These Fabrics Will Change Your Cosplay Game

Join the discord! discord.gg/4CGBRsuR6U
Sites mentioned (not affiliate links and not sponsored links)
www.fabricwholesaledirect.com/ (some international shipping)
syfabrics.com/ (ships to US and Canada)
www.fabric.com/ (some international shipping www.fabric.com/countries.aspx)
www.fabricdirect.com/ (I cant tell from they're policy where they do and dont ship)
www.silkbaron.com/ (some international shipping)
bigzfabric.com/ (international shipping)
0:00 - Intro
0:20 - FWD
2:43 - SY Fabrics
9:12 - Silk Barron
12:15 - Fabric Direct
13:43 - Big Z Fabrics
15:20 - Fabric.com
17:15 - Honorable Mentions
19:19 - Good Deals at Joanns
22:52 - Outro
Music:
Most tracks came from here:
Animal Crossing-esque Music:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2EJJ...
soundcloud: soundcloud.com/trashkidd
Dramatic Brass Music:
kzbin.info/door/oIyoWuQx_Ga7fQ35flEmQA
Tuba Waddle by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Artist: audionautix.com/
Sythwave Game boy
kzbin.info/www/bejne/jXeYknqLlt6ii6c
For questions, concerns, and more progress:
sarahspaceman
For Patterns
www.patreon.com/sarahspaceman
--
Sewing Machine - Brother SE-400

[@auroraasleep]

Silk facts: silkworms are a major food source in the silk-producing countries, so they don't go to waste. Dupioni silk comes from joined cocoons (like 2 worms were a little close while they were spinning their cocoons and things got tangled up). Ahimsa silk is made from the cocoons after the moths have left, and is therefore cruelty free, but it must be spun, not reeled (the moths cut the fibers when they crawl out).

[@Daneypastry]

Oo thank you for adding some more nuance to the whole silk thing. I was feeling bad for the worms lol but knowing they're food means they're not being cooked for nothing so that makes it better

[@auroraasleep]

@@Daneypastry yeah, I'm big on not wasting anything, so learning that helped me too. It also helped to know that I really don't like silkworms. I thought about raising them, but noped out on the idea after tasting some. I may circle back around to it since I keep chickens now.

[@Daneypastry]

@@auroraasleep now I'm curious: what do they taste like?

[@auroraasleep]

@@Daneypastry only speaking of the dried ones, not fresh (so that may make a huge difference), greasy, clay, smoky, bitter, slight umami + salt. We liked everything else in the package except the sago worms, which are a flat no, and a flavor I can only describe as "Yucky, spit it out!" The silk worms were edible, just not something I'd be likely to ever try again.

[@rofinatheirin9929]

Very cool to know!

[@carolyn9792]

cute graphics + no unnecessary fluff + info about affordable fabrics + info about cool cosplay fabrics + solid advice about buying fabric online :0 such a great video! thanks for sharing!!

[@SarahSpaceman]

Aww! Tysm!

[@trycethomas939]

@@SarahSpaceman Have you checked out Mood Fabrics at all? Kinda surprised it wasn't on your list. They mainly do fashion fabrics but like... their website is at least way nicer than most.

[@hannahg5479]

My pro-tip for linen is to never buy it new. Its a rare thing to need long, un-cut yards of it, and its far cheaper to buy linen second-hand in the form of a table-cloth, curtains, dresses, etc. And aside from its cheapness, a "worn" linen tends to have better feel and drape to it than a new linen.

[@waldhexe7484]

Where do you find cheep second hand linen? In my local thrift shops i have only found one small sheet in like four years and on Facebook and eBay the linen sheets tend to be as expensive as linen new from the store.

[@alexhook9151]

Cost saving tip: Always check if non students are able to attend, but university and community college fashion departments sometimes hold huge sales for fabric marked down to wildly low prices. Back in 2018, I got 225 dollars worth of various fabrics for less than 50 dollars from my then community college because the fashion department needed to clean out their fabric storage before summer came. I got so much fabric that nearly five years later, I still have a ton of it. 😅

[@intergalacticpeen]

don't forget thrift stores too! i was about to drop $17 per yard at Joann but i found a queen size blanket at a thrift store for like $10, thrift stores usually only have more basic fabrics and sheets tbh, very good for prototyping patterns

[@maggiekedves]

Also try Goodwill outlets if you have one near buy...you can buy clothes and linens priced by pound. And the linens are half the price. I bought nice brocade curtains and comforters (many yards) for costumes costing me a few dollars.

[@jewels936]

My thrift store is actually selling fabric in general. They’re usually sub 10$ but don’t mark the amount of yardage unfortunately.

[@amuseinthecraftroom6257]

And don't sleep on the thrift store curtain panels if you are looking for brocades. I've made so many dresses and costumes from 7$ extra wide curtains.

