IKEA Is The Unexpected Place To Get Fabric For Your Next Project

A well-stocked fabric supply shop can give those of us with a creative bent loads of ideas for DIY projects and handmade creations. So, when our favorite shopping destination closes down, we understandably find ourselves wanting to explore all the options. If you, too, have found yourself adrift and looking for one of the best alternative places to buy fabric if you're missing shopping at JoAnn Fabrics and Crafts, everyone's go-to for modern home goods may be a surprising solution. Whether you're in search of material for your latest crafting project or are looking for textile options for a home remodel, don't forget to check IKEA. 

You may have already headed to your local IKEA store to use its curtains as a budget friendly way to buy upholstery fabric, so you might want to check its shelves for crafting fabric, too. You won't be asking a salesclerk to cut the yardage to your specified measurements, of course. This is IKEA, after all, and the material is efficiently precut and packaged. At 59 inches wide and 118 inches long, the pieces measure a little over 3 yards. They are all 100% cotton and can be machine washed in warm water. With such cute patterns, from colorful stripes to botanical designs, you shouldn't expect to find extreme bargains on these crafting or interior decorating supplies. The cost of each textile runs between $14 and $25.

While looking for items to take home to try some of the best IKEA hacks from TikTok, you might want to add a few offerings from the textile section to your cart. Just don't expect IKEA to have the extensive selection that you would find at a dedicated craft store. However, what IKEA lacks in variety, it makes up for in fun, quirky patterns, like its CINTIAKAKTUS design that combines folksy figures with floral, bird, and fish motifs. This pattern would make a charming sink skirt in a colorful kitchen.

Of course, you'll need to calculate how much cloth you need for your project. One pack of IKEA's fabric is enough for upholstering the seats of six average dining room chairs, but it only has enough material to make short curtains and isn't quite wide enough for making tablecloths without a seam running down the middle. However, you could use a single pack of BITTERSÖTA, a pattern with whimsical pale blue birds on a beige background, to make multiple throw pillows, sets of reusable cloth napkins, or other small crafts such as pouches, aprons, or tote bags. IKEA's BUSKOPUNTIA pattern is a cheery yellow, black, and white floral design that could be transformed into a lightweight, summery comforter — a project that would require four packs of fabric for a king size bed.