I've been a bit wary of ordering fabric online for the reasons you describe and much prefer to see things in person. This past spring I made a trip to Fabricmart in person - first I looked online to see what I thought I would want and made a list. I wound up getting different things after seeing things up close and have been very happy with what I got. Funny thing - I was so excited about this pilgrimage I actually had a hard time sleeping the night before I went 😁! I'm trying to be more discerning and intentional about what I buy with a real strategy for what I hope to make so I wind up with clothing I will wear and enjoy instead of a stash that goes unused and eventually is passed on to a thrift store (nothing wrong with that of course, except for some buyer's remorse on my part, and we don't always get full use of the ready-to-wear things we purchase, either).
One online fabric order I made a while ago was more like a surprise package: first what I thought was thin shirt weight linen was more like upholstery fabric, next I thought I ordered thin flowy silk but it was really thick and lastly I thought I'd ordered a cotton jersey but what came was canvas/denim. At least none of it was very expensive. I'm very careful to check the GSM now.
I ordered from a website many UA-camrs rave about still all the time. I read the description thoroughly and even emailed the company to confirm the materials were a cotton jersey. I ordered three different colors off of one description. One fabric was a slashed mess. Yes, it had large slashes and was unusable. Second was a woven polyster fabric that was so thin you could read through it and was nothing like the photo or other two fabrics. Both of these fabrics the seller would take back but I had to pay to ship it back and he refused to refund that money too. The last fabric the seller refused to take back because it is a cotton blend. The seller insisted because the description said it was a cotton jersey then a cotton blend fulfilled the description. Trust me this is not a cotton jersey plus I ordered the color mauve and got a white fabric with purple roses.😆
No, I would not have. I don't keep a fabric stash and when I buy fabric, yarn, etc it is for a specific project so in this situation it was so frustrating and in the end I just laughed.
LOVE your video, Alex! Despite all the problems, we did get decent garments 😂 love your honesty! Thank you for doing this collaboration with me. And your shot outs, ❤
Hi Alex! Thank you for this video 🥰When I first started to buy fabric online I was super scared for the reasons you mentioned here. So when I was at a fabric store I would feel, touch and read and read those labels! I did some research online about fabrics. Then I would never buy a huge quantity. But what helped the most was getting familiar with only 2-3 shops. And I never buy from shops that have terrible pictures! Pictures can help tremendously! One of the biggest mistakes I’ve made was buying from individual people who don’t know what kind of fabric they have and the pictures were so deceiving! I won’t mention the online website but it was the worst experience I’ve ever had buying fabric online and I spent quite a bit of money to give it to Goodwill 😏
OH NO! Yup the one store who shall not be named that I spoke about in the video, all of their pictures have a filter so essentially they are going for a “vibe” vs. the real true color of the fabric which is what I’m going after. I’m sure they have their followers and I will say the quality of the fabric is great but the fact that the pictures have a filter… what’s the point of that. I need to see the exact true color!
You are definitely not alone. Unfortunately, it is a rare occasion that I get to see, handle and buy fabric in a store so I almost exclusively buy online. I have so many stories… some were my fault for not carefully reading the descriptions but many times I’ve felt deceived by the fabric I’ve received compared to the actual color, weight, stretch and quality of the fabric represented online. One “lightweight jersey” I bought was really more like a single gauze weight and texture, loosely knitted and completely transparent with a little stretch. Complete waste of money.
Yes ordered from fabric mart - Wool that came in the mail was so stiff and scratchy and had an offputting odor- it reminded me of an old army blanket - could not use it for a coat -I will never order from them again
Ive actually have had good luck ordering from them and they do have some great fabrics. But wool can be a tough item to order (next time try a blend!!!) ... ask me how I know!
Hello, I agree with the problems with fabric mart materials - their customer service also leaves a lot to be desired. I ordered a bundle and several remnants were damaged. Also misled me on their return policy. Not sure if I feel comfortable ordering from them
Ive gotten Liberty Tana Lawn Fabric from them, some great sweater knits and challis which I use for toiles a lot. So sad you had a bad experience.@@vision174
Yes, I have had a few suboptimal online fabric purchases. Some my fault for not reading the description fully and others due to poor fabric quality. I have had wonderful experiences with Fabric Mart's customer service making things right. When a business is willing to work with me I will shop there again.
I’ve never had a problem with them and enjoy getting their emails every morning. Like anything you have to read the descriptions. Ive gotten quite a few fabric from them.