[@ellakz8963]

Rummage sales too!😊

[@arelymtz9379]

Antique stores are great for lacey fabric too! I just got like 10 yards of a lacey fabric that I dyed black that used to be curtains for 30 dollars!

[@belongstorachel]

Your tip for getting samples before buying the fabric is just what I needed to hear to get me unstuck! I was looking to buy 20 yards of fabric online for a costume I'm making but I wasn't sure if the fabric would work for my purposes. The company I'm ordering from sends a few samples for free! Now I'll have a better idea if the color and layering will work right before making the investment. So thank you!

[@SarahSpaceman]

Aww! Thank you so much for the super thanks! Im so glad you were able to get swatches for your project, and best of luck on it!

[@TheSwordChick]

Here's the thing about Joann's: I remember back in the 90's when they were still taking over all their competition; they've always sucked. We went from having much smaller chain fabric stores that actually focused on FABRIC ( & not every craft supply known to humanity) where you could somehow always find that thing you needed for your weird project, to these big Joann warehouse stores. It was sad that we lost stores like Minnesota Fabrics & Hancock Fabrics, but it would have been fine if Joann's had offered the same variety and quality of the fabric as stores they put out of business. They did not. Joann's was way overpriced (even the coupon price) compared to the other physical stores from the beginning, had less selection of fabrics even though they had a huge store, and the quality of the fabrics was way lower. So it's not just the physical building & employees driving up the price. I know a lot of people have gotten into cosplay only having had a Joann's by them, so they don't know how it was in the before-times - completely understandable. But for the sewing people who were around during the change it was like seeing a marble column get replaced by a concrete one. Yeah, they kinda look the same but one was high quality & one was a cheap imitation. Bah, I'm just old & bitter, but seriously the difference between the old stores & J was stark & immediate. They just have sucky practices. Heck, even Michael's is a little better. I'll grudgingly use J's if I have to but mostly go for research purposes, like you suggested, & then buy elsewhere. All that complaining aside, this was a really great video & I have some new sites to check out now! Thank you!

[@absurdican8737]

I miss Hancock Fabrics.... It was only around in the early days of my sewing career, but it was lovely...

[@Dmasta48ls]

I work at joanns and I can tell you for a fact pretty much everything is marked up so it can be on sale constantly at no loss lol. If youre committed to buying fabrics from there you really have to be patient and play the sale/coupon game to get anything close to a fair price. I do buy most of my fabric from there but the employee discount doesnt hurt lmao

[@broganmckoko]

I'm a regular customer of Jo-Ann's as well. And I always have my coupons. That's the secret to getting decent prices. Always have your coupons. They do have a decent selection of fabrics and they offer the one thing that online stores don't. The ability to touch the fabric. I found a number of selections that I cannot get anywhere else. And they make beautiful garments.

[@BellaJean22]

I used to work at Joann too, idk if employee discounts are universal for every state but here in Maryland it was 20% off, and that's great whenever there wasn't a coupon, but I felt like every other week there was a 20% off coupon dished out and that was kinda annoying lol. The one thing I loved about working there was seeing all of the new cute stuff, my bank account however did not like that. I swear I might as well have been working for items instead of money lol.

[@broganmckoko]

@@BellaJean22 I'm in Maryland too. And the one addition that's been great for Joanne's is the coupons on curbside pickups. 25% most weeks. When it's 20%, just check your receipt for your last purchase and you'll have a 25% coupon in it. I also love the pattern sales. Seems like every couple weeks I get to add to my collection.

[@joylox]

I'm in a part of Canada with two chain stores, and one has much higher markup and better sales, but carries mostly their own brand of material (I bought some Tencel there, and can't find it anywhere else, and most things are the Fabricland branded prints and such), while the other one has less markup, selling at the average retail price, and carries much more big brands. Kauffman and Shannon come to mind first, but they also have luxury designer branded linings, big name prints like Star Wars, Pokemon, etc, and a lot more craft stuff like foam, paint, and felt. I have memberships to both which are about $20/year and the first place gives a 20%-50% off discount with the card (varies by item), and the other one gives you points for spending money which you can redeem for $5 off coupons. It's interesting to see just how different the two are.

[@melly__.]

