Musings of a Seamstress - Zinck's Fabric Outlet

At the end of September I finally got a chance to go to a fabric store that I have been dying to go to for over a year now.  Zinck’s Fabric Outlet is in Ligonier on my way back to my hometown.  It is about 2 hours away from me now.  Every time Eric and I have gone back home over the last year I have wanted to stop there, but never have.  We have either been coming through on a Sunday, when they are not open, or Eric is driving and he refuses to stop and aid in my fabric hoarding.  I don’t blame him for that either.  I mean, have you seen the size of my stash?  Septembers purchases officially put me 5.5 yards in hole for the year, with a grand total of 103.75 yards purchased and only 98.25 yards used.  Time to really get sewing in these last three months of the year.

Musings of a Seamstress - Zinck's Fabric Outlet

Let’s get back to the fabric goodness and ignore my hoarding addiction.  Zinick’s is huge!  The store is located in close proximity to a large Amish and Mennonite population, so they do have a large selection of basic solid color wovens.  However, that color organized wall above is all knits!  Every color and shade in a variety of different knits.  I may have went over this wall three or four times to make sure I saw everything.

Musings of a Seamstress - Zinck's Fabric Outlet

Then, when you turn around there are more printed knits, which is what the chevrons are, and a wide selection of printed chiffons.  There was a glen plaid chiffon that I am now regretting not getting.  I couldn’t picture what I would make with it, so I didn’t get it.  Maybe I was too overwhelmed by all the awesomeness, because now I can think of several things that could be great with that print.

Musings of a Seamstress - Zinck's Fabric Outlet

They did have a small selection of sparkly fabrics, which included the matte black solid sequin above.  With the population I mentioned earlier, this is just not the market for this kind of fabric.  That being said, that 3.99 is the cost per yard!  Umm…hello, that is a steal for solid sequins. I didn’t get any of this since I already have so much sequin fabric.  It was hard to pass it up at that price though.  It almost felt like I had to buy it, because you know, sequins.

Musings of a Seamstress - Zinck's Fabric Outlet

There was an entire wall of plaid flannels.  Also, very very tempting, but I wasn’t sure of any upcoming projects that I could use it for.  I passed on it for now.

Musings of a Seamstress - Zinck's Fabric Outlet

Most importantly, the 100% wool section. Do you see that red price sticker?  You sure are reading that right, $2.99 per yard.  Let me repeat that, 100% woo for less than $3 a yard! Sequins I can pass up at that price, but this…this must come home with me.  This is all pretty lightweight wool’s with a crisp hand.  Definitely not heavyweight coating fabric, but it will work great for a skirt or dress.

They also stock a very large selection of cotton quilting fabrics, including Homespun cotton prints, and a large selection of fleeces.  I even saw some great stretch denim, but they only had black and bright pink, neither of which I could see myself wearing.  At the front of the store are bins full of remnants that are all marked for under $2 a yard and bulk button purchases.  Just over a quarter of the store was filled with drapery and home decor fabrics, including all the trims  you could want to choose from too.  Unfortunately, I didn’t get pictures of  any of this, because I was too busy touching all the fabrics.  Maybe next time.

Are you wondering what I did buy?

Musings of a Seamstress - Zinck's Fabric Outlet

Well, I picked up two floral print chiffons at 3 yards each.  The one on the left is a crinkle chiffon with gold thread and a fuchsia and black watercolor floral that was $3.99 per yard ($11.97 total).  The one on the right is a tighter weave chiffon with a bright floral print that feels a little Asian inspired to me, for $2.99 per yard ($8.97 total).  Great prices for great prints that will make great pieces in my wardrobe.  

Musings of a Seamstress - Zinck's Fabric Outlet

Then there are all those knits that I spent so much time looking at.  I picked up three different knits at three yards each.  The first one on the left is a teal jersey for $1.96 a yard ($5.88 total) that is so incredibly soft I want to be wrapped up in it all the time.  When they were cutting this one there was a small hole in it, so they did give me the option of an extra quarter of a yard or she could re cut it at the hole. I took the extra quarter of a yard because the hole is small enough I think I can work around it.  I thought that was pretty awesome customer service of them to let me make the decision.  The dusty lilac in the center is also a jersey knit for a whooping $1.99 a yard ($5.97 total).  The blue on the right is a ponte knit for $1.96 a yard ($5.88 total), that has some tiny dye specks that are barely noticeable.  I almost squealed when I found this one, though.  Ponte is one of my new favorite knits and the color on this one is perfect.  It is more of a steely blue, which did not translate well in this picture.  In fact, none of the knits photographed well in terms of color.  I foresee some new fall dresses in the next month or so.

Musings of a Seamstress - Zinck's Fabric OutletLastly, I could not pass up the $2.99 a yard wool.  I picked up three yards of this army green wool for a total of $8.97.  That price is insane to me!  Again this is not the true color in this photo.  Silly camera phone.  I also grabbed a couple of silver separating zippers to go with the wool.  I think I either want to make some sort of moto jacket incorporating the zippers or a version of the Sewaholic Minoru Jacket.  Which would you make?

Final thoughts

All in all they have some amazing prices.  I am going to try to wash the knits here in the next couple of days and try them out, so I will let you know how the quality is once I make them up.  Maybe pick up some of those plaid flannels and some more knits.  The store didn’t have the best lighting. I had to take some bolts to other parts of the store to get a good idea of the true color.  I am guessing the building was was built in the 50’s or 60’s based on the massive light orbs hanging from the ceiling, so I expected it to have pretty poor lighting. I wish I would have gotten some pictures of the orbs though.  There were only two women working and they were very polite.   I am definitely going to try to stop here again sometime.

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