Buying fabric online can be a double-edged sword. While the selection is enormous, you can run into trouble when you’re unable to see and feel the material up close like you would in a fabric store. To get the best of both worlds, here’s how to shop smart while online fabric shopping.

How to Buy Fabric Online

1. Use the Search Categories

With online fabric shopping, endless scrolling can end up being an aimless pursuit. In person, you can find the right material by chance when something catches your eye in the fabric store. Meanwhile, online selections are so vast that you’ll get lost in pages of options. To make a decision in a sea of choices, go into online fabric shopping with a mission of what you want to find. 

Narrow down the options on a site by using the search categories. These subcategories can isolate a specific color, type, print, weight, or even price range for the material you want. Using them will help you find possible choices faster, cutting out unviable options. 

2. Order Swatches

Shopping for fabric online can feel like a game of chance since you can’t see it in person. To help you get a better sense of the material before you buy a couple of yards for your project, many fabric stores will offer sample swatches for a small fee. Getting these swatches can help you determine whether the fabric is the right choice for your project, both in look and feel. 

3. Research the Fabric

When you land on the right choice of material, make sure to double-check the details, namely the width of the bolt. This dimension can vary greatly, from 35 inches to more than 108 inches wide, so you must understand what you’re working with before you buy so you don’t come up short with the material. 

For fabrics that may be more complicated to work with, such as spandex, read reviews, and research projects in which other sewists used that material. Seeing how your choice comes together for different projects can highlight how a fabric pattern looks on a garment-sized scale, and it can bring up any complications in the sewing process.

While our uncertain times make fabric store runs now a virtual feat, the team at Spandex House has you covered. With a vast repertoire of materials online, they have anything you need for your next project, as well as samples to narrow down your options. For more information about this Manhattan, NY, based fabric store, visit their website or give them a call today at (212) 354-6711.