@@MassonLifestyleI just went to FM. I’ve ordered hundreds of dollars worth of fabric (online)from them. Their store looks like the bolts have been tossed on the floor. 3 levels at the store. It just seemed dirty and was VERY unorganized. Things strewn everywhere. No one was friendly at all. Sadly, I will never buy from them anymore anything from them again. I’ve had many duds from them before.
❤I’m hesitant about ordering fabric as well. Now if I can purchase a swatch, I think I would be more comfortable. If I can return, that would be better.
The only Joanne fabric I had near me shut down. No fabric stores near me except hobby lobby and possibly Walmart. Not a big selection there for me. I order online but I hate it. The description and color is always off. I order from Mood also, but only if there is a sale. Quality fabric is so expensive it’s crazy!
I have never ordered from Spoonflower (so I can’t compare it) but the selvedge is 3” wide which makes a huge difference when you are trying to lay a pattern. I will say the weight for a viscose is great but I wished Mood would state this in the description for this fabric.
Hello Alice; is it possible to request a sew along for Simplicity 8845 with a lining? I don't know how to include lining and would love to sew this pattern lined. If you don't own this pattern I can send it to you. And thank you for all the sew-alongs you do. I have followed in many of them.
Hi there, Mimi G has a sew along for this pattern, you might want to check it out. I made this pattern but I actually don't care for it and a few people mentioned to skip the welt side pockets as they had some issues with it. If you want to do a jacket that is lined I highly suggest the Den Jacket from Chalk and Notch. www.chalkandnotch.com/den-sew-along/ It is a great jacket, comes in two lengths, different cup sizes and she has a sew along on how to add a lining (she also provides the pattern pieces ) and explains to you how to do it. Lastly, I want to mention that my name is Alexandra. Thanks and happy sewing.
@@MassonLifestyle Thank you for all the information. I'll check out the pattern. Yes, Id like to do a lined jacket in a sew along though. Sorry about your name. I actually thought Alex too but wasn't sure. Thank you.
@@quackie3060 No worries! But yes, do check out the Den jacket from Chalk and Notch. I actually think it fits better because it's not unisex whereas the Simplicity pattern fits a little off on the chest since it has more room to accommodate men and its a really easy to line jacket plus you have instructions with pictures on their website.
The one order I regret the most was cobra corsage from lady M- the picture was vibrant and black background and I orded the viscose jersey, paid huge postage. What came was dull and the background is like charcoal. Excuse I got was that the picture was on poly which took color better. Since Ido order nice bold viscose jersey otherwhere, I don't really accept that. Lady M is a bit of a hit or miss for me
I’ve gotten that fabric, it started out well and loved the feel of it, but it shrunk on me. It was pricey too. I loved the design but like you I don’t know if I would get it again. They have it as a denim, would love to try it but again it’s $$$$
Am I the only one who doesn't like Lady McE fabric prints? I just don't understand what everyone raves about but at least my dislike of it does save me a lot of money 😂
LOL I totally understand the saving money if you don’t care for it… however that’s not my case. I love that Cobra Corsage print! LOVE IT actually, it reminds me of a Gucci print. @@rhonddalesley
If you have a fabric store nearby that carries a good amount of fabrics (as in anyone who lives in NYC) then I can see why there is no need to order fabric online because you have quite a bit at your disposal... but if you are like me and your only choices are Joann's, Vogue Fabrics and a few much smaller independent stores (and I'm not complaining but I do like more election) then you have to buy online and no matter how great the online stores are there will always be a few mishaps. Like always! I try to stick with a few vs. trying a ton of stores and stick with a few brands I trust. The rest... its a roll of the dice!
I ordered fabric labeled rayon. I knew when I got it that it didn’t feel like rayon. I did a burn test-and it burned like polyester! I’ve never order from them again-didn’t bother calling them, either. The online seller starts with a Z . 😏
Same thing happened to me, I even burned some 100% rayon I already had to compare. Unfortunately I don't think there's much rayon at all in the fabric I ordered and I could've gotten nicer poly from a local store 😢
T is stunning in blues and teals.
I've been a bit wary of ordering fabric online for the reasons you describe and much prefer to see things in person. This past spring I made a trip to Fabricmart in person - first I looked online to see what I thought I would want and made a list. I wound up getting different things after seeing things up close and have been very happy with what I got. Funny thing - I was so excited about this pilgrimage I actually had a hard time sleeping the night before I went 😁! I'm trying to be more discerning and intentional about what I buy with a real strategy for what I hope to make so I wind up with clothing I will wear and enjoy instead of a stash that goes unused and eventually is passed on to a thrift store (nothing wrong with that of course, except for some buyer's remorse on my part, and we don't always get full use of the ready-to-wear things we purchase, either).
