All About Fabrics Is a Big Browse for Makers and Home Projects

A bolt of upholstery fabric can change the whole direction of a room: a deeper blue for dining chairs, a textured neutral for a sofa, a bright print that turns into cushions instead of fading into the background. At All About Fabrics, that initial search can quickly become a long, pleasantly absorbing browse through fabrics, craft supplies, seasonal goods and more.

This is a large, warehouse-style destination built for people who like to see materials in person. The scale invites comparison—pattern against pattern, texture against texture, one possible curtain fabric against another that might be better for a valance or a set of pleated shades.

A quick errand is possible, but the store is especially suited to project-minded wandering. Shoppers often come in with one room or sewing plan in mind, then begin collecting ideas and materials for several more.

The fabric selection reaches well beyond simple craft cuts. Designer upholstery fabrics are among the materials available, alongside choices for curtains, cushions, window valances, quilts and other projects that need more than a basic cotton print.

For a home update, being able to handle a fabric is useful in ways a screen cannot quite duplicate. You can compare the weight of an upholstery option with a drapery fabric, look at the surface texture, and decide whether a color has enough presence for a chair, shade or whole window treatment.

The inventory has supplied fabric for rope baskets as well as substantial upholstery work. It can suit the person recovering a favorite chair and the person who has decided, after a little browsing, that a handmade basket would be a nice way to use an afternoon.

All About Fabrics is not arranged around the idea that you will see every option in a few minutes. The volume of material can take hours to work through, and a return trip for another project—or for the things missed the first time—makes sense.

That abundance is enjoyable, though it can also test the resolve of anyone who arrived with a very specific mission. A project list can be handy when the plan is to find fabric for one pair of cushions and not leave with possible ideas for a quilt, curtains and a holiday craft.

Colors and textures are a major reason to browse slowly. Vivid fabrics, substantial-looking surfaces and appealing quality give the selection a tactile side that is hard to reduce to a search bar.

One of the more useful sides of the store is its help with hard-to-find and discontinued fabrics. Staff can assist customers looking for additional yardage, an especially important service when a project needs enough matching material to carry across several pieces of furniture.

That can mean the difference between using a favorite fabric on one chair and having enough to finish a sofa and coordinating chairs. A discontinued Stout Journey fabric in Wedgewood, for example, has been successfully special ordered with help securing more yardage.

Availability naturally varies with discontinued goods, but the willingness to work on a specific fabric search gives a large project a better chance than simply settling for the closest substitute on the shelf.

The physical browse is a draw, but All About Fabrics also sells online. The ordering process includes tracking and shipping updates, making it possible to keep a project moving when an in-person visit is not on the calendar.

Samples are particularly helpful for upholstery, curtains and other purchases where color needs to be right. Multi-sample orders let you compare tone, quality and texture before committing to several yards.

A fabric that looked pale teal or green on a phone screen turned out to be gray in person—a small but very practical reminder that screens can be unreliable with cloth. A swatch provides a much better chance to see how a material works with the room, furniture or other fabrics already in the project.

Fabric may be the main reason to visit, but it is not the only merchandise in the building. Arts-and-crafts supplies and miscellaneous craft materials create plenty of side routes for anyone assembling a broader project.

There are also inexpensive toys and some furniture, which adds to the cheerful unpredictability of a trip. The hunt can move from upholstery yardage to a small craft item or an unexpected household find without much warning.

Seasonal merchandise has also appeared well ahead of the holidays, with Halloween and Christmas items on shelves in early September. It is one more reason a fabric search can turn into a cartful of plans for the weeks ahead.

Helpful, friendly assistance is available for shoppers who need to locate a particular material or sort through a question about yardage. That is welcome in a store where the range is broad enough to make a first pass feel like only the beginning.

The in-person store can merit a dedicated drive for people who prefer to assess fabric directly and spend time with the choices. For everyone else, the website and sample ordering make a useful companion to the larger shopping experience.

In midsummer, the store may be more comfortable earlier in the day. Otherwise, the main practical consideration is simple: allow enough time to browse, because one project has a way of becoming several.