Sewing Supplies
- Fabric Suppliers
- Trims + Lace + Embellishment Suppliers
- Sewing Machines + Sergers + Appliance Suppliers
- Notions Suppliers
Fabric Suppliers
Ebay
Ebay probably has the best selection and best prices for hard to find fabric like knit prints. Here are some specific eBay Stores that are some of my personal favorites:
Cute and Unique from cankorkmaz – Cute novelty print knits, and in my experience, you get a very generous yard (my cuts are often more like 50″.)
Purple Seamstress – Another seller with a good eye for novelty knit prints – plaids, retro, and more. I always get some sweet free stuff when I order, too.
Fabric Attack – awesome punk and novelty knit fabrics
Boutique Knit Fabrics – super cute collection of knits. Lots of stripes and polka dots!
Lycra Prints – Just like their name says, lycra prints, and lots of them for really reasonable prices. Their inventory isn’t well labeled, so you kind of have to go through everything to find what you want. Many of their fabrics are chlorine resistant, making them ideal for swimwear.
Eileen’s Fabrics – Knit and woven novelty fabrics.
Fabric Addiction – gothic, punk, etc. novelty knit fabrics
Kazoots Kidwear Outlet – stripes and houndstooth knit fabric
Debra’s Doll Dreams – lots of novelty knit fabrics and more
NR Fabric – novelty jersey fabrics
Fabric All – knits, stretch lace fabric, etc.
Fabric By The Roll – By the roll and by the yard, nice selection of knit solids.
Nauvoo Quilt Co – Knits and quilting prints.
High End Fabrics – Lots of printed and solid organic knits!
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Churn Dash Antiques – lots of vintage fabrics and textiles!
0ptima Fabrics and Collectibles – tons of lycra fabrics
VINTAGE LACE FABRICS AND LINENS – more vintage fabric and textiles
In Fashion Fabrics – knit supplier for the UK
Outside of Ebay…
A little bit of everything:
Fabric.com – Discount fabric, including knits and faux fur. Tip: Fabric.com’s selection constantly changes, so if you see something you like, grab it before it’s gone.
Denver Fabrics – Large selection of fabric (including a lot of lycra prints), patterns, and notions.
Joann.com – Fabric, craft supplies and more. In case you haven’t checked in a while, they’ve hugely increased the fabric available online… decent clearance section!
Hancock Fabrics – Fabric and sewing supplies.
Wazoodle – Knit and woven fabrics and sewing notions.
FabricAttack – Awesome novelty prints.
Sewzannes Fabrics – Unique and funky fabric prints.
Lucysfabrics.com – Lots of printed knits and trims.
Fabric Master – Very cheap knit solids, other fabrics available as well.
Fabric Fairy – Really cute knit prints and more.
ILoveCookieParty – Cute novelty knits and trims.
JCaroline Creative – Fabric and other supplies.
Spandex House – Lots and lots of spandex prints. You have to phone in your cc info, and I think there’s a minimum order.
Mainstreet By Mail - Specializes in knits. Catalog is a bit tedious to navigate, but they have some good stuff.
Kids Fabrics – Mainly intended for kids clothing, small selection of knit prints.
Lyle’s Fabrics – Fleece, knit and woven fabrics.
Zoozads – Some cute woven and knit fabrics, plus diaper making supplies.
SewBaby – Stretch knit prints and patterns for babies and kids.
Theatre House – Their fabric section has lycra prints, stretch fishnet, and black light / UV reactive fabric.
Nick of Time Textiles – Wholesaler with good knit selection.
Gorgeous Fabrics – Good selection – knits, woven, silk, suiting, etc.
CraftConn – Fabric and notions, awesome sale section.
Fabric Lane – Knits, corduroy, poplins, patterns, Ottobre, and size tags.
Bunte Fabrics – selection of European imports, many of which are organic. We also offer a large inventory of European patterns, ribbons and buttons.
Mostly 100% cotton, quilting fabrics:
eQuilter – Ridiculously huge amount of quilting fabric.
Repro Depot – Really cute retro and vintage reproduction fabrics.
Fabrics-Store.com – Huge selection of linen and cotton.
5 Bucks a Yard – That’s right! Your favorite novelty and quilting prints, all $5 a yard (or $3.99 and less for the sale section)!
J and O Fabrics – Good variety of novelty prints.
Hancock’s of Paducah - Quilting and home dec fabric.
Fabric Direct – Huge selection of coordinated polka dot and stripe woven fabric and knit solids, available by the yard or by the bolt.
The Virginia Quilter – Quilting fabric and supplies, lots of dots and stripes.
Quilt Knit – Lots of quilting fabric and supplies, with a pretty extensive sale section.
Buy Fabrics Online – Dedicated to carrying Alexander Henry prints.
