Where to Find Cheap Fabric

Whether you are the type of person who likes to buy your fabric for a specific project or one who collects them along the way, finding good deals and prices on fabric will always be a win. Over the years, I have seen a lot of good advice from group members in the Beginning Sewing group on Facebook. Some of which I have written about in the past. However, today I am going to show why Joann Fabrics is where to find cheap fabric and give you an inside look at some of my personal savings from a recent trip.

(Disclaimer: This is not a paid or sponsored post – it is being written to inform beginners on how to find fabric cheap using my personal discoveries).

Tips for Shopping at Joanns

Let me start off by saying these deals are NOT online deals.  To utilize these tips, you will need to be able to visit Joann Fabrics in person. These deals will also NOT work for the order online and pick up in-store option. Here are a few in-store savings tips that you may not know:

1. You can use multiple coupons. That’s right! Stock up. Request to be on the mailing list, email list, receive text messages. You will also find more coupons on your printed receipts. Be warned, this store does send out a lot of marketing, but when you are ready to make your purchase, it will be worth it to have all of your coupons saved up. Most weeks they have a 50% off any item coupon. If you have the mailer, email, and text, that is THREE 50% off items you now have and can use simultaneously. Some weeks, this store will place a 60% off coupon in each!
2. Did you know that you can use competitors’ coupons? So now you have stocked up on the Joann Fabric coupons, stock up on competitors as well. You can use them alongside their coupons. I will take with me the Michaels 40% off coupon as well as the Hobby Lobby 40% off. You now have two more items that you can use a coupon on if they are not already on sale.
3. MORE coupons… Every now and again Joann Fabrics puts an additional coupon at the bottom of its offers for an additional 20% off.
4. EEEKKKK MORE coupons! Joann Fabrics also has the deal of $5 off your purchase of $35, $10 off your purchase of $50, and $15 off your purchase of $75 or more. This coupon can be worth the wait if you have a lot of things you need to buy. Or if there is a large priced item you have been wanting.

These coupons are adding up! But bundling coupons is only allowed in the store. And there are even more ways you can save even MORE money.

Let’s Keep Saving

1. Always shop the mailer to save the most money. Sometimes the fabric you might be shopping for is only 25-30% off. You would get a much better deal if you wait for the sale to end the following week and use your coupons for 50% + off.
2. Usually, around the cutting counter, you will find an end cap or two of fabric remnants. This is a great place to find fabric to practice on. You can get it for up to 75% off AND you can get an additional 20% off if you have the coupon. What is a remnant? These are precut fabrics that are typically returned or are from the end of the bold on clearance section. If there is under a yard of fabric left, it does not make it back to the rack on the bolt. It is packaged up and sent to the remnant section for you to discover.
3.  This last tip is one that I have a hard time telling. I struggle with this one for two reasons, first, I find a hard time believing this is true still and the second is, if I tell everyone, I might not find these deals as easily. This tip is one that I recently learned about, and not many know about it. One that is sooooo good, I have to ask them every time I am at the cutting counter if it is still a “thing.” Want to know how to get FREE fabric? Here is how you do it… head on over to the clearance rack where they have the colored dot discounts. Find a fabric that you like that is nearly gone (or a super cheap one that you want to use to practice on). When you get to the cutting counter order enough to leave just under a yard of fabric left on the bolt. Anything that is under a yard will be FREE. I know! This is hard to believe! I have been sewing for years now and have just learned about this! NOTE: The under a yard remnant is not always free. It seems to be an unadvertised promotion when it is, so always ask. However, when it is not the case, this remnant of fabric will still be an additional 75% off of the clearance price. Still a fantastic deal.  Let’s call this one the steal deal! Or maybe the feels too good to be real deal… ok you get my point, I’ll stop there!

With the number of coupons and sales that Joann Fabrics runs, it is hard to find any competitor that I can confidently say has better deals in abundance. This is where I always find my best deals when I need to stock up on my cheap fabric.

Ordering Online Tip

Perhaps you are not close to a Joann Fabric? Bummer. But, you can always order online.  The disadvantage here, however, is that you can only use one coupon at a time. But you can always watch the marketing flyers to see when free shipping is available. The company runs a new sale weekly.  If you are in need of a specific fabric type, wait for the sale, and use the free shipping coupon.

My Doorbuser Trip

On my last shopping trip to Joann Fabrics, I saved over $100. I saved $113.14 to be exact. But utilizing all of the tips above and making good use of the clearance rack and coupons available I was able to restock my fabric for some winter sewing.

Some of the purchases and savings I made worth a shout out were:

• Wash-N-Gone interfacing which is normally $9.98 a yard, I was able to get it at $3.49 a yard.

• White canvas fabric that was original $23.99 a yard, I was able to get for $10.79 a yard. This is always nice to have in your sewing room!
• Pink chiffon typically priced at $9.99 a yard, was discounted to only $2.63 a yard.
• I was looking for some silk lining for the inside of bags, and I was able to find a neutral blush colored one with the remnants for only $2.45 a yard after all of the discounts were applied, on sale from $6.99 a yard.
• The nice quality white linen I purchased to practice embroidery designs on was only $9.18 a yard, originally $19.99 per yard.

Not a single thing I purchased didn’t have a discounted price.  Getting to the register, I was then able to add in my additional coupons. One coupon included an additional 20% off the entire order, bringing it down to around $79. I was then able to use the $15 off of my purchase of $75 coupon.

My order had 29 items on it.  Fabric cuts between two yards to half a yard. I also had an impulse to purchased two large and fluffy yarns that were on sale and some painting supplies for my kids. All together my 13 fabrics, 2 spools of yarn, 2 large buttons, and painting supplies were only $62.09. Not too shabby huh?!?!?! A savings of $113.14.