The 5 Best Fabric Shops in Edinburgh for Every Maker and Crafter
Almost every crafter has fallen for those “luxury linen, £8/metre” ads, only to receive a swatch that’s more like a dishcloth. Worse, a polyester fabric knockoff. Others have spent weeks waiting for samples, only to have them get lost in the mail.
Fabric store flops like these are exactly why we ditched dodgy online shops and hit Edinburgh’s streets.
We hunted for shops where quality isn’t a gamble, swatches don’t lie, and staff actually know their gingham from their gabardine. Here are the best fabric shops in Edinburgh that we found!
How much does it cost to buy fabric in Edinburgh?
It costs at least £4 to £16 for basic metres of fabric. This is just an estimate. The final price depends on the store, the quality and the type of fabric.
1. Pins & Needles
Address: 28 Lochrin Buildings, Gilmore Pl
Contact Details: +441316227222
Operating Hours:
- Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday – 10 AM to 5:30 PM
- Saturday – 10 AM to 5 PM
At Pins and Needles, Serafina (the lovely owner) greets customers by name. Many of the customers we spoke with said this is exactly why they keep coming back. Visiting the shop feels like catching up with a friend who shares their hobbies.
When we walked in, we were impressed by the massive selection of fabrics. They have an excellent selection of fabrics, wool, knitting, and sewing materials.
One customer told us she walked out with merino so soft it’s basically knitting cashmere, along with a lightweight summer cotton blend.
Serafina is also fantastic at guiding customers, especially those still unsure where to start. A newbie knitter told us Serafina once spent half an hour teaching her how to fix a dropped stitch without making her feel like a numpty.
Besides being a fabric and knitting guru, Serafina takes on wedding dress alterations. One bride shared that Serafina calmed her bridezilla moment, and within 3 days, the lace on her dress was repaired.
For the most part, prices are affordable too. But we did hear one customer grumble about a tenner extra on her bill once. However, Serafina sorted it straight away when she popped back in.
Great little shop with quite a diverse selection of yarns
“Great little shop with quite a diverse selection of yarns, cloth and various sewing, crochet and knitting tools. The owner is very friendly and happy to help.”
– Anke Bremer, Google Reviews
Good varieties of wools yarns and different tools
“The shop owner was very kind explaining all my questions and gave me some advice on knitting, they have a good varieties of wools yarns and different tools to choose from, highly recommended, thank you very much.”
– Dawn, Google Reviews
2. The Dress Fabric Company
Address: 38 Bruntsfield Pl
Contact Details: +441312210464
Operating Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday & Saturday – 11 AM to 5:30 PM
The Dress Fabric shop stocks everything from bridal silk to towering floor-to-ceiling rolls of Kaldor linens and James Hare fabrics.
While wandering through the shop, we found a cracking selection of haberdashery and notions: ribbons, trims, buttons, and every wee thing a seamstress could need.
We reckon their sampling and mail-order offering is pure dead brilliant. Customers pop in and walk away with a colour swatch. Once customers decide, the Dress Fabric team rings up their suppliers and sends hefty samples to their customers’ homes.
A lass on the hunt for peacock blue satin was chuffed when hers landed in her flat within two days.
For those with a sewing machine on its last legs, they’ve got a drop-off repair service. Though, mind, it’s a fortnightly gig. One dressmaker moaned about her vintage machine, waiting weeks for parts.
That aside, their bride consultancy makes designing “the” dress stress-free. A bride we spoke to admitted she spent hours sifting through their folders of lush fabrics, laces, and trims. She also appreciated how their staff were quick to give recommendations.
We’re taken with their special cut length service too: no dusty swatches here, just fresh-off-the-roll snippets.
Excellent range of fabrics and sensible prices
“Easily one of the best local shopping experiences ever. This is precisely how small independents can make a difference and starve the internet of ill deserved support. A vastly experienced and hugely knowledgeable owner. Excellent range of fabrics and sensible prices. Add all of that, to an owner who can’t do enough to help and inputs her own invaluable opinion to any proposed purchase. Simply brilliant and thoroughly deserving of full support. Makes shopping pleasurable again…”
– Colin MC, Google Reviews
There is always something new or different
“This is an excellent shop. There is always something new or different on offer. The owner is very knowledgeable and very good at sourcing fabulous fabrics.”
– Catherine Gowthorpe, Google Reviews
3. Cotton & Chintz
Address: 88 Newington Rd
Contact Details: +441316675796
Operating Hours: Monday to Friday – 10 AM to 5 PM
Cotton & Chintz is a one-stop shop for anyone seeking fabrics for their curtains and soft furnishings.
Customers like using their precise make-up service. A regular told us she always pops in for free fabric samples, and the staff crafts curtains, blinds, or cushions to perfection.
We’ve seen beautiful curtains made of cotton, satin, and even silk in their portfolio.
One lass appreciated that Cotton & Chintz carries all the tools needed for curtain installs. Tracks, poles, tie-backs, and expert advice on how to do it too.
