For sewing supplies other than fabric, I recently discovered Wawak. It’s SO much cheaper than local & cheaper than amazon. I had them ship to my son in NYC and have him bring it down to me when he visited. They wanted to charge an exorbitant amount to ship to HI, but only $5 to ship to anywhere on continental US.
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The most glorious fabric for quilting is Liberty of London. Luxury & Designer Fabrics | Printed, Pattern & Floral | Liberty USA (libertylondon.com)
My mother-in-law was a part owner of a quilt shop many years ago in New Orleans. She would spend an obscene amount of money there, even though she had the shop.
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I don’t want to hijack this thread, but you all are the perfect audience and I don’t think this question warrants its own thread…but…
My mom was a self-admitted “fabri-holic”. A seamstress and quilter with drawers and drawers and drawers (and more drawers) of fabric. She recently passed away. Any ideas on how to “get rid of” this fabric? I use quotes because I promised her I wouldn’t just put it to the curb. It really was her joy….
Find the local quilt guild? Locally here, there’s an online auction site that quite often has fabric and sewing supplies. They do specialize in estates and families downsizings. A local independent quilt shop might have suggestions as well. Craigslist is another path - I’ve read of folks finding stashes for sale there as well. Someone does want this fabric!
Condolences on your loss, and good luck in handling her stash.
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When I moved two years ago, I had several boxes of fabric and several yards of red UltraSueded that I had gifted my mother for Christmas one year. She was a fabulous seamstress, but she stewed over what to do with it so long that the moment passed. Anyway, I posted about the fabric on FB and a friend who taught my kids art lessons and who continues to offer lessons stepped up to take about a third of it to use in art projects. Good luck:)
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I’m a member (free to join) of an online group called SewItsForSale and people on there sell things like fabrics, notions, accessories, sewing machines, etc. I signed up with my email address at Groups.io and there are usually ~100-200 posts a month. Having to ship the stuff is the downside though.
Condolences on your loss. This is something I have to keep in mind regarding my own stash, I should make a plan for what to do with it when my time comes.
ETA: I know makerspaces often have sewing machines. Perhaps they would like a donation of fabrics?
This is a great mom and pop shop. Super friendly staff so if you don’t find something on the page just give them a call.
A thrifty notion is a fabric shop in Manhattan KS that sells secondhand fabrics. Per their website they are currently on a buying pause but hope to be able to buy fabrics again soon and it looks like they are still taking donations of fabric.
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Pennington quilt works is a great shop, they have such an awesome selection of quilting cotton.
Duckadilly is an online fabric shop that only carries Liberty of London fabric.
https://www.hawthornesupplyco.com/fabric
Hawthorne supply Co. also has a wide selection of fabrics.
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My daughter took a kids sewing class through Parks and Rec. The teacher supplied everything from her stash of fabrics. But I wonder if something like that would have a use.
My daughter has also appreciated inexpensive and free donations, especially when she was too young for a job. The cost is prohibitive for kids sometimes.
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Our LQS takes fabric donations from folks who are downsizing or who have passed away, and gives them to groups within the quilting community who make charity quilts.
I coordinate a group making quilts for a local women’s shelter, and we got HUNDREDS of yards of good-quality cotton this way. Some were scraps, some were fat quarters, some were bolts.
I’m trying to find a good home for fabric right now. I want a place that has a dedicated craft section. Quilters get fabric from thrift stores all the time – Bonnie Hunter of Quiltville fame has a popular video on how to debone a men’s cotton shirt and get 2-2.5 yards of usable fabric out of it!
My mother made me a quilt from my father’s shirts after he passed away. It’s one of my most prized possessions.
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There is a small JoAnns 15 minute drive from me that has some fabric and a big JoAnns about 45 minutes away that has lots and lots of fabric.
You can also order from JoAnn’s online and have it shipped to your house. Or order online so it’s packaged up and ready to go when you arrive for pickup.
I’ve done both and it’s very convenient.
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In your situation, I donated yarn to a church knitting group, and fabric to a performing arts high school that was thrilled to have it for costumes.
I moved and didn’t have my sewing stuff (or even my machine) but I wanted to sew so I started rebuilding. A friend gave me her mother’s machine (which was very similar to mine) and I started buying fabric at the thrift store. Turns out there are lots of people who buy 3 yards of fabric ‘just because’ and it ends up donated to the thrift store. Now they live at my house.
I’ve since rescued my old sewing stuff and now I have all the old stuff and all the new stuff and some day my kids will give it back to the thrift store. I have made hundreds (really) of flannel baby blankets which I give to anyone who has a baby and to a hospital that gives a blanket to every newborn. Keeps me busy.
FB Marketplace often has fabric for sale or for free. Sometimes NextDoor does too.
For the person with her mother’s fabric, you can donate to a thrift store, or offer for sale on FB Marketplace. There is a quilting person who coordinates some fabric donations to people who quilt for charities. For example, there is a man who makes dozens of quilts a year for retired military and takes fabric or finished tops or even completed quilts for Quilts of Valor (red, white, blue, gold). Jo just has people send the fabric directly to the others, so you get on her blog and she directs you. Jo’s Country Junction (joscountryjunction.com). Also, you promised your mother not to just put it on the curb but you have no idea how happy it would make a quilter to just stumble across a stash! A sign that said “free fabric” would cause a stampede. A yard (yardage sale! haha) sale would make people very happy.
My mother’s obsession wasn’t fabric but yarn. I have to start gathering it from every nook and cranny of this house and donate it. Every time I open another closet or drawer I find yarn, needles, crochet hooks, patterns, more yarn. Even in the kitchen there was yarn stored in old popcorn tins! There is a half finished sweater that I don’t have the energy to finish.
Good luck to the OP and to the daughter looking for a home for her mother’s fabric.
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Found a local animal rescue that runs a thrift shop nearby, and they have a craft section! Went by the other day to investigate, so will take a couple boxes of fabric there. I also bought several small cut glass trays that are perfect to put underneath my plants as a watering tray, plus got a couple cut glass glasses that look like vases for plant propagation. All a dollar or two each. And they look pretty!
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Not sewing-related, but anyway –
I went through a period where I seemed to be breaking a wine glass every other day. I wound up buying some wine glasses at Goodwill for $1.00 each. If I break them, I don’t care.
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