My Fave Online Fabric Sources

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I pretty much exclusively buy my fabric online.  I use mostly quilting cottons, and living in the land of chain stores, there just aren’t a lot of local sources.  Plus it is so much easier for me to order fabric online than to pack up two kids with sufficient store-safe entertainment and make it to a fabric store and back. My UPS guy even knows not to ring the doorbell during naptime (I know you feel me, Hannah).

 

 

My first recommendation comes with a bit of a warning – their customer service can be a little lacking, and don’t count on everything you order actually being in stock.  But Fabric.com really does have some great sales and you can score some serious deals, like quilting cotton for $4 a yard.  I would recommend signing up for their emails.  There are a lot, but their super-cheap fabrics go fast and you’ll want to shop quickly.

 

 

Next up is Quilt Home.  I admit, the website is a little confusing, but there are also cheap fabrics to be found here.  On the right side of the home page are links to both a coupon code and the sale section – pretty often I can find fabrics in the sale section that I can use the coupon on.  They also send coupon emails weekly, so it’s another email worth clogging up your inbox with.

 

 

Fat Quarter Shop is great for current, beautiful fabrics.  I usually turn here when I need something specific and haven’t been able to find it in my bargain sources.  They also have an extensive sale section that is totally worth perusing.  I confess, as a branding nerd, I am drawn to this website because it’s so pretty and clean.

 

 

I just recently ordered from Above All Fabric, and I was so happy with her customer service and her gorgeous fabric choices.  Since I’ve started my own business, I’ve realized supporting smaller businesses is often worth paying just a tiny bit more.  And Melanie’s fabric is by no means expensive – she also has a great sale section (which, as you can see, is important to me) and a rewards program for frequent shoppers.

 

 

I occasionally order from Etsy, too, especially when I need something extra-special.  I love ordering from the Fabric Shoppe.  As an added bonus, if you follow Jody on twitter (she’s @fabricshoppe) she announces great deals to the first one who nabs them.

 

I do frequent my local Jo-Ann Fabrics, especially for basics like terry cloth (I finally started buying it by the bolt with a 50% off coupon) and fleece.  I also buy notions there, including velcro and thread (I’m a thread snob and only use Gutermann) because it often goes on sale for cheaper than I can buy online.

 

 

One last tip – if you haven’t started following True Up, what are you waiting for?  The weekly sale posts are worth their weight in fabric!

 

Any good sources you’d like to share with the class?  I love a good bargain!

Excused Absence

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I tell you what, last week was a hectic one.  We had one ER trip (the little guy, he’s fine) one big dentist trip for me (me, and now I have a broken temporary crown and an infected tooth – is that TMI?), and one bored kiddo (the original Bobaloo, home for spring break).  I kind of dropped of the face of the internet for a while. 

 

 

 

 

I’ve finally been putting all that brand new fabric to work!  I ended with one bolt less than I thought (the blue and orange polka dot one is out of print), but it still feels like a HUGE amount of fabric.  I love it.

 

 

 

 

The pink polka dot fabric makes just the cutest bias tape.  Speaking of, I switched around how I make bias tape this time and it was so much faster.  I usually use the continuous strip method, but this time I cut my bias strips first like this, then serged them end to end.  The serger is so fast, plus the seams didn’t get bound up in my bias tape maker like they usually do.

 

 

 

 

I’m on an apron streak right now.  I just finished up a custom Crayon Apron for an adult who wanted one for her face painting brushes (there’s a picture on the bobaloo! Facebook page) and now I’m working on new ones for the Irvington Iris Tea Room.  Doesn’t that pink polka dot bias tape look adorable?

 

I’ve got our Craft-Night-turned-Sewing-Night at my house tonight and a meeting of the Uncommon Craft Society of Indianapolis tomorrow night, then it’s time to get to work on products for Record Store Day on the 16th.  What have you guys been up to?  I’ve missed you!

Let’s Talk Shop

Tweet I’ve got shopping on the brain since I’m woefully behind on Christmas shopping, so today we’re gonna talk shop.



For you locals, you need to go check out the Little Green Bean Boutique right here on the East side of Indy.  I may be a little biased since she carries bobaloo! products, but I think Heather’s store is just awesome.  It’s a mix of children’s resale and items from local handmade artists.  Take a look around!



Had I been thinking ahead, I would have posted this earlier in the week because she hosted a wine-and-shopping ladies night event last night.  I was with the original bobaloo at the Nutcracker last night so I missed it, but a little birdie named Martha told me it was awesome.

It has come to my attention that a few of you lovely readers have shops of your own.  First up, my blog buddies Emily and Hannah have a great Etsy shop featuring bags, clutches, and totes, plus they run a blog.  Make sure you check out both!



Also, Patty has a brand spanking new Etsy shop with the coolest handmade stuff that would make great stocking stuffers.  Plaid Cupcake Design’s only been open a few weeks and Patty already has 11 sales!!  Holy moly girl, we all need lessons from you!  Do you have a blog to share your secrets yet?



