There's a gem of a fabric store in Lincoln, RI, called Ryco. It's a bit far from Aquidneck Island (45 minutes from my home in Portsmouth), but worth the trip for quilting supplies, longarm quilting classes and services, and also TRIM. 

​They specialize in selling trim of all descriptions in bulk or by the yard. Ribbon, fringe, pom pom, bias tape, lace, ric rac, cording, hook and loop tape, webbing...the list is seemingly endless.

​They sell fabric as well, both in quilting precuts, by the yard, fat quarters, and remnants. They carry a beautiful selection of quilting fabric. You won't find much in the way of apparel fabric because their specialty truly is quilting. You also won't find fabric bargains, not even in their bargain bin (especially if you've already been to Lorraine's in Pawtucket (see my post on Lorraine's here). But you will find Cotton + Steele which is hard to come by in this region in a brick and mortar shop.

​They offer classes in a variety of topics, mostly quilt-related. They also have several long-arm quilting machines. You can take a class in how to use the machine, then are certified to rent their machines by the hour (~$20/hour depending on the machine). This is a tremendous resource if you are interested in stepping up your machine quilting game without sending out your quilt to a professional. 
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​The shop is located in an old mill, off the main road a bit. Look for a caricature of the owner's face to lead the way!

​For those not in my area, they also ship just about everything they carry in the shop, but you'll have to call and speak to someone because their website doesn't really accommodate ecommerce well. 
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​While a bit of a drive, once you get off the highway, it's a beautiful one. If you've visited the shop, let me know what you think in the comments!
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​Have you ever bought fabric from IKEA? Did you know they sell fabric by the yard? Did you also realize that there are many usable beautiful textiles IKEA sells in other departments that are perfect to cut up for sewing?

​45-60 minutes North from Aquidneck Island, IKEA in Stoughton, MA, is well worth the drive. I took a trip last week and came home with pictures to share with you, showing you how many options you have in fabric. Most especially, inexpensive fabric.
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​They have recently started carrying pre-cut lengths of fabric.

​They also carry their own sewing machine and a handful of notions. I'm not sure this is any better than the toy machines you can buy for kids. I have no experience with this and do not recommend it. I still very heartily recommend buying a good used machine, or something like the Brother CS6000i or the Janome Magnolia. $64.99 seems tempting, but playing with the reverse button and dial, makes me think it's not even worth that low price tag.

The same applies for their thread and scissor quality. Use a coupon or wait for a sale to get quality thread and a workhorse like fabric shears at a craft or fabric store.

​Still, this shows me that a big corporation believes sewing is a growing hobby, not something dying out. That is very encouraging!

​Besides the obvious fabric available in the cutting department, this store is filled with fabric options if you change the way you think a bit.

​Look at the cool graphics in a table runner, napkins and tea towels. You can use these for so many things! I've made kids art aprons from IKEA tea towels for birthday party favors. You can make a variety of zip pouches from the napkins. Use the existing hems to your advantage. Cut up with abandon for patchwork. Once you look beyond the label, and think of these as smaller cuts of fabric rather than yards on a bolt, the possibilities are endless.

​What if you need a larger piece of fabric and a napkin isn't enough?
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​Shower curtains! $4.99 for a huge panel of fabric--you really can't find that anywhere else (though I hope you'll start seeing things like the clearance rack at Marshall's as sources of inexpensive fabric too!). Keep in mind the fiber content and what project you have in mind. Personally, I wouldn't want to make a skirt out of a nylon water-resistant shower curtain, but it might be perfect for a picnic blanket. Or rough and tumble beach bag.

​Last but not least, curtain panels. You can find linen curtains for far less than you would buy yardage at the fabric store, even after sales and coupons. A 2-pack of curtain panels is a huge amount of fabric.

​The possibilities are limited only by your imagination. Have you ever sewn with textiles from IKEA? I would love to hear about it, and see photos of what you've made!

This is the first in a series I'm writing as a resource to my fellow creatives in Rhode Island and the surrounding region. When I teach sewing lessons, most people think the only resource for fabric is the national chain store Joann Fabrics. NOT TRUE!! While there are many places offering expensive fabric*, especially some fabulous online boutiques, there are also many local resources that are wallet-friendly. I'll share each of my favorite fabric sources in a separate post, compiling everything as a permanent resource here on my website when finished.

​Let's talk about Lorraine Fabrics. The link goes to the Facebook page--they do not have a website.

Located in an old mill in Pawtucket, RI, since 1991, they carry discontinued fabric. Bolts that simply haven't sold in quilt shops, etc., and they offer it all at a huge discount. There are two floors, and you'll notice quickly--hand written signs everywhere. Word of advice: obey the signage. I find that following the rules and being extremely nice to staff who can be a bit cranky is well worth getting fabric for almost nothing.

*I'll share the online resources in an upcoming post.

​If you see something you like, buy it now. Because everything has been discontinued, it may not be there the next time you go.

​For me, it's about a 45 minute drive. Well worth it, but also not a store I can pop over to without planning. If you go, let me know what you think!! Even better, send me a picture of something you've made with fabric you purchased there!