Seattle Fabric: Leave Your Umbrella At Home

City-Guide-Food-Fabric-Fun-Seattle

​(Photo cred: Howard Ignatius)

Seattle fabric lovers, this one's for you! Oh, and also for anyone and everyone who may ever visit. This is for you too. 🙂

At some point during my formative years, Seattle became the coolest place in the country. Seattle is full of lovers of soccer, polar fleece, and great coffee. And get this – even though Seattle has the reputation for being the rainiest place on earth, it actually rains more in Chicago (ah-hem), and Seattlites are so proud of it they don’t even own umbrellas (if you bring one, they’ll def know you’re a tourist).

The Emerald City is also home to some seriously cool fabric shops, local attractions, and FOOD. SERIOUSLY good food. Seattle restaurants are diverse in their fare and vibe, so I’ll try to recommend something for everyone...even the veggie-lovers.

Pike_Place_Market

​(Photo cred: Seattle Eater)

Trending patterns!


Where to Eat in Seattle

Harvest-Beat

(Photo cred: notey.com)

Harvest Beat

Remember when I mentioned veggie-lovers? (You should, because it was literally my last sentence…) Well, I was talking about Harvest Beat.

Even if you’re not the greenest of eaters, Harvest Beat has a relaxed and fun atmosphere and a great respect for the ingredients it uses, making each dish delish. Smoked, caramelized, sunchoke-crusted romanesco cashew cheesecake, anyone? Harvest Beat is a multiple-course sort of restaurant, and they start seating at 7PM, so plan accordingly!

(You should at least check out their website, because they start every meal with a gong...and there's video.)​

Location: 1711 N 45th, Seattle
Hours: Wed - Sat, seating at 7:00pm
Price: $$$

Lil-Woodys-Seattle

Li’l Woody’s

If veggie-based cuisine isn’t your jam, then you might be into Li’l Woody’s, which is the exact opposite. Li’l Woody’s features Seattle’s BEST burgers and shakes that will leave you really, really satisfied. 

This great lunch spot features more classic burgers (like the Li’l Woody), or some creative concoctions like The Fig and the Pig, a grass-fed beef burger with pickled figs, bacon, and blue cheese. You’ll want to order your sandwich with a side of Crack: hand-cut fries with milkshake to dip them in. Heck. Yes.

Location: 1211 Pine St, Seattle
Hours: Mon - Thu 11:00am - 11:00pm, Fri - Sat 11:00am - 3:00am, Sun 11:00am - 10:00pm
Price: $

Delancey-Seattle

(Photo cred: restaurantsource.com)

Delancey

Not a lot of frills here, just perfectly fired seasonal pizzas, with simple sides. Delancey is the perfect place to go if you’re craving a rocking pizza, and a great place to sit with friends or family.

This pizza hotspot features local, organic produce (you’ll find this is a Seattle eatery trend), and a great wine list. Also, some people go to Delancey’s JUST for the salted chocolate chip cookies, which you can order baked… or as dough! That. Is. Awesome.

Location: 1415 NW 70th St, Seattle​
Hours: Tue - Fri 5:00pm - 10:00pm, Sat - Sun 4:30pm - 10:00pm
Price: $$

Cafe-Turko

​Cafe Turko

I know I'm going over the top with the food options, but I had to add this sweet little Turkish Cafe to the list for three, NAY! FOUR, very important reasons:

  1. Breakfast served ALL DAY (​Are you in love already? Keep reading...).
  2. Tons of gluten-free options (if that's your thing).
  3. Two words, NAY! Three words: Authentic. Turkish. Coffee.
  4. And now for the pièce de résistance – a 7 minute walk to our first Seattle fabric shop! Eeeeek!

Location: 900 N 34th St, Seattle
Hours: Sun - Fri 10:00am - 9:30pm, Sat 10:00am - 10:00pm
Price: $$


If none of these amazing spots is what you’re looking for, I encourage you to roam around and walk in to literally any eatery in the area. Seattle is full of unique, fresh restaurants that will make you want to MOVE HERE.

Now that you’re fed and full of energy, let’s focus on fabric!

The Best Seattle Fabric Shops

Seattle loves sewing. Here are five reasons why I know this...​

District-Seattle-Fabric

District Fabric

(A quick walk from that Turkish Cafe I just mentioned.)​ 

District Fabrics fully embraces the hip and rustic style Seattle is known for, and their selection is HUGE. They are always updating their collection of fabric so they’re stocked with unusual treasures that you seriously won’t find anywhere else. They will go pretty much anywhere for a good fabric find, and are known to have fabrics sourced from around the world.

The staff at District Fabrics is super smart, and loves to guide guests in their quest for a great find, as well as answer questions about your misbehaving sewing machine. Regular visitors call it the “candy store” of Seattle fabrics. If you didn’t already want to relocate to the Pacific Northwest, District Fabric might put you over the edge...

Location: 513 N 36th St #A, Seattle
Hours: Wed - Sun 10:00am - 7:00pm​

Dry-Goods-Seattle-Fabric

DRYGOODS Design

Located in Downtown Seattle, DRYGOODS (or DryGoods...or Drygoods? Someone should tell me cause I feel like I'm shouting every time I type DRYGOODS) Design offers a curated selection of fabrics of all substrates as well as books, notions, thread, beautiful stationary and other gifty items.

There is almost always a class going on, so check out the class calendar and plan ahead. ​Or, if planning isn't your thing (it's definitely not my thing, so I get it) pop in for an open sewing session. You are bound to find fun, like-minded sewists.

If you need a quick break for food, go across the street to The London Plane – another restaurant that easily could have made it in this post, but I just can't fit them all! le sigh...