We like their efficient upholstery service. One regular told us they revived new life into her tatty reading chair within a week. All she did was bring in her own fabric. But there’s also the option to give the staff creative freedom and be in for a surprise.
Our only minor complaint? The shop can get a bit disorganised. When we went, loose fabrics were strewn across the floor, and cottons were mixed up with tweeds.
Huge selection of materials and designs to choose from
“Julie and her staff at Cotton & Chintz provided an excellent friendly service with good advice and communication, a huge selection of materials and designs to choose from in the shop. We are delighted with our curtains and Roman blinds which they fitted on completion ahead of schedule. Would highly recommend Cotton & Chintz.”
– Barbara Stewart, Google Reviews
Great choice of fabrics
“Great choice of fabrics. Staff very helpful in narrowing down the choices to cater for my needs and requests.
The whole process from start to finish – choosing fabric, make up and fitting – very smooth.
Communication excellent. Super professional service. Would highly recommend.”
– Gordon Brown, Google Reviews
4. Fabric Focus
Address: 131 E Claremont St
Contact Details: +441315583888
Operating Hours: Tuesday to Saturday – 10 AM to 4 PM
Fabric Focus spices things up with new ranges from big names like Moda, Makower UK, Hoffman, and Northcott.
One customer loves their latest luxurious Moda flannels and linens. She told us the colours haven’t faded a wee bit, even after a few washes.
Dressmakers and designers flock here too, thanks to their ever-growing stash of jersey, linen, and British woven wool tweeds. An aspiring fashion student told us he found a rust-colored Harris tweed here for his tailored blazer project.
We love that their shelves burst with chiffon, corduroy, crepe, denim, dress prints, and even luxury faux fur for the bold. A sequin-stitched tulle in emerald green caught our eye while we browsed the shop.
But it’s not just about stash-building. They have classes in quilting, patchwork, embroidery, and even bag-making.
One regular loves that their classes are always easy to follow, and the instructors provide expert advice and guidance, instead of harsh criticism.
However, the store does get a bit packed in the afternoon. A customer complained that it’s hard to choose fabrics when people are pushing their way through left and right.
The fabric arrived very quickly
“I ordered a fat quarter bundle of fabric from Fabric Focus. It was my first time ordering from them and I wasn’t disappointed. The fabric arrived very quickly and was wrapped with care in a paper bag with a little sticker. It’s always the attention to the small details that I look for. I have found that if a retailer pays attention to the small details then they’ll pay attention to everything else. I am very impressed with Fabric Focus and I will buy from them again with confidence. Fabulous fabric, fabulous service. Highly recommended.”
– Gail Morris, Google Reviews
Lovely inventory of fabric
“Kevin was very helpful with our selection. The shop has a lovely inventory of fabric with inspirational catalogues throughout. Lots of ideas… We left with materials AND inspiration for our next project. We went out of our way to fit this visit to Fabric Focus into our schedule while in Edinburg and we are glad we did. A score for regional fabrics and overall experience!”
– Lois Johnson, Google Reviews
5. Edinburgh Fabrics
Address: 12-14 St Patrick Square
Contact Details: +441316682790
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Saturday – 10 AM to 7 PM
- Sunday – 1 PM to 6 PM
Edinburgh Fabrics has fabrics, buttons, trimmings, and countless bits and bobs for any seamstress’s next project.
Fabric-wise, they are known for their large stash of British wool, Yorkshire wool, and Scottish wool fabrics. A customer told us that they are the ones she calls when she’s low on high-quality Scottish wool.
One regular sewer jumped for joy at their massive Harris Tweed selection. Even though she wished the prices were cheaper, she still walked away with meters of fabric for her winter holiday projects.
We like how they don’t just stock fabrics. We found felt, fur, lace, and more.
Their staff are friendly, too. One lass looking for a few golden round buttons told us the staff hunted down several options for her to choose from.
The only minor issue is that when the staff cuts the fabrics for samples, it’s not precise measurements. Sometimes they cut an extra few centimetres past what customers ask for.
I was given good guidance
“I love this shop! I went in to get some silk and dye for a costume project. Not only was I guided to the variety of silk weights, and told the advantages / disadvantages between them for dyeing, I was able to test them in motion and wave them about. I was given good guidance on the right dyes and how much I needed by weight…he brought out the calculator and helped me through the whole process. I bought what I needed and it wasn’t as expensive as I was expecting! Definitely recommend.”
– Violette Rose, Google Reviews
Literally the best fabric store
“I have been a customer for 20 years. This place is AWESOME. Literally the best fabric store I’ve ever been to on the planet. Beautiful embroidered Japanese, sturdy camo, glow in the dark spooky, blacker than blackout, the softest felts and fleece, tons of sewing accessories, etc! The family is always helpful, efficient, and knowledgeable. The prices are affordable. The best. Here’s to another 20 years! Thank you Edinburgh Fabrics!”
– Jeff Kohl, Google Reviews