@@BellaJean22 the employee discount jumped to 30% off now!! So there's that plus side now

[@carolbaker2773]

I live in Mississippi and our only options for buy fabric in store is a JoAnnes and Hobby Lobby. I was always scared to buy online but this really helped with that confidence! One thing that wasnt talked about was leather. I am a veterinarian so I have a bit of insider knowledge on what is ethical and non ethical leather. Any leather produced in the US is going to be ethical as any animal slaughtered for any reason has to have a USDA vet present to monitor the process. If the vet sees that the process was not humane, that operation gets a fine (normally around $10,000 per head for cattle) and that animal can only be sold for pet food (to help prevent profitting on non humane death). This process is done in a way to prevent the animal from having stress and is unconcious when euthanisa occurs. I personally prefer to use real leather over faux because of the enviromental impact of plastics to me is worse than the treatment of animals in the USA. If buying online, check to see where the distributer got there leather (EU, UK, USA, CAN, AUS, are the countries I trust). I dont personally buy from Brazil or other south american countries because they in the past have not been up to my standard of animal euthanasia. I also dont trust "mom and pop" farms that do the whole farm to table gig as some dont have vet oversight when slaughtering and thus are not under the same legal standards as commercial cattle. Leather is great though as its very tough but can be molded and hold its shape. It can last for hundreds of years if properly taken care of and will form to your body overtime. And its biodegradable so it will not have lasting enviormental impacts. I have done quiet a bit of research into cattles impact on climate change and have found that its mostly blown out of proprotion. Agruiculture in generally only makes up around 10% of the total emissions with cattle being about 50% of that. The vast majority of carbon emissions is in power generation and transportantion. On the other hand, plastic contamination is a huge enviromental issue that cannot be understated between drilling for oil, processing that oil to plastic, to the plastic waste in landfills and oceans. SO for me I try to reduce my plastic use when possible and opt for natural sorces for fiber and sewing material (but gosh darn if that holo graphic fabric isnt just the most fun thing).

[@Elirum]

Thank you for bringing this up! People unintentionally forget, in the effort for sustainability, that humans have had certain harvesting practices for centuries for a reason. Things are different now but cattle were not consumables to be easily discarded. They were an investment that took years, expertise and careful monitoring to be to subsist off of them-so every single part of the animal was harvested and many natives and smaller communities continue these practices because it just makes sense. While modern practices can be hidden and the manufacturing chains lack transparency, regulations are put in place for a reason and if you do you’re research and support policies that practices that are ethical and fairly sustainable, you can use these materials correctly. Granted, this takes an educated consumer and in this day and age, that can be difficult. And if for religious or moral reasons this still sounds bad-still DO NOT consume pleather or vegan leather that’s plastic based. Many companies and researchers are working on bio leathers made of plants, bacteria, fungi and more and they the consumer support while the industry is still getting started! While most of that is still not available for purchase for makers, it’s worth investing in that industry to make it known that the interest is there! Purchasing power does matter, esp for smaller operations.

[@essixthedutchie8617]

for furs I'd highly recommend bigz (fantastic ecoshag options), howl fabrics (for 5'' long pile and unusual lengths especially), and fursuit supply (softest lux shag I've ever seen) For 7''+ pile, National Fiber Tech is the place to go. It's a lot more expensive but it's movie quality stuff. That's what Chewbacca is made of. It takes dye like a dream

[@ghostyriver6665]

thanks this helped so much

[@joylox]

Yes, I love ecoshag! Fursuits, ears, fur trims... It's good for all of them and the colour selection is excellent!

[@gwenjen101]

thanks for this recommendations! been looking for a particular fur for a while and howl fabrics had a perfect match!

[@four1629]

thank you!! i'm thinking about making fur legs but i wasn't sure where to even start looking for fabric, this is so helpful

[@agentoregon7212]

im a former joann employee and my strategy was always to wait until our computer automated inventory system sent us new cosplay fabric, because that usually meant that we would put the half-sold bolt into the clearance "fabric spot" section. I think the best i ever did was several almost full bolts of yaya han fabrics around 4-5 dollars a yard. like 70% off or something like that. it has been an asbolute blessing to have so much of it over the past four years, because i STILL havent used it all. that's also how i ended up with like a dozen yards of pink glittery upholstery vinyl for my car. this video is a life saver now that i dont also get my employee discount on top of that lmao

[@moreanimals6889]

It should also be pointed out that silk is WONDERFUL! It is incredibly easy to wash. Stains that won't come out of other fabrics, will get out of silk. No need to use any abrasive chemacles. It is comfortable in hot weather. It is soft. It is wonderful!

[@PowerPivotLeadership]

How do you get grease stains out? I have a top I wore .once. before I messed it up...

[@debbiefox6846]

It makes fantastic pillow cases and eye sleep masks. The silk has healthy amino acids that are amazing for the skin & hair. Silk pillowcases also keep ones hair from breakage while sleeping.

[@heyits_cat8966]

I got an off white 100% silk top from a church resale shop, for like...$1 or less (it was a bag sale 😼) and I'm not sure how it is in the summer, but it was fine without a coat in cool weather! I've been scared to wear it for fear of ruining it even tho I'm generally careful with my garments. So I presume I shouldn't worry?

