Joann Fabrics going out of business

[ysabetwordsmith]

Joann Fabrics closing all locations—including Illinois stores

Weeks after announcing the closure of 500 stores, Joann Fabrics announced it will be closing all of its 800+ locations.


I am upset because that's the last big fabric store around here. All that's left will be a few specialty shops that I don't bother with because they're so limited and expensive. And I can't buy fabric without touching it. So that drastically limits the possibility of making clothes should commercial options become untenable.

I'm so frustrated with capitalism nowadays. It can't seem to keep things going anymore -- and the sector of affordable goods is getting hit really hard, as with the loss of Big Lots. You can't DIY if you can't source the base materials. >_<


EDIT 2/27/25 -- oracne offers this Bluesky thread listing some alternative places to buy fabric.

I also suggested that people get together and form a cooperative to purchase fabric and distribute it. This would work at a college fashion or theatre department, other schools, craft clubs, etc. It will be easiest to set up before the Joanns all close, because then you can talk with other crafters at the store and attempt to network solutions.

Also it's a great time to start your own fabric store if that has been a dream -- get in now while you can grab a massive amount of market share.

Comments

Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> While it won't help with finding /specialty/ fabric, I've often had good luck upcycling old clothes, linens and blankets. <<

I've done it. But it doesn't have near the lifespan of new fabric. I don't mind modifying thrift clothes, but if I'm going to invest hours of sewing, I want new or near-new cloth in large pieces.

>> I do wish the online fabric retailers would offer 'sample books' or something. <<

Some do, but the samples cost money. This is perfectly reasonable for specialty fabric like velvet, satin, etc. But it kills the frugality of buying things like muslin or cotton knit.

Re: Thoughts

[see_also_friend]

>>...I want new or near-new cloth in large pieces.<

While it does admittedly require a bit of luck, I have sometimes found blankets or sheets that have large sections of new or near-new fabric, but they have been discarded due to having a hole or an ugly stain. (I actually just got a very nice blanket for practically nothing this way - all I needed to do was sew up the corner!) If the damaged area(s) aren't too big, then you can often have quite a lot of useable fabric.

And you don't always need a ton of fabric for making stuff. I've made skirts and bags out of salvaged/thrifted pillowcases before.

Alternately, if you're stuck working with substandard fabric, you can probably try using simpler patterns to minimize the effort invested. Think a medieval tunic rather than a modern fitted shirt, for example. There are fewer seams, and less fitting is required, so overall it will be a lot less effort. (...and if using a machine, most of the time will be cutting and pinning. I usually handsew, which...can take awhile.)

To be fair, I don't usually have enough money lately to buy new-from-the-store fabric for my projects, and we do have several good thrift stores in town, so I am probably working with different goals and limitations than a lot of other people.

>>Some do, but the samples cost money. This is perfectly reasonable for specialty fabric like velvet, satin, etc. But it kills the frugality of buying things like muslin or cotton knit.<<

Ideally, I would suggest that brick-and-mortar stores could carry the sample books, and people could place orders for fabric after looking at the samples - just like one does with paint at the hardware store.

Probably a custom tailor or seamstress shop might find it worthwhile to invest in a sample book, but only the most die-hard of sewists would want to buy a whole book.

An individual hobbyist might be able to buy individual samples. If they can narrow their choices down to a handful of options, $5-10 to check that the proposed fabric for your major project is workable isn't that big of an issue, compared to, say, $300 of materials and several hundred hours to make a good cosplay outfit.

Also, if the fabrics don't change every year, it might be possible to build up a library of sorts over several years.

It would also be helpful if people could order individual samples "any 20 samples from this category for $20 plus shipping," because then they could get exactly what they want rather than having to buy a new and expensive book for every project.

Re: Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> Alternately, if you're stuck working with substandard fabric, you can probably try using simpler patterns to minimize the effort invested. <<

I've done coven robes, which are simple. I've done historic garb, and prefer simple to moderate patterns. I've done skirts and tops, pants and shorts. I made one fitted blouse for a friend, but it was more work than either of wanted to repeat.

I hand sew because, while I know how to use a sewing machine, it's hard to keep the damn thing running, so hand sewing is actually faster and will get done.

