double-gauze ships for $4 and arrives within a week.
Where to Buy Zippers
Zippers seem like a simple item to pick up locally. Until you want a zipper with metal teeth and a unique pull for a bag project. Zipper Island on Etsy has been selling zippers and buttons for many years. They are the go-to zipper source for most of the sewists I know and I purchase the majority of my zippers directly from them. Their huge selection and fast shipping make zipper shopping a breeze. Be sure to check out some of their unique wooden buttons, too.
Where to Buy Laminated Fabric (aka Oil Cloth)
Occasionally, you need to make something waterproof like a rain jacket, bag, or table cloth. Nothing does this better than laminated cotton. Unfortunately, it’s not always available in large supply at local quilt shops and large chain stores. I’ve found that Laminates on Etsy* has the best selection and the latest prints.
Lace Edge Bias Tape
Vintage Door on Etsy is a one-of-a-kind shop that you can’t find anywhere else. They exclusively sell crochet edge bias tape and quilt binding. As far as I can tell, they are the only US seller of this unique item. You can purchase as little as 1 yard for about $2.00 plus shipping. I’ve personally used it to bind a small quilt, but there are lots of other uses. Think collar trim on a little girl’s dress.
When I contacted the shop owners about using one of their images they graciously offered to send a couple of PDF Tutorials which I’ve attached below. I hope you enjoy them.
Finding Unique Fabrics and Notions can present a problem. We get a project idea and then are sidelined because we can’t find the right notion or fabric. While this is just a small sampling of shops that sell hard-to-find sewing items, I will continue to update this post as new sellers emerge. You may want to save this page to Pinterest so you can easily check back when you need Unique Fabrics and Notions.
Thank you very much for this helpful info. I get pretty overwhelmed looking at all the choices on Etsy! I will definitely be using your suggestions – they will save me a LOT of time. Thank you.
Hi Leslie!
Thank you for posting such useful articles! I want to begin sewing, I would like to try to use only organic cotton. Can you a recommend some good resources for material?
Thank you!
Check fabric (dot) com for organic cottons. Otherwise, it’s hit or miss…
Leslie,
Thank you for the list – I don’t usually go to the Etsy site, but I’ll check it out. I also came across a store in Michigan. The don’t have a lot but they do sell leather and an arrangement of lace, plus other fabrics. It’s called Habermans. They had a booth at a show I attended.
I am a new subscriber, I did not fill out my biggest frustration, since I thought there is no answer. I am frustrated by not being able to get sewing notions that worked well in the past. I have sewn everyday for the past fifty years, and have used many things, but now that craft stores are the only places that carry anything, I have started to search the Internet, a place that is new to me. Thank you for this post, it gives me hope, that there are things out there for sewers, especially in the sewing of garments. I can not find a good solution for skirt waist bands, I used to use Stacy’s waist shaper then used nonroll elastic with nylon filament, but I can’t get that now, I am currently using washable hair canvas. Iron interfacing I am not a fan of they seam to show.
Check out Dritz.com. They have 37 pages of elastic, more than I even knew existed and more than I have fully explored. I think you can order from them, for myself I was looking for the name of an elastic I remembered and answered my question.
Oh my goodness … thank you so much! I am especially grateful for lace edge bias tape contact info, and of course the tutorials!
A great newsletter, thank you for sharing these sites, I will definitely try them out. I do have a local fabric store (Pacific Fabrics, online and a few locations in Seattle area). And your links look to be great options especially for those who sew garments and bags.
Wow, what a great list of unusual or hard to find vendors. I loved it, thanks for the post.
Thanks for putting together this very helpful list.
I’ll definitely be saving this list! Thanks for doing all the hard work for us!
Thanks for sharing this useful info and tutorials…so nice to know where to look for just the right unique fabrics and notions.
I find sometimes that the flea market has some thing that the store don’t have
Have you tried fabric.com? They have a great inventory to drool over. I hope you can find something there that you like. It’s my alternative for Sewing with Nancy.