[@Ainzowo]

When people watch this video back then, they never knew the gold mirrored cloth will turn into a comedically giant strawberry fork

[@SarahSpaceman]

That's actually still in my closet lol, that stuff is, believe it or not even MORE reflective than the lame on the fork, but its got 0 stretch, so it couldnt have worked for how i did the fork, but ill find something to do with it one day, though, The gold diamonds in the strawberry top, are from that fabric, so it did make it in somewhere!

[@echocheck]

I was a theatrical costume designer for 40 years and the French fabric is pronounced po-d'swa. Used a lot on bridal gowns.

[@IuIzykat]

i've been wanting to get into creating cosplay for the longest time, and seriously had 0 idea where to start (as an absolute beginner there's so much to learn- it's overwhelming to say the least)! Your channel, your editing style and the overall way you explain things have helped SO MUCH, and on top of that is super entertaining and easy to follow! (seriously - the quality of your channel is amazing!!!) *Thank you so much* for taking the time to make your videos + explanations, I can't wait to learn more from you!!

[@SarahSpaceman]

Aww! Thank you for so much for this sweet comment, this really made my day 💖

[@Dreambeliever15]

I'm not even halfway through the video and I've already learned so much! Knowing the names for specific types of fabric is half the battle and it's not always intuitive, thank you for listing so many resources.

[@SarahSpaceman]

Glad it was helpful! And Yeah I totally agree, Its hard to learn all the names of fabric, and what they're like, I still dont know every kind, theres just so so many haha

[@krose6451]

22:30 lol the hobby lobby remark made me smile. Thanks for the recs and the bit of happiness

[@krystynarohde9005]

This is the only fabric source/ explanation video that isn’t boring!! Most of them are geared only towards beginners, explaining fabric basics, which is boring for more experienced sewists! I think this video is perfect for new and old cosplayers and you had my attention throughout! Love your channel!

[@ksen1011]

As someone who needs to touch the fabric before buying, I love that you had visuals of the fabrics. I could feel the texture of the upholstery suede just by looking at it 😆

[@pinkchichan]

Me watching this video living in the UK when we have none of these stores! But still finding this video very good for fabric information :) I always find myself buying the cheapest fabrics for all my cosplays, luckily UK stores also do the swatches as I really like to see and feel the fabrics before going into a project!

[@alexvirusel]

me watching this video living in UK and not even doing cosplay or planning to buy any fabrics lol

[@merisav4171]

I'm in ukraine, we have maybe 2 or 3 big fabric stores, nothing like this. it hurts to watch ( i sew for dolls, fabric weight is so important)

[@kkkender]

I also have no chance of using all these sites and tbh, even don't sew at all but still clicked on it and enjoyed every minute of it:)

[@Moocow2003]

poundfabrics is good for cheap fabrics in the uk :) we're also lucky to have a lot of independent craft stores in the UK

[@EsmereldaPea]

I just ordered the taffeta lining fabric from FWD for a theater costume. I expected it to be a lightweight cheap fabric. The regular price is $6 or $7 a yard, but it was on sale for $4/yd. I was pleasantly surprised as it has an acceptably similar weight and hand to silk taffeta.

[@PocketLeaves]

The velvet listing will literally save my cosplay life. Thank you for sharing the sites you like to use for fabric shopping! asdfasdfas not the favorite fabric video reference. I used to watch that ALL THE TIME to try and learn about fabrics also, congrats on being so close to monetization!! That's super exciting!!!

[@SarahSpaceman]

yessssss I'm so glad! and haha right, i wouldn't know half the things i do about cosplay without her legacy

[@Ayaforshort]

I love remnants I went to joaans yesterday. I got a yard of 59.99 fabrics.... for 7 dollars. It may only be one yard. But that I'd just enough for a fitted skirt. It's embroidered with florals and metalics, with black sequins on the leaves. Absolutely stunning and I can't wait to finish the garment!

[@kronktheslug]

sarah: *talking about how expensive silk is because its like 30 dollars* me a fursuit maker: *staring at the fur im buying thats like 40 dollars*

[@SarahSpaceman]

TRUE yall have the reaaaaaaly expensive fabric to deal with 😭

[@creativehorsequeen]

And here I thought $10 a yard was bad. Geeze.

[@LooLooChoo]

i’m working back through your videos after finding you and this seems a little off topic but i REALLY appreciated you talking through why things cost more in a Joann’s versus online. i work in mobile dog grooming and there’s always people who are baffled by the pricing for even a small dog, but i always make sure to talk about how a lot of the cost goes not just to the dog groomers who work hard on making dogs look and feel better, but directly back into maintaining the truck. money for gas, oils, putting aside for emergencies like tires popping or needing to go in for engine checks or replacing parts both inside and outside, as well as buying products we use directly on the dogs like shampoo, conditioner, sprays, the tools we use, and on and on and on. what i’m getting at is that it’s nice to hear this same explanation that i use daily being applied in other aspects of goods and services. i can be thrifty at times, but i will also pay for the convenience of having an item right in front of me and being able to support whoever works at the store stocking and maintaining said item

[@boots1622fan]

fun fact: there is vegan silk but ALSO scientists have been working on replicating silkworm... web? i guess? using some kind of lab made web with organic materials. there is also milk silk. silk... made out of milk? its wild that its a thing but its a thing. i am so interested in textile engineering but i am awful at chemistry and biology so i gotta leave it to the scientists i guess lol

[@juliasux9556]

im using the bridal satin for a princess peach cosplay and its a DREAM! thank u so much 4 this video!!