>> Ideally, I would suggest that brick-and-mortar stores could carry the sample books, and people could place orders for fabric after looking at the samples - just like one does with paint at the hardware store.<<

Better than nothing, although a small sample will only give you texture and color. You can't tell the drape from a swatch.

>> Probably a custom tailor or seamstress shop might find it worthwhile to invest in a sample book, but only the most die-hard of sewists would want to buy a whole book.<<

There's a place we spotted that does custom clothes. I'm trying to resist the temptation because that's an expensive habit I don't need, especially comparing quality to the crap on the racks I can actually afford.

>>Also, if the fabrics don't change every year, it might be possible to build up a library of sorts over several years.<<

Trouble is, fabric has a high rate of churn, especially the fashion fabrics. You might manage to find a stable supply of something like muslin or denim. Maybe.

I think a cooperative would work well. A club of crafters could buy in bulk together, and get samples. But it's still greatly inferior to having a large affordable fabric store. Some people will find workarounds. Many will just have to do without.

Re: Thoughts

[gatheringrivers]

Here's a simple tunic pattern you might find fun. :)

Re: Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

I've seen that, although this is a great page. :D However, I have no desire to sew that many extra seams!

... still useful to have in case of emergency.

Re: Thoughts

[gatheringrivers]

I suck at tailoring - medieval patterns like that have been the saving grace when I want something out of a specific fabric type that I just can't find otherwise.

Re: Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

I can do basic tailoring like changing hem length, moving buttons, etc.

I prefer to work from a pattern when sewing, but I can make one from scratch if it's not too complicated. I often modify patterns if I want a different feature.

Re: Thoughts

[see_also_friend]

>>I've done...<<

I think I've done everything on here but the coven robes, and that's only because I don't need specific/specialized religious clothing.

>>I hand sew because,...<<

Same.

You have to set the thing up, which is a pain. Then it keeps quitting, which is frustrating, and if you've gone to the trouble of setting it up, it usually breaks right in the middle of a massive amount of work, because why go to all that trouble for just a small job?

Plus the machine is noisy and needs specific space, so it's hard to do anything else at the same time. With handspring, you can have a conversation, meditate, think about your to-do or grocery list, watch tv/listen to the radio, etc.

And handspring allows for specific detail work that you can't do on a machine.

I think machines might only be better for sewing long straight lines, speed*, or sewing bulk amounts of sewing*.

*...but only if the machine actually works!

>>...although a small sample...<<

A sample an inch or few inches would be cheapest. I'm not sure how large it would have to be to show drape. I have seen upholstery and wallpaper samples in the 1 ft square to 3 ft square range. That might work if someone wants to order a larger sample before ordering something /really/ expensive.

Also, if larger samples are just for the drape, they may be able to offer cheaper under samples of different materials/weaves. (Though I can see how someone might want to check drape and color together.)

>>There's a place we spotted that does custom clothes. I'm trying to resist the temptation because that's an expensive habit I don't need,...<<

That's one of the reasons I sew. I can thrift quality stuf and do basic tailoring myself. Alternately, I can scrounge fabric, and make something that is exactly what is want.

>>Trouble is, fabric has a high rate of churn, especially the fashion fabrics.<<

I could see that for high fashion stuff, but I'd think that there would be some 'staples' that would remain mostly consistant.

Denim will always be denim, and while the Christmas quilting cotton might have a different pattern each year, the company probably won't change the thread or weave nearly as often.

Fancy stuff like velvet... well, black velvet of a given type (material and weave) from the same company should still be roughly the same, allowing for dye lot variances.

Though I could see someone ordering tiny samples to compare quality to past years offerings.

>>But it's still greatly inferior to having a large affordable fabric store.<<

You can n only do what you can do.

Maybe someone could set up a fabric salvage or ragpicking buissiness?

>>Some people will find workarounds. Many will just have to do without.<<

I think I might already be in the 'find workarounds' group. New fabric is expensive!

Though, I'll probably check out the clearance sales, once the store gets that far.

Re: Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

>>I think I've done everything on here but the coven robes, and that's only because I don't need specific/specialized religious clothing.<<

Hilariously, we bought a nativity pattern set for it!

