Holiday Fabric Shopping Tips and Tricks From a Full-Time Crafter

As the holidays approach, I don’t know about you, but I’m already thinking of all the sewing projects I can do to make my home look cozy and festive for the winter months. One of the biggest questions that pop into my mind is, “Where to buy cheap Christmas fabric for all my projects?”

In this post, I will share all my tips and tricks for buying holiday fabrics online and, hopefully, help you save money and time this holiday season. 

When To Buy Holiday Fabric?

Many of us have a budget we like to stick to when it comes to buying fabric, especially around the end of the year when it seems we’re spending way more than we usually do the rest of the year. But is the end of the year the best time to buy holiday fabrics?

The answer is usually…no! I know many fabric stores, in person and online, have sales on festive fabrics around November and December, but those discounts are often 10%-20% off. Hey, a deal is a deal, but wouldn’t it be awesome if you could get fabric 50%+ off?

Cheap Christmas fabric is pretty easy to find in the off-season. What does that mean? I suggest checking your favorite fabric stores and websites starting in July for Holiday fabric sales. 

Many times shops want to clear out last year’s fabric collections for the new collections being released in the coming winter months. July through September is a great time to find great deals on precuts, yardage, and Christmas fabric panels. 

Stores will also put their holiday fabrics on sale right after New Year, so if you want to stock up on fabric for the next year, I suggest checking your favorite fabric stores right after the holidays. 

Don’t worry; if you’re reading this in the last couple of months of the year, there is still hope for you to find discounted Christmas fabrics for your holiday-themed projects. Later in this post, I will give you the tips and tricks I use when shopping for fabric, regardless of the fabric type or time of year. 

Best Online Stores For Christmas Fabric

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of online stores that sell fabric for every type of sewing project imaginable. The following sites that I will list are sites that I have personally ordered from and would recommend to my fellow crafters and sewists. 

The most important things you want to keep in mind when shopping online for fabric are:

• Does the site have good reviews? A way to find out about a site is to look at its social media presence, or you can check them out on the Better Business Bureau website. 
• Does the fabric look like it’s good quality? I know it’s not the easiest to see if a material is a good quality product through a computer screen, but use your best judgment. Some sites will actually send you a test swatch so you can see the fabric in person before you purchase a large amount. 

• Are the fabrics from known manufacturers? The site should be transparent about who manufactures the products they sell. You want a fabric that will last, not fall apart or fade after a couple of washes. 

Now that you know what to look for let’s discuss where to buy cheap Christmas fabric online. I’m not affiliated with any of these sites; I’ve just had good experiences with them in the past and continue to shop with them today.

• Joann– They are a well-known arts and crafts store in the US with a vast selection of fabrics. Joanns Christmas fabrics are gorgeous whether you want to make a quilt, a Christmas party dress, or handmade ornaments for your tree. They have some of the most significant discounts throughout the holiday season and a wide selection of fabric for any style. 
• Etsy– Etsy is a fabulous and unique site. It’s a selling platform for thousands of small businesses. Most people know Etsy is where you can find handmade items, but there’s also a massive marketplace for sewing and crafting supplies. Search for Christmas fabrics, and you’ll come up with thousands of options. I’ll give you some tips about shopping on Etsy later in this post. *wink wink* Plus, it’s a huge bonus knowing you support a small business when you purchase from an Etsy shop.
• Fabric.com– This site is one of my favorite sites to order fabrics. #1 has a HUGE selection of materials. #2 runs sales throughout the year. #3 I’ve always received my purchases within a week of ordering. #4 carries designer fabrics and fabrics from trusted manufacturers. You don’t have to worry about something not being good quality. 
• Missouri Star Quilt Co.– This company is well-known in the quilting community, but they sell fabrics you can use for all kinds of crafting, not just quilting. They also run sales all year round and have Daily Deals, so it’s well worth signing up for their email list if you like great deals on quilting cotton and sewing notions. 

If you’re on the hunt for the perfect Christmas gifts for a crafter or sewist, check out my blog post here, where I walk you through some great sites that sell everything a creative person would want!

Tips and Tricks to Get the Best Deals on Christmas Fabrics This Year

Here are a few tips and tricks I’ve learned to save money on fabric over the years. By the way, these tips can be used any time of year, not just for Christmas fabric. 

1. Email Sign-Up Discount

Do you know when you get that pop-up window for signing up for a site’s email list? It’s a general practice for a site to offer a discount code (usually 15% off) to new subscribers. You can always unsubscribe later after you’ve used the code. 

2. Email Coupons

Many sites email their subscribers throughout the year special coupons just for being a subscriber. Staying on the email list lets you know whenever they have a flash sale or clearance event. You just need to remember to check your promotional emails every once in a while. 

3. Etsy Discount Codes

A couple of years ago, Etsy pressured its sellers to provide discount codes and coupons in various ways to their customers. A few ways that you can *possibly* get a discount (I say possibly because not all Etsy sellers offer these discounts):

• Favorite items- If the seller offers a discount to potential customers who favorite their listings, you will receive an email a day or two after favoriting that item. 
• Add items to your cart- If you add items to your cart but don’t check out a day or two later, you will receive an email with the discount coupon code if that seller offers them. 
• Follow or favorite shops- If you favorite a shop, you will then be notified whenever that shop is having a sale. 
• “Thank you” coupon- Many Etsy sellers send a “thank you” coupon to their customers after they purchase something from them. 
• Regular sales- Etsy encourages its sellers to run sales when traditional retail stores are running sales, so Labor Day, Black Friday, and Holiday Season sales are extremely popular on Etsy. 

4. Sign Up for Texts

A newer sales tactic companies use is asking potential customers to sign-up for text message marketing. Most sites only send a text or two a week letting you know of new items to the site, sales, and coupon codes. They usually offer a discount code for signing up for the texting program, just like when you sign up for an email list. You can cancel anytime. 

That concludes my advice for today on where to buy cheap Christmas fabric and how to get the best discounts on fabric. Do you have a favorite online fabric store? Let me know in the comments below!

Happy Shopping and Stitching!