Kitty-Craft – Specialty fabric shop with really cute novelty japanese prints and craft books.
The Tattered Rabbit – Nice quilting fabric selection.
Fabric Attic – Quilting prints and patterns.
Mendel’s – Cotton prints, oilcloth, faux furs, and more.
Cheap Threads – Novelties and other good stuff – patches, buttons, etc.
Tonic Living – Cute selection of retro fabric.
Other interesting fabric stores:
PM Organics – Organic fabric, with some really cute printed knits.
Plush Furs – A whole ton of faux fur fabrics.
Melinamade – Expensive but awesome retro inspired fabrics.
Minky Delight – Lots of minky fabrics and some cute vintage inspirited prints
Fabric Hound – Unique European imported fabrics.
Fleece-Fabric – Bulk supplier (50+ yards) of fleece fabric.
MJTrends – Good selection of stretch PVC.
JacQue Textile Designs – Artist-made fabrics.
Wingham Wool Works – handspun and felt fabrics.
Trims + Lace + Embellishment Suppliers
On Ebay
In addition to fabric, Ebay is a good place to find stuff like stretch lace, elastic trim, and novelty tapes – grommet tape, eyelet tape, d-ring tape, etc.
Some of my favorite Ebay shops for trims:
Lucy’s Fabrics – Grommet/eyelet tape trim available in small and bulk prices.
Kathy’s Lace and Elastic Outlet – Nice selection of stretch lace and fancy elastic trim.
Gothology – Trims and laces, located in Australia for all of you Aussie DiYers.
DIY-Lace-and-Trims – Lots of lace and trims
Fabric Fanatic – Lace, elastic, and lots of assorted trims.
FableWear – Gothic trims and embellishments.
Indiscretion – trims!
Mix and Match – lots of cute buttons
Lindy Laces – UK supplier
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And on Etsy:
smarmyclothes – novelty buttons, trim, and sometimes fabric
Shrinkle – A variety of corset trims, including some rad colors other than the standard black and white
MTCoffinz – Lots cute assorted trims.
And elsewhere on the net:
Lace Heaven – Wholesale prices, with no minimum order. Really good selection of both stretch and non-stretch lace, as well as other embellishments.
Lace For Lace – Wholesale supplier for lace, organza, and more.
CheepTrims – Wholesale supplier of trims, with a good selection of the harder to find stuff. They have a minimum order ($75, I think), and their stuff comes mostly in bulk. (BUYER BEWARE: at least half a dozen girls on my street team have had fraudulent charges made on their credit cards after ordering from CheepTrims. CT does not seem to have done anything to remedy the situation, as the problem is still occurring. Please be wary of this when buying from them over the internet AND over the phone.)
Studs and Spikes – Pyramid studs and spikes, and other hardcore embellishments.
Crust Punks – More studs and stuff. They have a fabric section, but please note that prices are PER FOOT (i.e. not cheap).
M&J Trimming – Lots and lots of trims and other embellishments, notions, etc.
Cream City Ribbon – Cream City Ribbon is the only producer of 100 percent cotton ribbon in the U.S. Eco friendly!
lusciouslabels – Custom woven and printed labels, and size tags.
Craft Queen – Specializes in ribbons with more than 500 available. Also a wide selection of buttons, flowers and general scrapbooking supplies.
Sewing Machines + Sergers + Appliance Suppliers
Amazon
Ebay – Good place to look for vintage or used machines. Tip: Older “all metal” machines are WAY more durable than the newer plastic machines. I have a 60′s Kenmore and a 50′s Singer that kick some fabric ass.
Which Sewing Machine Should I Buy?
Sewing Machines for under $100
Sewing Machines for $100-150
Sewing Machines for $150-200
Sewing Machines for $200-300
Notions Suppliers
Shoppers Rule – Lots of sewing supplies, with replacement blades for sergers! They have a “make an offer” feature so you can haggle on prices!
Zipper Stop – Zippers with bulk prices available, plus other sewing supplies.
CTSUSA – Wholesale sewing supplies like elastic, thread, needles, etc.
JoAnn Fabric – Zippers, thread, fabric markers, etc.
Snap Source – Really great snap attachment tool. I show how to use it here.
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Nancy’s Notions – Lots of notions and sewing/craft supplies.
Ghee’s Handbag Patterns – Bag patterns, hardware, and frames.
Tebo Designs & Pattern Co. – Well illustrated patterns for decorative quilts, dolls, table toppers and more.
ZipZapKap – vintage sewing patterns
Did you just craft your pants?
Howdy, I'm Lex! I'm a craft addict & an independent fashion designer specializing in punk clothing, and this is where I share my tricks of the trade. DIY tutorials, tips, supply sources and more!
