Fabrics used in classes will usually be woven cottons, and the type of fabric will always be described in the class information or provided at the first class meeting.  If you are unsure of what you are looking for, the store staff will always be able to direct you to the right section, or to check your fabric choices against the description to ensure you have the right type.

 

With the closing of JoAnn Fabrics, it can be more difficult to find appropriate fabrics for your project. The stores listed below are a few that are within an hour's driving distance of Bosky Glen. 

Walmart: Many Walmart stores still have a fabric section, though their attempts to reduce labor costs have been detrimental to our range of choices. Locally, the Monticello store tends to have a wider selection than the Buffalo store. They carry a range of woven cotton fabrics that are appropriate for many of the projects used in Bosky Glen classes. These come in both pre-cut packages of varying sizes, and some custom-cut choices. The Waverly brand is better quality than the no-name/store brand. They also carry a small selection of upholstery fabrics which are sturdier, but of limited use for class purposes, and a small selection of pre-cut knits and other clothing fabrics, which are generally a poor quality but would be useful for practicing before cutting into your intended fabric. They carry Coats & Clark thread which is adequate for most projects.

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Hobby Lobby: Maple Grove, St. Cloud, and Minnetonka are the nearest stores. They carry a wide range of woven cotton prints, and a good selection of fleece and upholstery fabrics. They have a good variety of types of specialty fabrics but the selection within each type was very limited. Surprisingly, the store I visited did not have any t-shirt knits. They carry only their own brand of thread which tends to create a lot of lint, which is not good for your machine. They have a wide selection of trims and of notions. 

Michael's: They have purchased rights to some of JoAnn's store brands and have a wide selection online. They are gradually adding fabric and other sewing supplies to their stores. Choice is currently limited, and time will tell how useful of a source they prove to be. Because this is a new venture for them and is in transition, I cannot give an accurate list of what they carry, other than I know they do have woven cotton prints. 

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SR Harris in Brooklyn Park: Hands down my favorite source! They have a HUGE selection of all types of fabric, and a limited selection of other supplies. All fabrics are cut-your-own on an honor system, and they will assist new customers with the process. It's literally a warehouse, and can be overwhelming. Despite the appearance it IS somewhat organised and the staff can direct you to the type of fabric you need. It sometimes takes some muscle to sort through the stock. They do have young men there to help, but if you take your own muscle-man it's a lot more convenient. 

 

Quilt Shops: Quilt shops primarily carry a wide range of woven cotton prints and smaller selection of flannels. Other fabric types will be dependant on the individual shop. These fabrics are much better quality than you would find at Walmart, and priced accordingly. There are several in surrounding towns, including Rogers, Elk River, Hutchinson, Litchfield, and Sauk Rapids. The best known and largest area shop is Gruber's in St. Cloud/Waite Park. (They recently reopened under new ownership) Quilt shops are usually small business under private ownership and often have limited hours. Check their websites or FB pages for current hours. If you do an online search for shops, make sure you check the individual websites. Many locations that come up are NOT fabric shops, but are individuals that offer quilting services.

Just Sew Studio in Waite Park: Tucked behind the Crossroads Mall in St. Cloud, and just a block over from Gruber's. They are primarily a dealership for Pfaff brand sewing machines, but they also carry a small selection of fabrics, primarily quilting fabrics, and a large selection of notions and gadgets.

 

Thrift Shops: Thrift shops can be an adventure in looking for fabric. Wise Penny in Buffalo usually has a variety of choices. Other independent shops will vary widely. Goodwill rarely has fabric, but if you are in the store for other reasons, it's worth checking. Other than fabric yardage, used clothing and bedding can offer affordable options for some uses.

On-Line: Be careful ordering fabric online. If you are not somewhat knowledgeable of fabric types and what you want, it can be very easy to make a mistake. It's also very difficult to order coordinating colors as so many factors can affect how the color appears on your screen. Some online sources allow you to order test swatches to check the color and quality before ordering yardage. For notions (zippers, bias tape, buttons, etc) and thread, my favorite online source is Wawak.com. They have a huge selection of threads and other items. For a replacement manual, additional bobbins or specialty feet for your machine, check with Sewingpartsonline.com. They allow you to search according your machine model number and guarantee it will work in your machine. I have always received excellent service with both these companies. 

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Pre-cut fabrics: Pre-cuts are primarily a quilting innovation. Quilting fabrics can often be bought in packages labeled as "layer cakes", "jelly rolls", "charm squares", "fat quarters", and a few others. These packages usually contain all or most of the fabrics from a particular design line, and are cut to specific sizes that are useful in quilting. Many quilting patterns are designed to use particular pre-cut sizes. While convenient, especially if you do not have access to cutting tools, they are much more expensive than purchasing yardage. Except for fat quarters, they are rarely appropriate for anything other than quilting.

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Wal-mart has replaced many of their fabric options with pre-cut yardage in 1/2, 1yd, and 2yd packages. They also carry "fat quarters" which are 1/4yd of fabric, cut in a more usable shape than 1/4yd of yardage cut from the bolt. All of these may be very appropriate for a wide variety of projects.

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