London Brick and Mortar fabric and wool stores

I was recently asked by somebody who lives abroad and is planning a visit to London if I could recommend any brick and mortar fabric stores. Then we have the Fat Quarterly retreat upon us in a few weeks time for which excitement in some quarters is reaching fever pitch.

A lot of quilters and sewers from outside London will descent onto South Kensington. And all that got me thinking that although most of us do shop on-line these days as it is more convenient and the on-line choice is often more plentiful, all of us still do love a proper brick and mortar fabric shop.

For us quilters and makers of beautiful things a fabric store is like a candy store that has the distinct advantage  of having zero calories (let's not talk about the damage they can inflict on our wallets though).

So I compiled a list of stores in and around London that I use to satisfy my candy habit and hope this is useful to anybody who is interested. I will add new shops every time I discover one but as a rule only those that I actually have visited.


I made a specific Page on my blog where you will find the below list from now on permanently.


Tikki Patchwork in Kew

First of is my local quilt store (LQS) Tikki Patchwork. Isn't it wonderful if you are lucky enough to say that you have an LQS !
Tina who owns the shop has a fantastic selection of modern quilting fabric in her store and also stocks a large variety of embroidery thread plus all sorts of haberdashery. Although the shop is small, I almost always find what I am looking for and of course a lot of what I am not looking for.
One warning though, be aware of the opening hours and always check the website before you set of or better even call to make sure Tina or Corinne are there.




Shaukat

If you are after Liberty fabric then all you need for your happiness is Shaukat. Yes you read correctly not Liberties of London but Shaukat. The reason why I am  recommending this shop which is located in South Kensington is because it has the largest selection of past and new Liberties collections you can possibly imagine. In addition Shaukat stocks fine wool for suitsand other attire, stripes, dots and wonderful  silks. You name it they have it. Shaukat caters mainly for  the Far Eastern Market and has a lot of pre-cuts that start with several meters but they are happy to cut as small as 0.5 meter of the bolt. The prices are similar to those of Liberties of London but you do find bargains and discounts that you do not find at Liberties. Shaukat also have on-line shopping.      



Liberties of London

Liberties of London can of course not be missed on the list. I do visit this wonderful beacon of style regularly and although I tend to buy my liberty tana lawn at Shaukats I still love checking out the displays and brows the Rowan fabrics they stock and of course the lovely selection of wool. Liberties also have on-line shopping.


















The Cloth House

This is my guilty pleasure shop. My heart regularly misses a beat from pure excitement when I approach the Cloth House at No 47 Berwick Street. The Cloth House has two branches and the one in 47 Berwick Street stocks a lot of gorgeous linens, canvas, Thai Hemp and Indian and Japanese fabrics plus a million bits and bobs. It is utterly gorgeous and the staff are very helpful. The other branch at 98 Berwick Street stocks silks, cottons, trimmings, velvets, woolens etc.









Soho

While you are in Soho have a wonder around Berwick and Broadwick Street and its many side streets. You will find a multitude of shops selling fabrics here and most specialize in silks (Berwick Street Cloth shop, Broadwick Silks, The Silk Society to name just a few shops). Walk around, browse and nip into some of the great cafes around there where you can play the game of people spotting to your hearts content.


John Lewis

John Lewis branches in Oxford Street and Sloane Square have sizable haberdashery departments. They stock more wool then quilting fabric but either is worth a visit though the flag ship store on Oxford Street has a better selection. Both stores stock an excellent selection of home decor fabric and have superb sales in Summer and Winter. John Lewis do have on-line shopping.

MacCulloch & Wallis

MacCulloch & Wallis are a haberdashery store just a stone through from Liberties and John Lewis. They have a superb selection of everything haberdashery and also a large variety of fabrics. It is a great shop and whenever I do have to buy haberdashery then I tend to go there rather than to the big stores and to be honest MacCulloch & Wallis actually have much more stock than John Lewis and Liberties of London. They do have on-line shopping.














Fabric Galore

Fabric Galore is a very popular shop amongst the London sewing crowd. They are located in Battersea on Lavender Hill. Fabric Galore has a large selection of home decor and quilting cottons, oilcloth and also fabric suited for sewing clothes. A truly fantastic selection to even more fantastic prices. They have a fast turnaround and you often find fabric from past collection there. There is no on-line shopping facility though.



Ray Stitch

Ray Stitch opened up premises in 2011 in Islington after having started as an on-line shop. They have a beautiful selection of contemporary quilting cottons including Japanese imports in addition to ribbons, buttons, threads, bits and bobs. And the best thing is that the shop doubles as a cafe with incredibly delicious cakes and well brewed coffee. What can you want more than a little sweet snack after the hard work of fabric shopping !
In 2012 Ray Stitch also started to offer classes.












Loop yarn

Loop Yarn is also located in Islington and is a wool shop with a wonderful selection of yarns starting with the usual suspects such as Rowan and Lang to the more exquisite such as Madelinetosh, Brookly Tweed or Alchemy. The shop is on two levels and has an enormous amount of pattern books and magazine, armchairs everywhere and lovely people. It is a blissful place and is located in a lovely part of Islington in Camden Passage where there is always a nice cafe to nip in. Loop Yarn also offers classes and has an on-line shop












Mrs. Moon

Mrs. Moon is a yarn and fabric store located in St. Margrets (just outside London, a little further than Kew where Tikki is located). They stock a wonderful selection of yarns and also a small selection of quilting fabrics. They stock a sizable selection of Rowan yarns, Debbie Bliss, Noro but also Scrumptuous Lace that I have bought a few times now because it is very soft and lovely to work with.  Mrs. Moon also has an online-shop.