Thank you for these sites. I’ve been stymied now for lack of what I want to use in a project for a child. Definitely will pin this post and use.
Hello!
I am looking for beautiful laces to make curtains and lingerie. Also looking for vintage looking material. I don’t need actual vintage because it is hard to find it in large quantities for curtains, pillows, and comforters,etc.
Thanks so much!
Check out a website from , ‘Nick of time fabrics’ I think it’s a .com but not positive, there have a large amount of interesting fabrics at “factory outlet” prices. I shop in their brick and mortar location, in an old factory, found some fantastic fabrics.
That is for all the great information
This has got to be one of the most useful articles I have ever pinned from all of the thousands, thank you!
Crochet edged biased trim, here I come!
Thank you for your help this will save me a lot of time.
I would love to find the pretty knit fabric that I have noticed little girl retail clothes Are made from. Any suggestions?
Try Fabricworm.com I’ve been getting cotton knits in
Wonderful prints–swans, narwhal s, etc! For my grandchildren clothes ?
OMGosh….so excited to learn where to find these gorgeous lace, trims, and materials. Thanks so much for sharing.
Newark dressmaker has a catalog, free for the asking, located in Bethlehem Pa. I have found some good ideas and notions from them.
Do you have a favorite site for knits? I’m looking for kids knits suitable for leggings.
I like girlcharlee.com because of they are a knits-only online shop.
Thank you for sharing your favorite shops.
Thank you so much for all the information. Do you have website for double sided prequilted fabric? I have pinned your page and will be using it often.
I usually get double-sized pre-quilted fabric at Joann’s.
Thanks! I’m particularly interested in lace & Japanese fabrics (for adults). I’ll definitely check out the links you’ve listed .
Regards,
Babette
Thank you very much for this info. I love to sew, quilt and machine embroidery and put them all together. Always looking for unique notions and haven’t thought about Etsy. Appreciate your info. denise
Where can I buy yardage like the pillows that are popular now with vintage Christmas sayings, truck with tree in the back, words like Joy, Believe, etc…
Thank you
I’d first check with a local quilt shop. If you can’t find anything there, look on fabric.com or Etsy.
Wonderful ideas
Where can we get rib knit for kids neck and sleeve t shirts?
For online high quality rib knit try girlcharlee(dot)com. You can also get it at Joann’s.
Thank uou. I will try online. The Joanna in my area has very limited supply
I buy 2 inch blanket binding from Doves
Original trims. They have an excellent selection and have 25 yd rolls in stock
Thanks for sharing. Will definitely try a few
Thank you so very much for all the sites listed. I can envision my bank account dwindling down…but at the same time I can see all the fantastic projects I have wanted to do finally being completed.
Love it! Thank you and I will be looking forward to your e-mails!
You are a fabulous resource. Thanks so much!
Great suggestions for finding sewing items! I’m going to look right now! Thanks to Vintage Door, too, for the neat tutorials. Can’t wait to use them.
Love this!! Thank you… Now I have a request… could you please recommend a place to get teensy buttons, like baby size up to 1/4″ plus or minus a tad… I want character buttons, bones, fish, dogs, houses, cats, round, square, triangular… all sorts, but cannot afford bundles of the same color or type… maybe in sets of two’s… thank
You in advance!
I don’t know of any source; hopefully one of our readers will know of one.
Google heirloom fabric stores for tiny buttons. Also doll supplies. Go to farmhousefabrics.com
Martha Pullen used to be a good source, but I don’t think she is any longer, since she sold everything.
Thanks for the suggestion.
I am wondering if you know where to buy 100% cotton bias tape. I love the items from Japan but, am concerned about the levels of toxins in their items. I know cotton grown in the U.S. has the highest level of chemicals found in any other crop. Maybe Japan has better restrictions than we do??
