Shopping for fabric in Texas

A while back I posted, asking you for your favorite fabric shop recommends. And holy cow, 333 comments came rolling in. I’m still trying to process the info and one day I’ll compile a list for you. If you’re looking for a shop in your area though, check out the comments. And in the mean time, let’s start with some shops in my neck of the woods: Dallas and Austin, Texas.
(please note, these are not paid reviews…just my opinion of some local fabric stores)
First we made a 3 hour drive up to Dallas so I could check out the highly recommended City Craft.
And… I love everything about this shop.
I hate to be over-the-top here but it’s just so well put together. The website is great, the blog is fabulous, the shop is adorable, the fabrics are wonderful, the staff is friendly, they cater to a all ages and skill-levels, they offer classes and they even host “Lounge Night” parties at the shop.
But what I really love is that Callie, the owner, is always looking for new fabrics for the shop and pays attention to what’s fresh on the scene. I’ve run into her a few times at Quilt Market and chatted about apparel fabrics and other textiles that customers are looking for. She really runs a top-notch business.
And everyone seems to love being there. It was really funny when I walked in….customers were calling Callie by first name, the employees seemed like they were working simply for the love of sewing, it was all really fun. I totally wanted to hang out for a while. And I did. Introduced myself. Chatted. Took pics. Here’s one of the City Craft girls, Ashley, recovering an umbrella.
And here’s Ashley with Callie (on the left).
If you’re in Dallas, definitely stop by City Craft. Check out their calendar and see what events are going on. And then snake a few jelly bellies on your way out like Lucy did. She loves City Craft too.
And I walked out with my own candy, a few yards of chevron print,
And two new oilcloths. No plans for anything yet. Just pretty additions to my stash.
Next in Dallas, we headed to the discount section of town that some of you recommended. I’m totally into finding a good deal. But bummer. I guess they close early on Good Friday. So, we’ll have to check out Golden D’or another time, and just for fun…Harry Hines Bazaar.
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Okay, back down in Austin, there are 3 shops I recommend (aside from the big chains like Joann Fabrics, Hancock, Hobby Lobby, etc).

First up is The Common Thread. It’s located in a fun part of town, on South Lamar, and just opened a couple years ago. Jeanie, the owner was thinking of going back to her corporate job life but knew deep down that she really wanted to open a fabric shop….so she did it! I love stories like that.
The shop has an open loft feel with cottons, upholstery, some apparel fabrics, books, patterns, notions, etc. They offer classes and have a very friendly atmosphere.
I originally went there searching for a particular oilcloth fabric and they had it!…along with cool vintage ribbon,
And some really cool vintage fabrics on the back wall.
The shop is still young and could use a bit more inventory but it’s growing. And it’s great to support local businesses!
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Probably my favorite boutique shop in Austin is The Stitch Lab. This place if funky, fun, cool, cozy, kitschy, and my favorite part…it’s in an old house!
How cute is this?
It’s really easy to miss, since it just looks like a house on the street. But look for the cute aqua house with tons of parking in the back. And when you walk in, you feel like you’ve entered a vintage fairytale cottage. Each room is filled with lovely fabrics, trims, notions, and little treasures.
Because the shop is really a house, each room has a different purpose. This room and another in the back are used for sewing classes and fabric parties, while the main room is used for cutting fabrics for customers.
They’ve got all the good stuff.
And aside from cottons they carry knits, linen, oilcloth, laminated fabric, and more.

modern thread; “vintage” thread

and tons of little sewing chotskies.
Ready for the kicker?? The cash register and checkout area are in the kitchen! I absolutely love it. They also had a bowl of vintage buttons in there that I sorted through for 20 minutes.
Just couldn’t part with these:
Leslie runs a very fun shop. You definitely need to stop by and see what the Stitch Lab is up to. Also, check out Leslie’s machine and serger recommendations on the site. Valuable info!
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Last stop on my list if Fanny’s Fabrics. They don’t have a website but they’re in the same shopping center as our favorite Alamo Draft House theater.
Fanny’s is an upholstery shop with all sorts of interesting home dec fabrics…not the old stuffy kind.
And they have a small kid’s play area inside. I appreciated that.
I should have taken a better shot, but there’s an orange dragonfly print down there that I almost bought. It would be great on a few pillows. How pretty are all of these?
They have tons of items to sift through and the staff is very well-informed and helpful. They do custom work and take special orders as well.
Holy trims.
Next time you’re headed to the Draft House, pop in to Franny’s first (just check their store hours; they close early).

And those are my favorite Dallas/Austin finds. I’ll have to hit up shops in San Antonio and Houston as well to complete the tour.
If you’re in our neck of the woods….check them out!

  1. 1) frank wiebe

    good day,i need to buy 100% polyester by the rool about 1000 y print and also solid what is the cost?

  2. i need to buy 100% polyeswter by the roor 1000 y print strips and solid light and dark colers.

  3. Thanks for the rundown on Austin Shops. I am going to check them out.

  4. I am coming to San Antonio at the end of May (so excited), any fabric shop recommendations?

  5. 5) Kirsten De Jesus

    Have you ever been to Texstyles?

  6. 6) Susan Fujimoto

    Sew Crazy sewing boutique in Cedar Park, Texas! Beautiful fabrics, unique handbags, sewing classes and long arm quilting machine rental. My mom and I LOVE this store! Very friendly and helpful owner.

  7. 7) Christine Courtney

    What wonderful fabric shops you have. I wish the fabric shops were that good in England.

  8. 8) Jan

    Just moved back to TX from AZ a few months ago and I’ve been missing great fabric stores. I LOVE this blog. THANK YOU. I did find Austin Sew & Vac in Round Rock off Mays street fulfilled a lot of my immediate needs. Can’t wait to check these other locations.

  9. 9) Erin

    Hi, did you ever end up posting about the best fabric stores in houston? I have just moved there and am keen to find some modern and contemporary style fabrics, like at the stores in Austin you found. Thanks šŸ™‚

  10. 10) Lindsay

    So we’re heading to Austin in a couple weeks and I was looking at this list. Are any of these places still open? ????

    • 11) Dana

      No, the Sitch Lab closed down this year and the other one might be closed also. Sorry!
      I guess I need to do an updated post šŸ™‚

  11. 12) Carmen Miranda

    Hi Dana,

    I am looking to make a couple of suit jackets, (I just got a job) and I just moved to Austin. Do you know where I can find nice suiting fabric (besides the big fabric stores)? I feel that sometimes the other stores have nicer fabric.
    Thanks for your suggest stores in the post. and Thanks in advance for the information.

    Carmen

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