[@SarahSpaceman]

Aww yay! You're so welcome!

[@alaskacosplay]

When it comes to satin fabrics, I highly recommend Duchesse Satin. I love the weight of this fabric and how it drapes and how the sheen looks and I use it for everything from skirts to frills to bows to even petticoat ruffles if the petticoat is visible. When I made my Ciel ballgown, I used 10 yards of black duchesse satin to make bias tape trimmings for the frills of the white skirt.

[@maskedfoxx7173]

This video is fantastic!! I used to be horrified of buying fabrics online but this gives me so much confidence to give it a chance. Basically exclusively shopping at JoAnns, I had no idea the fabrics there were marked up so much. I thought it was normal for fabric to be around $20 per yard. I honestly feel kinda dumb now like so many of my cosplays cost hundreds to make because fabric would always be like $150 by itself. Thank you for this video!

[@SarahSpaceman]

Don't feel dumb! You're still supporting a company that has been good to the cosplay community by shopping at joanns, so feel good about that! And now you can save money in the future :)

[@maskedfoxx7173]

@@SarahSpaceman Very true! I just wish I at least knew better as a teenager when I didn't have a job. Would have saved sooo much money then haha

[@ariadne0w1]

My favorite is Fabric Mart Fabrics - the trick there is fabrics are sorted alphabetically, and regularly go on sale by 60%, you just have to wait for your letter to roll around. The only problem is they specialize in close out fashion fabrics so what they have in stock varies a lot.

[@maskedfoxx7173]

@@ariadne0w1 Thanks for this!! I'll be sure to check it out. Can't argue with 60% off

[@ariadne0w1]

@@maskedfoxx7173 Tbh I caved and bought from them the first time today - a mystery bundle of wool coating in various neutral colors, 10 yards for 50$. Wool coating on other sites is $50/yard. I'm going to make a really cool cape/cloak, lol.

[@IzzitMesUtopia]

Great video, just a minor point, you can get polyester (and other materials) dupioni, sometimes called dupion but it mimics the slubs, so just because it has the slubs doesn't necessarily mean it is silk. I'm pretty sure for every natural fibre fabric/weave, there is a synthetic copy. There are also silks makers that don't boil the worms, they allow them to hatch naturally but remove the cocoons before they get too damaged, this is often more expensive due to the longer process though

[@sarahtracey1504]

the editing on this video is really cute and but still gets so much information across, thank you so much!!

[@SarahSpaceman]

Thank you!

[@deboraharmstrong3002]

A moment of respectful silence for the demise of Fabric Depot, the former Sears Store that was a Portland, OR fabric store for more than 20 years. Nearly 5 years since they closed, and Portland's costumers are still grieving

[@PowerPivotLeadership]

Oh no! I just moved back here, they're gone?!

[@deboraharmstrong3002]

Sadly, yes. However, there are some interesting small stores in and around.... One of my favorites for "upholstery weight"? A place called " The Whole 9 Yards". If you are an SCA costumer, you could think of it as 'Houppeland R Us'. There is also Mill Ends....which satisfies our longing to see acres of bolts spread out before us

[@SebastianSeanCrow]

7:17 that makes sense cuz I always saw satin as a type of finish and the quality of fabric + finish is what separates good satin from the infamous costume satin

[@CrazyChiks1000]

Big Z Fabric also has a lot of gorgeous minky fabric and this stuff is s o f t. It's a not as pricey as some of the other options I've seen with a huge amount of colors compared to other stores. I've also seen a ton of shaggy fake furs that have some rave reviews, they also added 'mochi' mink fabric which is one of the shortest pile mink fabrics around that's been super hard to get in the states! It's amazing but a little on the pricey side.

[@broganmckoko]

Is the minky soft on both sides or only one? I found a line of pure plush velour at Jo-Ann's that is minky on one side and more like fleece on the other. It's a wonderful fabric to use for garments.

[@visualsu452]

Fun thing about joannas they only ever sell in 8 yrd boalts. so if you order anything over 8 it WILL come to you in peices. And if they only have a spacific amount in house and you really need the rest of you fabric it will come in whatever cut quanity other stores have. Another thinng is that they stop selling fabric of certain types because it wasnt popular or just didnt sell well.

