Online sources for fabrics.

I can’t personally attest to all of these but they all come recommended by reliable sources.

Fabric-store.com is an good source for linen and linen blends. This is a convenient place to buy linen and is the go-to source for many people in the SCA. The best choices are a mid-weight softened linen. Their cotton linen blends are the cheapest but lack color variety. Linen runs around $10 to $12 per yard and is decent for the price although it does lack in quality.

Dharma Trading Co. This is the place to get silks, un-dyed linen, hemp fabric, bamboo fabric (yep, that’s a thing), and dyes.

Fabric.com, which is often confused in the online world as Fabric-store.com, has a wide range of fabrics. You can find almost anything on there, from linens to wools, to silk and more. The prices can range from $ to $$$ per yard. However, watch for their sales.

Etsy is known for a lot of things, fabric is not usually one of them. There are, however many vendors that sell fabrics and remnants on there. That is where I go to get good European linen (long staple linen is the best in my opinion), mainly from Lithuania or Italy. I’ve also purchased old wool blankets to make coats out of. Which is far cheaper than buying wool by the yard.

House Fabric also carries a wide range of upholstery fabric (which makes great garb actually) along with trims, velvets, linens, etc. Watch for their sales.

SY Fabrics has faux fur, cottons, linens… all at fairly affordable prices. As far as fabric goes. The downside, lots of polyester.

You were saying something yesterday about having too much money, well, here’s your solution: Renaissance Fabrics.

Need oil cloth or tent fabric or just some nice linen? Period Fabric

Did someone say they needed more variety when it comes to silk? Your answer: Decorative International Silk Inc.

Others to consider:

Shopping Local

If you’re lucky enough, you’ll have a fabric warehouse within a few hours drive. In the Minnesota/western Wisconsin area we have S.R. Harris. If you’re really lucky and can afford it, you’ll have a nice small business that you can support. Otherwise, there tends to be a Jo-Ann Fabrics or Michaels somewhere nearby (depending on where you live).

Just remember, the first cut is the hardest.

Thread

UrsalasYarn on Etsy sells great linen thread for hand sewing. I use the 40/2 weight. They’ve always been good about sending free samples if you’re an “I need to touch and see it first” person. The owner is also a wealth of knowledge. I also use their thread for string light beads, doubled for heavier.