>>You have to set the thing up, which is a pain. Then it keeps quitting, which is frustrating, and if you've gone to the trouble of setting it up, it usually breaks right in the middle of a massive amount of work, because why go to all that trouble for just a small job?<<

Exactly.

>>Plus the machine is noisy and needs specific space, so it's hard to do anything else at the same time. With handspring, you can have a conversation, meditate, think about your to-do or grocery list, watch tv/listen to the radio, etc.<<

My grandmother's singer was in a sort of desk where the machine would fold down into it and leave you a flat work surface for other crafts. It was brilliant. It had a treadle as well as the electric upgrade. Honestly, it worked better than the modern ones, and that was before they turned into computers that sew. :/

Indeed, much of my hand sewing has taken place while talking with people.

>> I think machines might only be better for sewing long straight lines, speed*, or sewing bulk amounts of sewing*.<<

I found it so.

>>A sample an inch or few inches would be cheapest. I'm not sure how large it would have to be to show drape. I have seen upholstery and wallpaper samples in the 1 ft square to 3 ft square range. That might work if someone wants to order a larger sample before ordering something /really/ expensive.<<

You need at least a foot to see any drape, 3 is better, and none of that compares to seeing how it hangs off the end of a bolt in a store. You can look down a whole row of a hundred bolts and tell at a glance which to examine closer.

>>That's one of the reasons I sew. I can thrift quality stuf and do basic tailoring myself. Alternately, I can scrounge fabric, and make something that is exactly what is want.<<

Yep. I've done historic garb and ritual wear. I've made clothes for myself because I couldn't find what I needed in stores. The last is why I considered fabric stores a backup in case buying new ceases to be an option. I am capable of hand-sewing a capsule wardrobe of plain cotton knitwear. But that just got a lot less feasible, because I would want to do it affordably and not pay velvet prices for very basic fabric.

>>I could see that for high fashion stuff, but I'd think that there would be some 'staples' that would remain mostly consistant.<<

If people were logical, sure. But they're not. They're redesigning perfectly serviceable products every year or two, just to justify having a job of designing products or packages. It's such a waste of resources, at a time when we really need to reduce waste.

>> Maybe someone could set up a fabric salvage or ragpicking buissiness?<<

Salvage is a great idea. I think a fabric cooperative could work too.

>>Though, I'll probably check out the clearance sales, once the store gets that far.<<

I definitely want to check ours, maybe after the fishbowl if it does well. The last couple didn't sell a lot.

Re: Thoughts

[see_also_friend]

>>I am capable of hand-sewing a capsule wardrobe of plain cotton knitwear. But that just got a lot less feasible, because I would want to do it affordably and not pay velvet prices for very basic fabric.<<

Here, I'd look for old sheets, scrap, etc of sufficient size. Or get some old clothes and modify them. I've resized really large thrifted shirts (with expensive fabric), for example.

If I am buying fabric new and off the roll, it is probably for something specific and custom I am marketing. Reenactment stuff, a custom dress, a baby quilt, etc.

Of course, there are also good thrift stores in my current town. One has very affordable sheets/linens (a couple of dollars) and the other has a very good selection of scraps (many sizes).

For clothes, I've also had good luck shopping at rummage sales and yard sales. It won't work as well if you need special sizes or some adaptive stuff, but $2-5 per garment is other wise fairly good, even if it needs slight repairs or alterations.

This stuff also might not work as well for specialty clothing - stuff that needs to be sun protective or waterproof or work for other such special circumstances.

>>They're redesigning perfectly serviceable products every year or two, just to justify having a job of designing products or packages.<<

Well, I guess it'll fizzle out eventually. Probably very inconveniently, too.

>>Salvage is a great idea. I think a fabric cooperative could work too.<<

I'll suggest centering it around a group or groups that routinely use a lot of fabric - theatres, SCA and so on. If other people buy in it will make it easier/more affordable, but you still want a fairly large and tight-knit group to form the core, for extra stability.

>>I definitely want to check ours, maybe after the fishbowl if it does well. The last couple didn't sell a lot.<<

I have a few prompt ideas floating around.
:)