If you are looking for a good fabric store in Orange County and think that all the good fabric deals are in Los Angeles’s garment district, think again. Orange County actually has an array of specialty and discount fabric stores that offer more than traditional chain stores. You just have to know how and where to look.
If you want to run a search on local stores near you, use Yahoo’s Yellow Pages and type in “fabric store” or “discount fabric store.” You will be able to generate a good resource list for yourself by doing this. Most people who do not do that much sewing, do not realize that there are many more stores out there other than the big-names such as JoAnn’s Fabric stores or Michael’s craft stores.
Many people also think that to be able to find good deals, they will have to go outside of Orange County, but there are a lot of smaller communities that offer independent shops with a wide selection of fabrics.
If you are looking to reupholster some furniture or are doing sewing that has to do with home decorating, Big Y Yardage Outlet is a great store to visit. It is located at 764 N. Tustin Avenue in the city of Orange.
The store includes a great selection of upholstery fabrics, headboards, roman shades, draperies and fringes. The store does carry regular fabrics for sewing. However, this store is mainly for people taking on major home design projects with their sewing machines.
For people who are making quilts or clothing, M & L Fabrics has a fantastic selection of cotton, polyester, silk, tulle and just about any other type of fabric you are looking for. It is housed in a huge space and if you have a whole day, you can easily spend it perusing this store’s aisles.
They have a great selection of trendy fabrics that are around $8 a yard, which is not that much of a discounted price from a place like JoAnn’s. However, the patterns are unique and not something you will find in chain fabric stores.
In addition to these fabrics, the store also has aisles and aisles of discounted fabrics in a variety of prints and textures for around $2 per yard. The cloth is kept stacked neatly by the people who work there, but it does take some time to look through all of the stacks. Plus, there is also a backroom with even more cloth that is discounted at even steeper prices.
Besides cloth, the store also has a great selection of threads, patterns and batting sold at really great prices. Plus, the staff is really nice and efficient. M & L Fabrics is located at 3430 W. Ball Road in Anaheim.
Another great fabric store for upholstery or smaller projects is Home Fabrics at 2320 S. Bristol St. in Santa Ana. This is an underrated store that sits at the corner of the intersection with a barely readable sign. However, it is worth your time to stop and visit.
The store has a great selection of regular cloth for blankets, clothing or other small sewing projects (around $2.50 per yard). In addition, they also have upholstery fabrics, sheers and rugs. This store doesn’t have the same selection as M & L. However, you will definitely find a bargain.
Obviously, there are more than just these three fabric stores in Orange County. So, start your search today!