[@taliabenson4756]

The Hobby Lobby moment at the end there was so great hahaha

[@ingridbmangubat]

I've just recently followed you. and as a beginner sewist, I love all the info I get about sewing in general- which I didn't expect because I thought you do just cosplay content. I hope your channel grows more and more!

[@kbraz1970]

I beg to differ in regards to Aliexpress, they arent sketchy at all. Their items are good quality, come within 2-4 weeks. I have been using them for craft stuff for years and never had an issue. Dont write them off just because some people on youtube or instagram/tiktok dont like them.

[@mailysh.jenkins6565]

Thank you so much for including information on international shipping

[@Seiaeka]

As a web designer/developer, my soul is weeping at these websites. They're sooooo baaaaad.

[@Rapidashisaunicorn]

Appreciate the generalized advice you added in throughout. I’m Canadian and would probably have to pay exorbitant shipping prices for most of the actual sites, but there was still a ton I took away

[@annbrookens945]

Fascinating! I have a love affair with fabrics. I've worked at a couple of fabric stores and it was always a temptation to spend my entire check there! My problem with buying online is, of course, that I don't get to handle the fabric but purchasing swatches would definitely give a better idea of how the fabric will drape or feel. And your suggestion of checking out a fabric store, noting details of preferred fabrics, then looking up looking them up online is inspired!

[@aeonNoir]

😂 the hobby lobby comment got me. Bit out of the loop on that drama. Thank you for all of the helpful information!

[@SarahSpaceman]

Highly recommend the Fundie Fridays video on hobby lobby if you want more info on why I don’t buy from them

[@Noon-jt7gi]

It’s often not the cheapest, but digital printing places often do BIG samples if you don’t need whole yards. And if you’re careful you can fit a bunch of accent pieces onto an a3 sample. And sometimes you just don’t want to paint things. Sometimes you want someone’s dumb meme face on a dress. For UK - I love Contrado. They have every fabric I ever need, and list the weights. They have a sample book, but I don’t have and I’ve never been disappointed with my guesses.

[@shammydammy2610]

FWD was where I bought the poly shantung for my Guild Wars 2 cosplay. And then the marine vinyl for my Warcraft cosplay. They are my first go to.

[@thesavingsorceress]

Wow, this video was a revelation! Thanks for making it. I’ve always been a bit afraid to buy fabrics online, but your tips have given me the courage to finally try it out!

[@alexkass5548]

Beginner seamstress here and im so glad to have so many fabric resources to look at, i live in a small town where we have a walmart and a smaller hobby lobby and thats it for sewing supplies and the nearest city is a minimum hour drive away. Thank you so much for sharing this knowledge!!!

[@VincentWhite]

This is a great video and I adore everything you have to say on all the websites! I guess I've been doingthis too long though, bc I know about all of them, oops. An additional tip about aliexpress: That is a website that sells pre-made items, directly from manufacturers. Small artists and other businesses usually buy paper goods, plastic blanks, small machines, findings of every kind, and raw textile off of there for very cheap to save on production costs. It's not made for people to buy super specific stuff off of it like phones or jewelry, and if you buy pins off there, chances are really good that they're art theft from shady manufacturers looking to make a quick buck. But for fabric, lace, trim, beads, every kind of notion you could think of? Aliexpress will have it, it's almost always a legitimate seller, and they get stuff to you pretty dang fast, for stuff coming from the other side of the earth! It is one of the only places to get mochi minky (the stuff that squishables are made of!) in any color under the sun for a reasonable price (8 to 12 USD a yard).

[@Radcatcreations]

I’m so on the stretch velvet train I just bought a bunch of yards for my latest cosplay I was worried it would make it look cheap, but it ended up looking so luxurious

[@missclaireblume]

This is my 3rd time coming back to this video to reference something you said. You have changed my cosplay game with this information. I've already successfully ordered from Big Z and am finally feeling like I don't have to depend on Joanns for fabric. It's very freeing.

[@SarahSpaceman]

That's awesome! Im so glad its been helpful! And I felt the same way when I found some of these stores in particular, having a reliable place to find fabrics you love is so awesome

[@portobeIIa]

This video is 1 year old, and im nowhere near the US, but this video still helps me to what even start looking for locally around me (in my city theres an entire street dedicated to selling fabric by the meter and it's truly overwhelming if you dont have a very specific fabric in mind) Even if it's not something topical it still helps. Thanks from a cosplayer that started because of you ❤❤

[@ademers03]

I'm late to the party! I've heard that Peau de soie (pronounced "Poh duh so-ah") is quite expensive, so i'm really surprised to see the price point on these! D: i really have to check out that website!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks Sarah

[@sunnydoom2726]

FWD does have little videos for some of the favrics showing the drape, transparency, and wrinkliness.

[@lexyshade4868]

As someone who worked at joanns. The expensive prices are just to line corporates' pockets. They don't pay us a living wage. And barely can keep the place functioning.

