Now that we know what we are looking for, how do we get it? We live in such a wonderful age. Even just twelve years ago when I started in the SCA you were pretty much relegated to your local fabric shop, which was typically severely limited or whatever you could luck into at merchant booths, which if it was right was typically very expensive (It is always worth paying more for what is right if you can). Now we have all the shops on the internet and social media groups that allow us to even communicate and purchase from craftsmen from all over the world, allowing us to get as accurate as possible in these current middle ages.
But where to start? As far as linen specific, the most utilized place to get 100% linen is www.fabric-store.com. They are pretty nice. They have every color under the rainbow and every weight of linen you could hope for (higher the weight the denser the fabric). They are a great place to utilize because they have everything and are priced at the higher end of average so they are still pretty affordable. Expect to pay $10-16. One cool thing is they often have sales and contests where you can enter what you’ve made and you can win a discount or gift card.
You can shop your local fabric store too. With the popularity of groups like ours and cosplayers we are starting to see a rebirth of fabric stores. Sometimes their selection can be a little scarce though, so just watch out and be sure to check fabric content. Fortunately they always have it posted so you don’t ever have to burn test. You’re definitely going to pay more for 100% natural fiber but you do have the benefit of being able to feel the fabric and see its actual color.
Now, one of my favourite places to shop is Telas De Rio Bravo in El Paso, Texas. They have so much stuff, are knowledgeable and are extremely reasonably priced. And they are online! www.riobravofabrics.com Sadly, they don’t show their fabrics online (they have so much it would be almost impossible) but they are easy to contact if you know what you want and very helpful and they especially love the SCA. I highly recommend them if you know what you want, money is tight or not and you have a little time to wait for shipping. This goes for any fabric, I’ve bought exceptional linen and wool there and even pretty decent silk. I’d like to add that I got the linen for $1.50/yd, the wool for about $2/yd and the silk for $4-6/yd. So like I said, if you don’t live near El Paso,Tx, kind of a pain in the butt, but totally worth it.
www.sartor.com is an excellent place to buy fabrics from especially if you are looking for brocade. They are based out of the Czech republic but speak English well and even come to events in the U.S. (last year they were at Estrella War and they regularly go to Pennsic). They are knowledgeable and very nice. They have linen and wool and silk, most of which is perfect for making quality garb but they also have a medieval specific section that is heavy in brocades based on extant fabric. A bit on what the fabric is based on is always included so you know what your getting. All of that accuracy comes with a price tag though so prepare for that. A byzantine brocade of theirs right now is $93/yd, which is totally worth it because it is perfect, but it might be something you’d need to save up for. Don’t dismiss them because you are on a budget though, you can get linen from them for around $12/yd so their prices are competitive with places like The Linen Store.
Another really great place to look for fabrics is places on social media. Things like the SCA Yard Sale often have a lot of good items and the sellers will typically work with you on figuring out fiber content. A lot of local groups will have their own online or in person swap meets or destashes as well. These are great places where you can often luck into the perfect piece of fabric for a very reasonable price. I have gotten a lot of good deals here, plus your buying from people you probably know, and that’s always a bonus.
Etsy has been another fantastic place to find fabric and often at a very good price. Many vendors from all over the world sell hand made things on Etsy and fabric is no exception. You can find good hand woven silk fairly cheap from vendors from India. You can also find hand woven wools and linens. While this fabric avenue can provide rich rewards it is often hard to navigate, so be patient and read the descriptions carefully! You can get truly beautiful handmade fabric here, but as my husband learned when he was buying me a gift, not all vendors sell in yard increments and when he thought he was buying me four yards at $45 a yard he was actually buying two meters at $45 per half-meter. That fabric is so beautiful though, omg. This picture really doesn’t do it justice.
Next, I want to talk to you about where I get the vast majority of my silk. www.silkbarron.com is amazing. They sell 54” wide hand woven dupioni in just about any color by the yard for $16-$17. They have solid colors as well as shot silk (this is when the warp strands are a different color than the weft and gives a changeful sheen). Shot silk is absolutely period and its beautiful, so knock yourself out. Their Antique Gold is particularly beautiful and looks like liquid gold.
Also, don’t downplay SCA merchants. Many of them do know about their fabrics and ones like Feed the Ravens (who also have an Etsy page) are more than happy to help you pick the right fabric and right amount for any project. SCA vendors who carry a lot of fabric typically know exactly what they have and you have the added bonus of midnight-madness at events to get a discount.
My favourite place to get stuff on social media though is the Viking Age Reenactment and Marketplace though. They have vendors from all over the world with everything you can think of, not just fabric, though their fabric is usually killer. I got three multi-yard pieces of beautiful Ukraine hand woven silk for less than $100 total including shipping, and it is easy to tell the quality work that went into making it. They also have info and articles that get posted so they are a very useful group to be a part of.
The last place I’m going to suggest when going fabric shopping is my absolute favourite place of all, don’t laugh, thrift stores! I’m dead serious. Everywhere has thrift stores and sometimes you can luck into some really great stuff. Savers, which is a chain thrift, for example, usually has a fabric section. I have lucked out at these places more often than not. I have found hand spun, hand woven linen, enough to make an entire dress for $2 total because they had no idea what they had. I not only made a dress but I hand sewed that bad boy and its perfect. You can also often get lucky with sheets, blankets and drapes as they come in linen, silk and wool.
There are so many other places too. this is just a list of my recommended places to look for good fabrics. Eventually I’ll have a page just of recommended links for things like fabric, jewelry, armor, tents, etc but hopefully this will help get you started. If I forgot anywhere or you think I should know of somewhere that’s great, let me know and I’ll add it to the list. Happy fabric hunting! I can’t wait to see what you make!