FREAKY CHEAP FABRIC

'SUP, NERDS!

For those who don't live too far from Chicago, I wanted to share an excellent place to find inexpensive fabric. I've saved a ridiculous amount of money for taking a simple trip out to the city. I hope my discovery saves you some cash and that you can find some specialty materials! Let me introduce you to the Textile Discount Outlet.

WHERE'S IT AT?

To give you an idea of where it's at, the Textile Discount Outlet is just three blocks from the National Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago. I went after C2E2 with Julia and our friend, Ron, and made a day trip out of it. I'm from the suburbs, so I just took the Metra into the city and then took the CTA to the neighborhood. In total, it cost me less than $20 to get there and go home.

A rough idea of how close the Outlet is to the Museum.

Overall, I felt safe walking around the neighborhood. It's less than a ten minute walk from the CTA. You could also drive to the outlet. Personally, I don't feel comfortable driving into the city because traffic and parking sucks. I would only recommend driving if you are going to purchase a ginormous haul of fabric. I plan to drive during my next trip, but I was already in the city for a few things and could only buy a small amount of fabric at the time.

I highly recommend visiting Park View Grill, which is next to the Museum. You may be stuck inside the Outlet for a few hours and need a good lunch. This place is delicious and inexpensive! It's definitely a hidden gem and I really enjoyed my dining experience.


Suck it, Jo-Ann's!

This is literally part of a wall. Now multiply this by a couple
hundred rows of this. Yeahhhhh... tons.

Sooo, the Textile Discount Outlet is a magical experience. It's an old warehouse just filled to the brim with inexpensive fabric. There are three levels with every sort of textile imaginable. The main floor consisted of fabric you would use for clothing whereas the basement and upper level was mostly upholstery and other odds and ends.

I believe the Outlet buys leftover materials from manufacturers and liquidated retail locations. The most expensive cuts I noticed cost about $30 a yard of material that was entirely laced, sequined, beaded or made with antique or rare materials. Basically, think of the sorts of materials you would see on a wedding gown-- that's the expensive stuff.

Look at how much I bought... it's HUGE!

Otherwise, you could find basic fabric ranging from $2 to $10 a yard. These prices can't be beat, considering Jo-Ann's is the only fabric store near me (R.I.P. Hancock Fabrics). Jo-Ann's is kind of like Kohl's where they trick you into thinking you're getting a good deal, but in reality the sale price is just the average retail cost of the item. In the end, you're not benefiting too much. Whoever buys anything at Jo-Ann's or Kohl's full price, boo on you, you dummy.

Aside from fabric, the Outlet does sell beads, decorative sew-own pieces among other fashion-related accessories. You can find them scattered throughout the store in bins and glass cabinets.

My Heart Skipped a Beat

The primary mission during my first visit to the Outlet was to find something to create my Johnny cosplay. As I previously explained, this character literally sparkles and sequins is a must to most accurately recreate his cape. I found two bolts of fabric I liked. One was quite complex, sewn with a bunch of tiny blue sequins, while another cut was similar, but had a more basic sequined pattern. At the time, I wasn't quite sure which I should one I should've purchase, but the simpler cut was a quarter of the cost of the more complex piece. Decision made.

Thanks, Ron!!

❤️

(What a sweetie.)

I bought 6 yards of this fabric. And I bet you can't guess how much it cost. This cut was originally retailed at $300. I spent $20. I almost cried because I never imagined I could find what I needed! I felt like I was practically stealing from the Outlet. Not to mention, students also get an additional 10% discount on their purchase, so be sure to bring your school ID.

Planning My Next Trip

Anyway, this first visit was back in March. I'm using my Christmas money to take another trip to the Outlet, so watch out for a future entry featuring my next major haul. This time, it will require a vehicle to transport everything home, despite my dislike for city driving.

Next time, I'll share what I did on my birthday this year. Hmmm... I'm pretty sure you can't guess what sort of activities I did.

LATER, DWEEBS!

Loverly Liz

This blog is dedicated to the chicken that was eaten by this Quail.