[@KntckyFriedChkn]

As someone who has worked in multiple stores, across multiple states, in multiple Team Member positions for nearing 7 years, I can confirm. You can still find some REALLY nice deals if you know how to make it work, and if you have the right, and know how to time it. But you REALLY have to plan ahead and not just go in blind. Also, if you do, please dont go and just ask if we have "$2 fabric" We dont. The closest you'll EVER get is 36" wide Muslin, or Remnants And please for the love of god, be nice to the TMs. We're doing SO much more than just cutting your fabric and dealing with so much more "behind the curtain" than simply "cut what customer asks for." And if you dont know what youre doing, ASK. It'll make your life and ours so much easier.

[@barbarazuazua3927]

Awesome guide to fabrics! I use a few and I'm psyched to find a couple of new ones! Thanks!

[@signetofhelix]

I was reminiscing and watching Mango's fabric video and it recommended me to here 😭 Super helpful, thank you so much! :)

[@outeremissary4438]

This is really helpful! I always knew my cosplays were more expensive than they needed to be because I was relying on local JoAnns, and as much as getting to see what I was using in person can be helpful, sometimes you just know and need the cheapest thing... I just never had a good idea where to look for what and what would be reliable, so I never had much luck branching out! Fantastic resource I hope to be returning to for years to come.

[@originalkingdomhearts]

FWD used to be my go to place, but not only did they raise a lot of their prices, a lot of the cottons they had went down in quality. I honestly wouldn't use them for anything that isn't tricot or lining fabric.

[@DragonsEatTofu]

Wow! I’m not a cosplayer but one of my goals for the year is to learn to sew clothing and I’ve been so intimidated by how much even solid color fabric can cost at craft stores. I’m definitely going to buy the basics from these websites so I can practice without feeling too bad for messing up expensive fabrics.

[@jamieg6173]

The resources you are providing are so fantastic thank you!💖💖💖

[@Tabitha_Cerberus]

OMG I been looking for that mirror vinyl for forever! I came across it in Indonesia where the cosplayers there use it for their armor and props.

[@old_soul99]

So, I work at a Joann's and I can explain the "change for a 10" thing, lol. I'm not making excuses, just explaining the thinking. When you buy online to pick up in-store, the workers shop from the floor, it does not ship to the store then get held for you. Sometimes, we don't have 10 continuous yards, but we can make 10 yards out of pieces, because we have multiple bolts, or we've had returns, etc. Now, when I am filling an order and I can make the yardage out of pieces, I will use the store phone to call the customer and make sure that the piecing is okay. If not, we can give them the biggest piece we have and refund the rest, or straight up cancel the order for them.

[@dianatorres8013]

I'm not a cosplayer but I sew for Rensissance Faires and found your video to be very helpful and enjoyable. I use a couple of these online fabric stores but was looking for more options. Thank you for this, Im super grateful.

[@Ptolomia]

If you don't mind/are interested in Dyeing, I've had amazing success with Dharma Trading. You can get silk charmeuse there for really not that expensive (their heaviest/widest is, like $22 a yard, and everything else is under that), and they have a lot of different kinds of fabric from natural fibers. It does cost the time of dyeing, but if you like that or want to get into it, they also sell dyes! Highly recommend!

[@the_homun_system]

as someone who likes remnants i went in on a few things of remnant lots from SY and just happened to get lucky on getting a color that worked for a costume piece i was gonna use bedsheet fabric for and a lot of really nice colors they are definitely worth getting. i am honestly very happy to have found out about them

[@rickyrocks360]

Honestly thank you for sharing this information I was able to find fabric to almost recreate a costume to the exact way it was drawn out

[@Zlecky]

Perfect..I need to interface some bows so I will try that interface! I also just ordered my first swatches the other day..so I'll see how that goes

[@honeyflann]

this was so helpful thank you!! ive only ever fixed clothes not sewn them and ive been wanting to maybe start cosplays but i didnt know where to start so this was a life saver!

[@shadowrosepaiton_7205]

FWD also has an AMAZING selection of Organza! it's the same kind you can get at joanns only its $3 instead of 9 and they have some beautiful colors!

[@cap4life1]

Your videos are fantastic. Here’s to your channel growing more in the new year 🎉

[@ginger_is_my_cat]

Oh my god, I’ve been sewing for over a decade and I haven’t heard of most of these! So helpful!

[@doloressims5677]

OMG - so I need to make an otter turban for a Native American Straight dancer. There is a stiffener that is used for this process, but I really need it quickly and thanks to this video that I just now saw - I can use the Pellon 71 or 72F instead. Thank you!

[@BeetleBugz]

Thanks to your videos, after months of waiting and work, I finished my Peridot cosplay and am ready for conventions :)

[@SarahSpaceman]

Aww yay! Congrats on finishing your cosplay!