Here are a few of my very favorite Etsy shops:

• Milk and Cookies – awesome paper goods!
• Lil’ Doodlers – adorable shaped crayons.  This girl has only had her shop open a few months, and she already has over 200 sales!  How great is that?!
• AN Original Jewelry – the cutest silver jewelry ever.  I want one of everything.
• My Paper Crane – I love love love Heidi Kenney’s stuff.  You should check out her blog, too.

I could go on and on, really.  I love to shop on Etsy.  Do you guys have any favorite places to buy handmade?  And do you have your own shop?  Let us all know in the comments!

Like a machine

Tweet Early last week I had set a goal to finish 15 inventory items by the 31st, thinking that meant Friday.  Friday night I wasn't quite finished... then realized SATURDAY was the 31st.  So I made my goal and then some - a total of 20.  Holla!

• 2 cute little roll-up changing pads
• 5 stuffed bunnies
• 1 painter's smock
• 2 flower necklaces
• 10 dahlia pins

The necklaces and the dahlia pins were for my first batch of product for the Irvington Iris Tea Room.  I don't think I've mentioned it before, but the products Miranda's carrying are kind of a departure from my planned line.  Both the necklaces and the pins are for adults, and I'm planning on bringing her some vintage-fabric aprons to sell as well.  Here's the store display that my awesome hubby built for me:

It's is a piece of stained birch plywood with dowels to hang product on and my logo Mod Podged to the top.  We put it together with materials we already had (except for the piece of dowel rod).  I am trying really hard not to spend very much money until I'm making money, which might actually be a good thing.  It's making me very creative and I'm certainly making use of what I've got on hand.

I'm pretty happy with my level of production last week, so my goal this week is two items a day.  I'm doing well already - four sweet crayon toolbelts are happily resting in my inventory closet - but it is only Tuesday.  This is a slow week at home, so I can keep up as long as I don't just sit around and daydream about State Fair food!

Fairs galore

Tweet I don't know if you noticed, but I added a business goal on my sidebar - add 15 inventory items by July 31st, which just so happens to be tomorrow.  I've added 8 since that goal was set, so I have my work cut out for me.  I also have my culinary entries for the State Fair due Saturday and photo shoot with my beautiful new niece tomorrow.  I am counting the felt flower corsages that I will be selling at the Irvington Iris Tea Room in my inventory goal, so I think I'll probably make it.

If you visit your local fair every year, it's definitely worth entering some of your own creations if it's anything like Indiana.  For $35 I can enter up to 35 (!) items in Home and Family Arts, which includes sewing, painting, photography, antiques, knitting, culinary... pretty much anything I'd even consider entering.  You get a shot at the cash prizes for the top awards, plus 6 tickets to the fair.  The tickets alone are worth more than the entry fee.  The cash prizes aren't huge - I think I won a grand total of $14 last year - but it's still fun.  Oh, and for some culinary categories the awards are in pounds of butter!  How awesome is that?!  

On to some big business news - I officially signed up for the Irvington Halloween Festival.  The hubs talked me into it.  He made a good point; if I'm not ready for it inventory-wise, I don't have to do it and I'm only out $32.  This will be my first craft fair on my own since I'm sharing a booth with Mom at the Rocky Ripple Festival in September.  I gotta say, it makes me a little nervous just thinking about it.

Yesterday the Groupon here in Indianapolis was $15 for $30 worth of merchandise from Skreened, a custom screenprinting website.  Kenny and I both ordered one so we can make Bobaloo tshirts to wear to the craft fairs.  I'll let you know how they turn out when they get here.  I think they look so cute on the website's preview that I might wear it around town.  I figure it's advertising, right?

Calm after the storm

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This past week has just been ridiculously hectic!  First up was Craft Night with the ladies on Thursday.  We made these adorable bib necklaces.  Since I had already made one for myself (I have it on in my profile picture) I made one for Bridget that is so cute I want to puke. 

Next up was Bridget's 3rd birthday party on Saturday.  Every year I tell myself I'm not going to go over the top with the food and decorations, and every year I get myself in over my head.  Everything turned out great and it was totally worth the effort.  I mentioned before that I decided at the last minute that B needed a Sleeping Beauty dress for the party.  I am SO GLAD I made it because she was just thrilled.  Princess Barbies have now overtaken our house thanks to all our friends and family.

For the past few years I've entered clothes and food into our local State Fair.  This year, I entered seven items of clothing (including my favorite jeans, which I'm sad to lose for a month while they're at the fair) that were all due this weekend.  In the hectic rush to finish a jacket for B, I forgot to take pictures.  I promise I'll share what earns me a ribbon when I get everything back.

On top of these two deadlines, I had the opportunity to present some of my accessories to Miranda, the owner of the Irvington Iris Tea Room.  Unfortunately, I didn't have anything made, so I had to whip a few things up so I could meet with her after the party on Saturday.  Everything turned out well, and some of my stuff will be in her shop when it opens later this summer!  It's the first time something I've made is going to be out there for people to buy, so I'm really excited.

Due to all this craziness I've barely made any business headway.  Luckily this week is nice and quiet, so today is the start of a mad creative blitz so I can amp up my inventory.  I really want to make some sort of catalog of products, plus I need some marketing materials.  I have about fifty to-do lists lurking around my house - hopefully I can cross some things off soon!