Where do you buy your craft supplies?

[ruemorgan]

Im wondering where you buy your craft supplies at the best cost. Do you wait for specific coupons before buying? Are there any websites (other than your standard craft stores like michaels and joanns) that you like to buy supplies from?

Maybe this could also be a place to share good coupons/deals with each other. I heard on the radio tonight that joanns will have a coupon for 60% off one item starting tomorrow (10/22/15)

[cam]

I'm not brave enough to buy most things online. I have to touch fabrics and yarn plus see colors of most things in person. Refills of stuff I've already had (or at least checked out in person), I am willing to buy online, though I can often buy in store easy enough for a good price. Zippers though is frequently hands down the best deal to buy from ZipperStop via Amazon. I have bought some cake decorating stuff online, Wonder Clips, and sewing machine presser feet, and am eyeing some piping, online (mostly on Amazon). Estate sales can sometimes be good for linings for clothing, batting, thread, and random stuff. I got a bunch of brand new rotary blades, numerous crochet hooks, batting, and other stuff for a couple of bucks once.

[cmeon]

I go to Joann's or Michael's (and REALLY occasionally Hobby Lobby, because fuck them) for things I need RIGHT NOOOOOW. I buy some things off Amazon- if it's something I can't get locally or if it's just way better priced than coupon+sale at B&M stores (like cam mentioned, Zipperstop prices are awesome). I order fabric from Fabric.com, though, no where near as often in the past years as I did 5+ years ago (they used to have fabulous sales + coupons + amazing customer service- none of which they have any longer), connecting threads, a few smaller vendors (I've picked up some great knits on Ebay from a seller that lives near the fabric district). I've ordered yarn from lots of different sources- I'm not a fan of what I can find in the big box stores these days (my Michael's has NOTHING but acrylic now).

Basically, I spend money everywhere.

[skategirl128]

I kinda go everywhere. I do use coupons and shop sales. I haven't ever ordered online, but I really want nicer yarn than I can find in the stores here. I'll take any recommendations you ladies have!

[kariann12]

Like PPs, I buy stuff mostly everywhere. Joann's a lot. There's a craft market in my city that's nice, but pricey. I'll usually only buy online if I've bought it before since I know what I'm getting.

[olenka]

I go everywhere...shopping for craft supplies and fabric is one way I unwind in addition to the bigger stores I go to independent stores that do sales and have punch cards. Also there is a craft supply recyclery type place in my city...have found so much random cool stuff there for cheap. I look for garage and estate sales on CL sometimes, too.

[MsNicole06]

I'm also on a little bit of everywhere. I never pay full price on anything. I love my small local shops especially when I'm looking for great quality items.

If I need a large quantity of card stock in a certain color I ordered it from my families print shop. It's really high quality so it's pricey but it's nice to be able to get the exact color of blue I need.

[cam]

Oct 28, 2015 19:11:21 GMT -5 MsNicole06 said:

I'm also on a little bit of everywhere. I never pay full price on anything. I love my small local shops especially when I'm looking for great quality items.

If I need a large quantity of card stock in a certain color I ordered it from my families print shop. It's really high quality so it's pricey but it's nice to be able to get the exact color of blue I need.

It is amazing how hard a lot of blues are to find! When I needed a sapphire blue, nice quality, fairly heavy but not necessarily card stock weight paper, MH and I looked in sooo many places. Even my family friends who are printers couldn't find a dark enough one to fit the bill. MH and I looked all around are largish city, all around another largish city, and finally looked all over the Twin Cities where we finally stumbled upon a tiny little shop way deep in the heart of the cities that had the perfect paper. Until we found that place, I wasn't even finding anything remotely close.

[MsNicole06]

cam it is really hard to find perfect colors if you don't know the name and brand. Having the print shop has been great for me with doing all of DDs bday decorations and invites. I got the shades of purple, turquoise, and Aqua I wanted.

[muscari]

I'm so envious of y'all having so many places to shop for craft supplies around:) While it's easier now then 10 years ago to get stuff, supplies are still limited around here (Netherlands) ánd often crazily expensive - not to mention we're often late to the party when new stuff is introduced haha. Though I have to admit, the bigger brands are good at also including EU these days when they bring out new stuff, yay! Whenever I travel to the States I make sure to stock up on things that I know aren't for sale or real expensive here!

[cam]

Oct 29, 2015 5:43:59 GMT -5 muscari said:

I'm so envious of y'all having so many places to shop for craft supplies around:) While it's easier now then 10 years ago to get stuff, supplies are still limited around here (Netherlands) ánd often crazily expensive - not to mention we're often late to the party when new stuff is introduced haha. Though I have to admit, the bigger brands are good at also including EU these days when they bring out new stuff, yay! Whenever I travel to the States I make sure to stock up on things that I know aren't for sale or real expensive here!

I recently moved to a bigger city from the middle of nowhere, rural USA. Roughly a decade ago, our one big box store that had a craft department dropped it. It was extremely difficult to get much of anything aside from a cheap little hand sewing kit, crappy yarn in a handful of colors, and a bit of quilting cotton fabric after that. It is like a new world for me now to have access to choices and whatnot without an hour or more drive and $50 in fuel (obviously a special trip just for craft stores was not remotely worth it). I admit I was like a kid in a candy store and went a little wild at first. Now that my supply closet is busting at the seams, I am more successful at reminding myself that the stuff will still be just as accessible tomorrow, next week, etc.

[muscari]

Oct 29, 2015 8:11:26 GMT -5 cam said:

I admit I was like a kid in a candy store and went a little wild at first. Now that my supply closet is busting at the seams, I am more successful at reminding myself that the stuff will still be just as accessible tomorrow, next week, etc.

Hah that was me to a T whenever I spent some time in the States previously and had several craft stores nearby! We semi-recently moved to a bigger house and I now have my own hobby room and finally have a proper place for all the supplies I hoarded over time