I’d recommend buying Cloud 9 organic quilting cotton and making your own bias tape.
Do you know what the best site to buy unique ribbon is?
Looking for nylon tricot to make lady slip
Looking for 2-2 1/2 inch soft wide pajama elastic in colors.
Do you know where you can buy minky at wholesale prices?
To get true wholesale prices you’d need an account with a supplier like Checker. However, fabric(dot)com has reduced prices with free shipping if you order over a certain amount.
Thank you! So frustrating trying to find things in my rural state. Can’t wait to read through your other sewing posts.
Great information. Often look for smaller quantities of leather in particular. You are a treasure. Thank you so much.
I looove all your suggestions! I love Etsy, but I keep forgetting to check for fabric and embellishments! Thank you!!!
I’m happy to find your post. I am looking for thread. Please let me know if there is a place to but thread on line.
Thank you!! This is so helpful! ?❤️
LOVE YOUR “DIRECTORY”!
This is an awesome and USEFUL post. Thank you!!
Oh Leslie thank you so much for these links I’ll treasure them. I love Japanese fabrics soooooo much and they are so hard to find. Bless your little cotton socks.
Thank you for this list. I have been searching for the stuff that is put inside of jeans and slacks for stomach smoothing. I need something that will give good support. Most of the things I have found are very thin and have a lot of stretch. Can you help?
Thank you for your post and the viewer suggestions as well. Any idea where I could find knit binding? I’d like to use it when I make knit baby blankets or around baby bibs. Also the soft Velcro for use on baby projects. Regular Velcro will cut baby soft skin so I won’t use it. But manufacturers have a soft baby Velcro they use. I’d like to find a source. If anyone knows, I’d appreciate learning where to find. Thank you so much
Wow, so helpful. Why do fabric stores think we don’t need variety in notions? Thanks so much!
Great site, just wish there were some UK links, too. There probably is a site like yours over here, just haven’t found it yet. Thanks anyway, kind regards Marilyn.
I am working with Amazon UK and Canada to be able to offer this in the future.
Great resource! I needed to find a good source for COTTON lace!!!!
I would look on Etsy.
Came here via Pinterest. What great information. I’m saving the ‘Pin’ so I can find your links again. Plus, I’m now following you on my reader, Feedly. Thanks.
Have you found pleated twill tape? I have a pattern for a valance that calls for that, but I have been unable to find any. Thanks!
I’ve seen pleated tape at Joanns in the section for making draperies.
I am looking for University fabric, specifically Yale, Columbia (New York) and Notheastern (Boston). I am making a special quilt for my daughter who will be graduating from a Family Nurse Practitioner Program in May 2019. I would also like to find fabric of Broadway, New Haven, CT and Boston. Please let me know if you can help
Try searching Etsy. I’ve seen fabrics for other schools there. Also, you could try using solids in the school’s colors to make something.
What a great list! I see a stop over to Vintage Door in my near future!
Any source suggestions for four inch bias tape? A down size and move from Texas to Colorado required donation of all my fabric and I am trying to add back a reasonable amount of fabric and notions. My current project is a circular travel bag from batik I managed to keep but it requires binding for the drawstrings. I don’t have enough fabric of any kind to make my own. Thanks!
Where can I but mid century modern prints?
Etsy and Ebay are good places to start.
I had an obsession with burlap for a long time, where I live it’s all neutral colors. I found an Etsy Shop that carries a huge array of hues! The Shop Owner & I are now great friends, House of Burlap, she is amazing! Great prices & ships fast, she will often send extra pieces too of your color!
i am making a wedding dress for someone who wants a bohemian style dress. She would like about 4 inch chiffon strips of slight ruffles on the skirt of her dress. Do you know of a good place to get the 4″ trim chiffon “strips” already finished on edges to just sew onto dress to make the rows of ruffles or tiers of ruffles from waist of dress all the way down the skirt to bottom? Any tips would help us! Thanks.
I’d check Etsy.