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16 Comments on "Twin needles = mock coverstitch"
Tell us what you're thinking...
and oh, if you want a pic to show with your comment, go get a gravatar!
Sarah on Mon, 22nd Mar 2010 12:39 pm
How do you like your Brother coverstitch? I am seriously considering getting one to ramp up a home sewing business. I’ve found a local dealer that will sell one to me with warranty for $350?
Lex on Sat, 27th Mar 2010 8:21 pm
I love it! It took me a little while to get the hang of it. I felt like it was sort of fussy at first, but I have absolutely no complaints with it now, so I think it was just the learning curve.
AshleyDoll on Tue, 22nd Jun 2010 9:16 am
Love you, love you, love you! Thank you for providing a comprehensive and easy-to-understand sewing guide. This is my new fave blog. <3
Lex on Fri, 25th Jun 2010 5:03 pm
You’re welcome!
LA on Sun, 6th Mar 2011 10:20 pm
How do you “rig up” a second spool of thread?. I recently bought a serger that does not convert to a coverstitch, which is really what I wanted it for! Didn’t know that at the time though! I still want to keep the serger, but also would love to rig up my standard machine with the twin needle, but it only has a spot for a single spool of thread. Any suggestion on how to “rig it up” would be appreciated!
Lex on Thu, 10th Mar 2011 2:45 pm
My machine had a separate little nub on top of the machine that was for winding bobbins. I put a bamboo skewer (like you’d use to barbecue with) in the bobbin holder, so that it stuck straight up, and put the second spool of thread on that.
You might be able to use the skewer trick on the spool holder, if it’s hollow, and stack the two spools one on top of the other. If not, you could tape a skewer to it.
Pamela on Sun, 20th Mar 2011 7:44 am
I would like to respond to LA, on the twin needle….have you tried using two small spools? one on top of each other, and may have to use a cap on your spool stem so they hold? and then try using a twin needle? Hope you get this…
Rosa on Thu, 31st Mar 2011 6:35 pm
I’ve heard that when you use the twin needle you should run the spools in opposite directions (one clockwise and one counter) so they don’t tangle. I would think this would be even more important if you were running the two vertically on top of the same spool. Hope that helps! I haven’t used my twin needle yet, but maybe I will with this pencil skirt I’m working on (using your tut, Lex).
Rosa
Lex on Tue, 5th Apr 2011 4:24 pm
Thanks for the tip, Rosa! I admit I never pay attention to what ways the spools are running.
bruce on Sat, 16th Apr 2011 11:59 am
your tutorial on putting sleeves on a shirt is excellent. it’s the best I’ve seen, even better than the videos out there on the internet.
my question is, how would you put a sleeve onto a shirt if the shirt does NOT have a center cut on it. like a tee shirt for example. on your tutorial, you have a center cut from top to bottm of the front of the shirt.
Lex on Sat, 23rd Apr 2011 12:14 am
Hi bruce-
I have a second tutorial for attaching sleeves the “harder” way here: http://whatthecraft.com/attaching-set-in-sleeves-the-harder-way-photo-tutorial/
Perfect for shirts that don’t have side seams or are already sewn up.
tx sewer on Tue, 26th Apr 2011 7:51 pm
If you are going to buy a serger, remember you get what you pay for. A $350 dollar serger is going to break down and you will end up buying 3-4 more sergers. So, just look at the higher end machines (Bernina, Viking Pfaff) – get a good machine and the support and lessons from the dealer. I guarantee you will be very pleased.
from ” been there, done that”
Lex on Fri, 29th Apr 2011 7:58 pm
I agree that you get what you pay for, but I disagree that a $350 serger isn’t worth buying.
I’ve had the Brother 1034D (which retails for $200) for 4 years, and it’s still chugging along. I have several friends who sew daily like I do that also have the machine, and I’ve yet to hear a complaint.
Is my Husqvarna/Viking machine better? Yes. But not everyone can afford or justify $1000 for a serger.
For people with limited budgets, little serger experience, or people who sew as a hobby, I think the 1034D is a great buy.
Bridget on Sat, 30th Apr 2011 1:23 pm
Hi, not sure this is the right spot, but I’d like to submit my shop to the Handmade Jewelry and Accessories directory:
http://aeridesdesigns.etsy.com
Thank you!
Mary on Thu, 1st Dec 2011 1:20 am
I recently bought the Brother 1034D, second hand, but never used (it was still factory threaded) for $80…VERY pleased with it so far. I sew as a hobby and give many sewn gifts. I always wanted a serger, but couldn’t justify the cost of those lovely expensive machines. This one is just right for my current needs and I’m glad I got such a good deal on it.
Lex on Fri, 2nd Dec 2011 1:09 pm
Wow, that’s a great deal! Glad you’re happy with it!!