[@littlestrangedragon6355]

your channel is a real treasure

[@darkfirefox]

This is amazing thanks so much ive been trying to search for specific fabric but didnt really know what to look for online 🙌

[@kolesnikovaanna6781]

I am preparing for IELTS now and i use your video for it becausei want to be ready for hobby topic)))) . Thank you so much for help♥♥♥

[@sparklestheoctopus3120]

Thank you for another awesome video! I couldn't resist that gorgeous lunar pearlized iridescent organza and the bridal satin and some of it may have fallen into my cart. :D

[@KomekoroKoa]

I am just recently getting back into sewing after too many years of living situations with very little crafting room and too many roommates. I know this is a slightly older video, but if you don’t have the watch hours, well, I will definitely be helping! Liked, subscribed, and I may even have a peak into the discord. Thank you so much for all the resources!

[@saturnc.2270]

Thank you so much for this~!! I’m working on Mollymauk for Momocon and I’ve been sooooo scared to waste money buying the wrong fabric for his coat- this has really helped me understand what type of fabric I need to go for~!

[@pinklasa9na]

thank you so much for this video and overall your whole channel! ive just started making my own cosplays after years of just buying them, so youre really helpful to me rn :D

[@akaurimenitz1368]

I'm so excited to see Big Z Fabrics on this list!! I sew mainly plushies and am soon gonna be branching out to clothing, and I haven't had a bad experience with them yet! I will say, though, that I order from them through their Etsy shop so it comes in folded rather than rolled.

[@amuseinthecraftroom6257]

I've had pretty good luck with Wish for fancy trims and lace.

[@amuseinthecraftroom6257]

Facts on that stretch velvet from FWD. Love it

[@krisgrantz3271]

I've watched this video like a million times, finally dropped some money at Sy fabrics for their remnant lots for some bull bridal satin and triple plush velvet!

[@prom6750]

thank you soo much for this! honestly poly cotton pricing is so good and i appreciate you saying its a good budget option, i think most experienced folks are more likely to recommend expensive stuff and look down on cheaper options as they arent as good ...but i feel a little less embarrassed seeing someone say its useable !

[@SarahSpaceman]

Of course! when i started i used a whole lot of broadcloth, its a great cheap option that can make a totally great cosplay, AND you can find it in like every color

[@ricardomarquez1017]

Another website I go to is called tablecloths factory They basically have fabrics for like table runs and everything, I mostly use it for mock ups and patters but sometimes it’s nice to use it in your actual costume $20+tax and shipping for 10 yards of satin

[@songo948]

I will say the one fabric that I have not been able to find a suitable replacement for when it come to Joann fabric is their Anti-pill fleece. I make custom Kigu's for people and so far I haven't been able to find a fabric that is similar enough to switch to a new source. I've ordered dozens of swatches and so far none have had the range of colors, been as soft, had the right pile, or the same thickness as the ones from Joann. while it's very easy to find a dupe for their Blizzard fleece (aka polar fleece, which is lower quality then anti-pill) the anti-pill is so hard to find a perfect 1:1 replacement for.

[@abigailrakow8337]

This is EXACTLY what I needed bless your heart

[@Quinn-wh1nv]

Iirc, peau de soie is said "poe d' swah" This is a great list including some stores I hadn't heard of! And I appreciate you telling everyone to NOT buy from Hobby Lobby.

[@kaiyaw3877]

ive been really intrested about buying fabric online and this was very helpful!

[@deventruax6587]

saving this video for all my future projects

[@smolbluelady5278]

Dupioni is actually a more sustainable silk because they allow the worms to hatch first, so they break open the cocoons and then the fibers are processed which makes the slub texture

[@mdavisscadedu]

Great video. Suggest you add a label to your video (finding fabric online) and market it to the entire sewing/crafting community.

[@itemcollectors7077]

Perfect guide for my article!

[@chaoticneutral8589]

I never thought to get fabric from some of these sites but that gold reflective fabric made my jaw drop. I'm gonna get me some for my Catherine of Aragon cosplay from Six. But this helps me woth looking more into online sites for my fabric and I thank you so much for the recommendation.

[@SarahSpaceman]

Aww! Thanks so much for the super thanks! And best of luck on your cosplay!

[@elfi643]

I really like muslin for mockups bc it’s easy to work with and ive found it for 3 dollars a yard when its marked down it’s so nice

[@alhovera]

Sarah video!!!! wooooh thank you for all your amazing content ^^.

[@mag_e3792]

this video is everything I needed. thank you!!!

[@bethysboutique]

I used the pellon heavyweight fusible upholstery interfacing for the collar of my comic Doctor Strange (616) cloak of levitation and it is a BEAST

[@sarahdean1819]

This is so incredibly helpful!!