First let me just say thank you so much for your sweet response here, on instagram, and through email/facebook/twitter about yesterday’s news.  It really means so much.  Voting continues through March 5th, so I’ll mention it from time to time on here in case you want to click on over and give me a little votey-vote.

Now, on to today’s post!  I get asked frequently where to find great deals on fabric, so I thought I would compile some useful information for you all in one place.  Designer fabrics can really set a room apart, in my opinion.  I think a great designer pillow or roman shade is well worth the investment, but you can’t go all designer all the time in a room.  Unless you’re a Kardashian.  Then you don’t do anything BUT designer.  But I, my friends, am no where near a Kardashian, and so I appreciate designer discounts.  I’ve learned a few tricks to finding great fabrics and pillows at a discounted price, so here are my top 5 tips for finding great deals on fabric and pillows.

(are you dying to see all of these chairs?  I’m dying to share them with you, and the story behind them!  Full post, and before and after next week!  Promise!  Tease:  I got the blue velvet fabric at one of my sources below)

1)  Home Fabrics.  This is a store, found mostly in the Western US, including where I live in Utah.  This place is my number one source for fabric, and I think it’s a treasure.  If you don’t have one near you, next time you travel to a state that has one (find a list of locations here), leave some extra room in your suitcase.  It’s always a gamble, as they don’t usually carry consistent stock, so if I find something great, I buy it up.  That can be tough because it’s hard to know how much you’ll need for a project, but I know I’m likely not going to see it at that price again anytime soon.  You can buy through Home Fabrics website, but I’ve never done it because I live near one.  I’ve even seen some West Elm custom made fabrics there.  I KNOW.

2)  JoAnn.  Not nearly the price discounts of Home Fabrics, but JoAnn’s has one thing going for it HF doesn’t: coupons, people.  JoAnn has amazing coupon discounts, and a free phone app that the clerk can scan as you checkout.  It’s so darn handy.  They have a decent selection of fabric, but where they really shine in my opinion is ribbons, tassels, supplies, etc.  This is where I buy all of my batting, trims, and anything else I need and I don’t think I have ever bought anything without some kind of coupon discount.  Fist pump!

3)  Estate/yard sales.  If you read my Tuesday post, you saw the beautiful coral fabric I scored at an estate sale and made into pillows for my family room.  You can’t count on finding fabric at every estate sale by any means, but if you’re looking for upcoming sales online, they usually list what kind of items they are selling.  I’ve found fabric and sewing supplies on more than one occasion and it can be a jackpot.  I would just suggest making sure the fabric is clean, quality, and bargain.  No set prices so everything is negotiable!

4)  Ebay.  There are plenty of overpriced sellers on Ebay, and there are also plenty of fakes, but I regularly find designer fabrics and pillow covers on Ebay.  In fact, that is where I purchased my Schumacher Chiang Mai Dragon pillow covers seen next to the coral pillows for my family room (the blue trellis pillows are from Caitlin Wilson Textiles).  I found a fabulous seller named “courtyard fabrics” in the UK, and she was selling one pillow cover, but said in the listing she could make two upon request.  I wrote her directly and asked her if she could make 5 total, in two different sizes because I wanted lumbar pillows for my wingback chairs. She promptly replied, said she would, and created a custom listing for me.  They arrived as promised, they were beautifully made, and the price was fantastic.  You do have to be careful, but there are great deals to be had on Ebay, if you’re patient.  I suggest contacting sellers directly if you have any concerns, questions, or want something custom.

5)  Etsy.  Etsy isn’t my number one resource for pillows because I think some items are overpriced, but  there are many talented seamstresses on Etsy selling designer pillows.  Just make sure you look at other sellers making and selling the same type of pillow to get the best price.  Another advantage: usually sellers are up for custom orders upon request so if you need something specific, this is a great resource.

6)  Homegoods.  You can always find a great throw pillow at Homegoods.  Come to think of it, you can always find a great anything at Homegoods.  My latest favorite find is that furry flokati pillow pictured above.  Jon says it’s going to start eating all the books in our house and singing the Muppets theme song.  I say it’s awesome.  Especially since I scored it for half of what I saw it for at another store the same day.  And I’ve always loved the Muppets.

7)  Finally, don’t underestimate the power of a clearance section.  West Elm is one of my favorite sources for pillows (and fabric, for that matter) and items cycle through the clearance section frequently.  I like to wait for an additional coupon code because they come up so often.  They have some great pillows right now on sale, including this one and this one, which I recently purchased for a room design.

Up tomorrow, a great giveaway from one of my favorite graphic designers.  It’s a goodie, friends.  Check back!

Have a happy day,