Shopping for Fabric

Fabric shopping can be an overwhelming experience.The key is to be prepared (like a Boy Scout or like that song from the Lion King).

Before you go shopping:
1. Know exactly what project you are working on. Going with a vague idea is like going to the grocery store hungry, you will come home with a huge bag of anything that caught your eye. What are you going to do with that 1/4 yard of insanely expensive red linen that you bought because that was all you could afford?
2. Have either an exact type of fabric that you need or at least know what characteristics it must have. If you go to a good fabric store (as in, don't go to Wal Mart), the associates should be able to help with at least this much guidance.
3. It is never a bad idea (in my opinion) to learn a bit about different fabrics and their construction. You at least need to know the difference between knits (like a sweater and like most shirts that you own) and wovens (as in your jeans and non-jersey bed sheets). 

At the store:
1. If you are using a commercial pattern, bring it with you (or at least write down the fabric requirements).
2. If you are confused, ask for help! I very rarely find fabric store associates who don't want to help. The better ones can even give you suggestions on different types of fabrics that will fit your needs.
3. Check out the Odds and Ends table. There are often severely limited quantities of whatever is over there, so keep in mind how much fabric you are going to need. You can often get some awesome deals here!
4. Be sure to check the width of the fabric. If you are using a pattern, it will tell you what width you need. Here's a hint, it is possible to use a different width if you fall in love with a specific bolt, but you will have to buy extra length and will not be able to lay the pattern out in the nice, fabric saving way suggested in the package.
5. Is the fabric dry clean only? Some textiles are sure to be - linen, suede, silk - but you should always check to be sure!
6. Is the fabric double sided? Do you need it to be? If you fall in love with a one sided fabric for a double sided project (tsk tsk!), you will have to line it. You can buy cheap liner fabric (nicer fabric stores should have a selection of these!) or you can line it with more of the same. Either way, lining means you have to buy twice the amount of fabric and the project will be twice as thick. 

Other hints to keep in mind:
1. Consider other sources of fabric. If you are making curtains or something else similarly huge, take a look at flat sheets. Wal Mart sells twin size 200 thread count flat sheets for $4. Yes, 200 thread count is icky feeling but you're not sleeping on it.
2. For tiny projects, look in the quilting area for color packs. You will often find adorable patterns in roughly 2'x2' blocks for fairly inexpensive. The mark up is sometimes higher one these but it is easier to get a smaller amount in a usable orientation.*
3. Felt. Ok, I understand that you don't have to hem it and it comes in tons of colors but it has no drape, it will warp, and it should only be used for small embellishments (and those felt stick board things kids like)!
4. Unless you are upholstering or making some serious grown up draperies, stay out of the upholstery/drapery section. The fabric there will be extremely nice, most likely dry clean only, and very very expensive. Any popular patterns will be available in normal bolts elsewhere in the store.

There you go. You are (somewhat) prepared!

* Technical explanation: When buying calicoes (patterned cotton used for quilting), it can be hard to get a decent cut of the pattern in a smaller size cut off the bolt. The color pack piece is usually 2'x 2', so four square feet. The same amount cut off the bolt will measure an awkward 11.25"x 3.75'. If the pattern on the fabric is large, you may not even get a whole repeat in this cut. The measurements also mean that you may not be able to get the width and length you need for the project. The bolt may be cheaper but the 2'X 2' is more useful in the long run.