One online fabric order I made a while ago was more like a surprise package: first what I thought was thin shirt weight linen was more like upholstery fabric, next I thought I ordered thin flowy silk but it was really thick and lastly I thought I'd ordered a cotton jersey but what came was canvas/denim. At least none of it was very expensive. I'm very careful to check the GSM now.
I ordered from a website many UA-camrs rave about still all the time. I read the description thoroughly and even emailed the company to confirm the materials were a cotton jersey. I ordered three different colors off of one description. One fabric was a slashed mess. Yes, it had large slashes and was unusable. Second was a woven polyster fabric that was so thin you could read through it and was nothing like the photo or other two fabrics. Both of these fabrics the seller would take back but I had to pay to ship it back and he refused to refund that money too. The last fabric the seller refused to take back because it is a cotton blend. The seller insisted because the description said it was a cotton jersey then a cotton blend fulfilled the description. Trust me this is not a cotton jersey plus I ordered the color mauve and got a white fabric with purple roses.😆
Do you ever wonder if I saw this fabric in real life, would I even stop to look at it.
I suspect the answer is a big fat no.
No, I would not have. I don't keep a fabric stash and when I buy fabric, yarn, etc it is for a specific project so in this situation it was so frustrating and in the end I just laughed.
@@KT_37 Thats all we can do!!!!! I guess you can use it as some muslin fabric!
LOVE your video, Alex! Despite all the problems, we did get decent garments 😂 love your honesty! Thank you for doing this collaboration with me. And your shot outs, ❤
we DID get some nice garments out of it! Go us!!!!
Hi Alex! Thank you for this video 🥰When I first started to buy fabric online I was super scared for the reasons you mentioned here. So when I was at a fabric store I would feel, touch and read and read those labels! I did some research online about fabrics. Then I would never buy a huge quantity. But what helped the most was getting familiar with only 2-3 shops. And I never buy from shops that have terrible pictures! Pictures can help tremendously! One of the biggest mistakes I’ve made was buying from individual people who don’t know what kind of fabric they have and the pictures were so deceiving! I won’t mention the online website but it was the worst experience I’ve ever had buying fabric online and I spent quite a bit of money to give it to Goodwill 😏
OH NO! Yup the one store who shall not be named that I spoke about in the video, all of their pictures have a filter so essentially they are going for a “vibe” vs. the real true color of the fabric which is what I’m going after. I’m sure they have their followers and I will say the quality of the fabric is great but the fact that the pictures have a filter… what’s the point of that. I need to see the exact true color!
You are definitely not alone. Unfortunately, it is a rare occasion that I get to see, handle and buy fabric in a store so I almost exclusively buy online. I have so many stories… some were my fault for not carefully reading the descriptions but many times I’ve felt deceived by the fabric I’ve received compared to the actual color, weight, stretch and quality of the fabric represented online. One “lightweight jersey” I bought was really more like a single gauze weight and texture, loosely knitted and completely transparent with a little stretch. Complete waste of money.
I’m scared of lightweight knits. Some times they are so thin there is no way anyone would willingly buy that, where would you even wear it?!
Yes ordered from fabric mart - Wool that came in the mail was so stiff and scratchy and had an offputting odor- it reminded me of an old army blanket - could not use it for a coat -I will never order from them again
Ive actually have had good luck ordering from them and they do have some great fabrics. But wool can be a tough item to order (next time try a blend!!!) ... ask me how I know!
Hello, I agree with the problems with fabric mart materials - their customer service also leaves a lot to be desired. I ordered a bundle and several remnants were damaged. Also misled me on their return policy. Not sure if I feel comfortable ordering from them
Ive gotten Liberty Tana Lawn Fabric from them, some great sweater knits and challis which I use for toiles a lot. So sad you had a bad experience.@@vision174
Yes, I have had a few suboptimal online fabric purchases. Some my fault for not reading the description fully and others due to poor fabric quality. I have had wonderful experiences with Fabric Mart's customer service making things right. When a business is willing to work with me I will shop there again.
I’ve never had a problem with them and enjoy getting their emails every morning. Like anything you have to read the descriptions. Ive gotten quite a few fabric from them.
@@MassonLifestyleI just went to FM. I’ve ordered hundreds of dollars worth of fabric (online)from them. Their store looks like the bolts have been tossed on the floor. 3 levels at the store. It just seemed dirty and was VERY unorganized. Things strewn everywhere. No one was friendly at all. Sadly, I will never buy from them anymore anything from them again. I’ve had many duds from them before.
