The best fabric stores NYC has to offer

Co-owners Catherine Clark and Katie Metzger based the concept for their Park Slope shop on Oleson’s Mercantile from Little House on the Prairie, a general store stocking everything from fabrics to candy. The exterior has an Old West vibe and the vintage interior was uncovered and refreshed. Inside, everyone from quilting to knitting enthusiasts will find the materials needed to create beautiful custom items from scratch. Customers love the classes (including embroidery and crochet) and the sense of community the shop provides.

Have you always wanted to knit your own quilt but been too intimidated to get a proper start? Head to the City Quilter to get hooked up with the fabrics that will have you stitching an heirloom in the making, featuring quality brands like Andover, Blend and Benartex. The Chelsea shop features sewing essentials like needles, tuffet kits and fun patterns like NYC subway curves, foxes and hedgehogs, so you can personalize your work of art accordingly.

This high-end shop has been supplying designers in Los Angeles, Chicago and beyond with colorful and stylish fabrics for 50 years, sourcing sustainable wares (silks and cashmeres and wools, oh my!) from France and Italy. Its website offers complimentary swatch ordering and samples—great to check out before you commit, you just have to pay for shipping—so you can sample Chanel, Versace and Hugo Boss prints before creating a runway-inspired blouse, skirt or scarf that’s as beautiful as one you’d find in any store.

Looking to create your next pair of curtains or finally reupholster that hand-me-down couch? This giant retailer should be your first stop: It has a huge selection of fabrics, including specialty ones like leather, vinyl and Lycra, and it’s supplied contractors and set designers for hit shows like Boardwalk Empire and The Good Wife. Also, it’s been family-owned and -operated since 1979: Owner Eric Gerdes will gladly guide you to the style that matches your budget and taste.

The founder of Mood Fabrics made his first sale as a designer for H&M, later sewing for big-name designers like Michael Kors and Pierre Cardin. Since then, the shop has been featured as a supplier on Project Runway, making it perfect for aspiring designers looking to create their own pieces out of fashionable satins, denim and wool that would rival those featured on television. Need a few pointers first? Take one of the six-week "Mood U" classes or short workshops, perfect for turning your casual hobby into something more profitable.

This fabric mecca has the largest selection of spandex in the city, great for ‘80s music lovers, the Burning Man crowd and festival attendees looking for Insta-worthy outfits. The variety here is truly astounding: It has cracked ice, pleather and metallic fabrics as well as suede and trippy hologram prints in hot pink and gold tie-dye. Come prepared to describe the outfit you’re envisioning: Not much is labeled, so you’ll probably need help finding exactly what you’re looking for.

This three-floor warehouse has been in business since 1936, hawking millions of yards of discount fabric to city residents, set designers and aspiring seamstresses, earning repeat customers through the strength of knowledgeable customer service: They’ve supplied material for 30 Rock, Gossip Girl and The Real Housewives of New York City (IYKYK). Whether you’re in the market for plush velvet, classic cotton or specialty outdoor fabrics, they’ll cut your selections to order and help you select exactly what you need to make the selection process less overwhelming.

If it’s good enough for the opulently festooned folks of Bridgerton, it’s good enough for us—this fourth-generation Lower East Side staple is a favorite of that hit Netflix show’s costume designer, John Glaser, among many others, who have sought the place out since 1890 for its wide array of high-end, imported European fabrics. The floor-to-ceiling shelves are stocked with a dizzying variety of silks and satins, brocades and boucle, and everything in between. Soon you’ll be the best-dressed resident of the Ton—or, at the very least, downtown Manhattan.