Buying Fabric Online

 Buying fabric is all about touch, how it feels.... how it drapes.... so online fabric shopping is a challenge.

Fabric companies will do their best to show the fabric but viewing from a screen can be deceptive.

Colours translate differently when seen on screen. Digital images are backlit - this isn't true to life.

Sometimes the weight of a fabric will be given - but this doesn't equate to how a fabric will drape.

Always check the scale of a pattern, don't imagine it'll be what you want it to be.

Finally composition - here you need some fabric knowledge. I avoid jersey fabrics with acrylic content but luxury jersey knits with polyester can have a superb handle.

All of this is why my number one rule is always order a sample. Yes it’s an added expense but not as expensive as fabric you don't want.

Once the sample arrives it may not be exactly what you had in mind for a specific project but it maybe right for something else.

Where to find the fabric you want..... we all have our favourite stores, these are mine:

Ditto, Cloth House, Rosenberg, Bloomsbury Square, Til The Sun Goes Down and Fabworks.

Of course there are many more online fabric stores and if I can't find a specific fabric, I Google it and always, always get a sample.

Images by Katya de Grunwald