❤I’m hesitant about ordering fabric as well. Now if I can purchase a swatch, I think I would be more comfortable. If I can return, that would be better.
It’s crazy right?! It’s a toss up!!!! I’ve only returned fabric once! The rest of the time I’m like “welp, looks like I own this now”
I once ordered a blue tulle and they sent me a white piece 😂 they resent the correct parcel but I never bought anything there again.
The only Joanne fabric I had near me shut down. No fabric stores near me except hobby lobby and possibly Walmart. Not a big selection there for me. I order online but I hate it. The description and color is always off. I order from Mood also, but only if there is a sale. Quality fabric is so expensive it’s crazy!
It’s tough for sure. It really is a hit or miss. I’ve started staying with certain brands and the rest is really a toss up.
Is this fabric one of those printed ones, like SpoonFlower? I haven't ordered more from Spoon because the selvage is absurd.
I have never ordered from Spoonflower (so I can’t compare it) but the selvedge is 3” wide which makes a huge difference when you are trying to lay a pattern. I will say the weight for a viscose is great but I wished Mood would state this in the description for this fabric.
oh Idid spoonflower once, and the selvedge was like 10 inches in total divided over both sides. And the actual cotton was not at all a nice one.
Ten inches?! Wow. They must disclose this right?!
Hello Alice; is it possible to request a sew along for Simplicity 8845 with a lining? I don't know how to include lining and would love to sew this pattern lined. If you don't own this pattern I can send it to you. And thank you for all the sew-alongs you do. I have followed in many of them.
Hi there, Mimi G has a sew along for this pattern, you might want to check it out. I made this pattern but I actually don't care for it and a few people mentioned to skip the welt side pockets as they had some issues with it. If you want to do a jacket that is lined I highly suggest the Den Jacket from Chalk and Notch. www.chalkandnotch.com/den-sew-along/ It is a great jacket, comes in two lengths, different cup sizes and she has a sew along on how to add a lining (she also provides the pattern pieces ) and explains to you how to do it. Lastly, I want to mention that my name is Alexandra. Thanks and happy sewing.
@@MassonLifestyle Thank you for all the information. I'll check out the pattern. Yes, Id like to do a lined jacket in a sew along though. Sorry about your name. I actually thought Alex too but wasn't sure. Thank you.
@@quackie3060 No worries! But yes, do check out the Den jacket from Chalk and Notch. I actually think it fits better because it's not unisex whereas the Simplicity pattern fits a little off on the chest since it has more room to accommodate men and its a really easy to line jacket plus you have instructions with pictures on their website.
@@MassonLifestyle Thank you Alex.
LOL. Tell me about it!
The one order I regret the most was cobra corsage from lady M- the picture was vibrant and black background and I orded the viscose jersey, paid huge postage. What came was dull and the background is like charcoal. Excuse I got was that the picture was on poly which took color better. Since Ido order nice bold viscose jersey otherwhere, I don't really accept that. Lady M is a bit of a hit or miss for me
I’ve gotten that fabric, it started out well and loved the feel of it, but it shrunk on me. It was pricey too. I loved the design but like you I don’t know if I would get it again. They have it as a denim, would love to try it but again it’s $$$$
Am I the only one who doesn't like Lady McE fabric prints? I just don't understand what everyone raves about but at least my dislike of it does save me a lot of money 😂
LOL I totally understand the saving money if you don’t care for it… however that’s not my case. I love that Cobra Corsage print! LOVE IT actually, it reminds me of a Gucci print. @@rhonddalesley
I have been shying to order fabric online….
If you have a fabric store nearby that carries a good amount of fabrics (as in anyone who lives in NYC) then I can see why there is no need to order fabric online because you have quite a bit at your disposal... but if you are like me and your only choices are Joann's, Vogue Fabrics and a few much smaller independent stores (and I'm not complaining but I do like more election) then you have to buy online and no matter how great the online stores are there will always be a few mishaps. Like always! I try to stick with a few vs. trying a ton of stores and stick with a few brands I trust. The rest... its a roll of the dice!
I ordered fabric labeled rayon. I knew when I got it that it didn’t feel like rayon. I did a burn test-and it burned like polyester! I’ve never order from them again-didn’t bother calling them, either. The online seller starts with a Z . 😏
Rayon is semi-synthetic so I'm not surprised. It's not a natural fabric.
Same thing happened to me, I even burned some 100% rayon I already had to compare. Unfortunately I don't think there's much rayon at all in the fabric I ordered and I could've gotten nicer poly from a local store 😢