Location: 301 Occidental Ave S, Seattle
Hours: Mon - Fri 10:00am - 7:00pm, Sat - Sun 10:30 - 5:30​

Seattle-Fabric-Nancys-Sewing-Basket

Nancy’s Sewing Basket

Yes, there is a Nancy, and though she’ll probably be hanging with her horses instead of in the store, Nancy’s Sewing Basket is full of knowledgeable, helpful, adorable staff that would love nothing more than show you around their wide selection of fabric.

You should take the guidance – Nancy’s is pretty large for a private fabric shop! The location has had plenty of time to curate an amazing selection, since it’s been around for… wait for it… almost 40 years! This store has a great history, and beautiful high-quality fabric, buttons, ribbons, and notions.​

Location: 2221 Queen Anne Ave N, Seattle​
Hours: Mon - Wed 9:30am - 6:00pm, Thu 9:30am - 8:00pm, Fri - Sat 9:30am - 6:00pm, Sun 12:30pm - 5:00pm

Undercover-Quilts-Seattle-Fabric

Undercover Quilts

Now we’re getting down to business. Quilty business, of course. The other two Seattle fabric shops are great for unique materials and ah-mazing ribbons, but Undercover Quilts is going to hook you up with everything you could ever want for your next quilting project. They have cute kits, piles of fat quarters, and a great selection of fabric especially for the quilting crowd.

Undercover (btw, love this name) also sells antique quilts, and showcases other fiber artist’s work, so it’s a great place to get inspired! The entire shop is rich with history, comfort, and hospitality, which makes it stick out a bit in the hip hustle of Seattle.

You may have gathered from the name that Undercover Quilts can be a little bit hard to find. What’s up, Seattle? Why don’t you have neon signs leading to your fabric shops?!​

Location: 98 Virginia St, Seattle
Hours: Mon - Sat 10:00am - 6:00pm, Sun 10:00am - 5:00pm​

Stash-Seattle-Fabrics

Our Fabric Stash

This. Place. Is. Fun. Our Fabric Stash is a family-run fabric store that features consignment fabrics, which are two of my favorite words to find side by side!

This shop is innovative, eco-friendly, and basically designed for people who LOVE to build up their stash. What’s a better way to do it than taking advantage of unused yards from other artist’s projects? It creates a sense of community and creative collaboration when you think about the sharing of materials!

Our Fabric Stash offers membership options for locals who want to sell their extras, but you don’t have to be a member to shop! If you’re in between projects and looking for inspiration, this is the perfect place to pick up some great new prints at an amazing price.

Location: 1501 Pike Place, Seattle
Hours: Mon - Sat 10:00am - 6:00pm, Sun 10:00am - 5:00pm


Amazing Places in Seattle that Aren’t Fabric Shops

Seattle-Entertainment

(Photo cred: Getty Images)

Key Arena at Seattle Center

People, this is the big time. Key Arena is one of Seattle’s big venues, attracting performers like Ariana Grande, Radiohead, Stars on Ice, and even Queen + Adam Lambert (at first I was like, what?! Those two together?! And then I thought about it for a minute and it totally made sense.) No matter when you are in Seattle, Key Arena probably has something awesome going on.

Also, if you’re going to a show and need a pre-entertainment dinner location, head to Joule, a Korean-inspired steakhouse with a modern feel and handmade wallpaper, located close by.

Location: 305 Harrison St, Seattle
Hours: check the website for showtimes

Pike-Place-Fish-Market

​(Photo cred: capecentralhigh.com)

Pike Place Market

Pike Place Market is one of those attractions that is full of locals and visitors alike. You don’t need a shopping list to check out this market – it’s so fun to wander around and browse! There are loads of shops, restaurants, and things to see, do, smell, and taste.

The market is covered, so it’s also a great place to roam around if you need to escape the rain! You may leave with a bouquet of beautiful flowers, a vial of lavender oil, a rare book, or a donut the size of your head! Pike Place Market has something for adults and kids alike to check out.

Location: 85 Pike St, Seattle
Hours: Check out this Plan Your Visit page to see all of the various events and market hours.

Mount-Rainier

​(Photo cred: beautifulwashington.com)

Mount Rainier

(90 miles south of Seattle)

If you hit a clear, fair-weathered day in Seattle, there are few things more beautiful than a day hike at Mount Rainier. (I actually hiked this trail on a mist-filled foggy day and it was still breathtakingly beautiful. It actually felt like I was walking through a Thomas Kinkade painting. There was even a baby deer grazing! OK OK, another time for that story, back to the facts.)

Mount Rainier National Park has over 250 miles of trails that lead through forests, river valleys, and meadows, all within view of the gorgeous, snow-covered peak.

Pets and bikes are NOT allowed on these trails, but people of all fitness levels are welcome. You can try a 20 minute hike through the Trail of Shadows, or a 2.5 hour trek down the Rampart Ridge Trail. Both of these are located in the Longmire Area at the Southwest entrance to the National Park. Just set your GPS to 39000 State Route 706 E, Ashford WA 98304 (and not the National Park Address!) It’s a bit of a trip, but if you love outdoor adventure, it is definitely worth it!​


Seattle is an unforgettable destination for food, fabric, awesome snow-covered peaks, and Ariana Grande. Who could ask for more? From the area? Give us more recommendations!

18 thoughts on “Seattle Fabric: Leave Your Umbrella At Home

  1. Lillian says:

    My local favorite is Drygoods Design in Pioneer Square (301 Occidental Avenue S). They have great classes covering basic sewing, apparel, quilting, and other classes. Sometimes they host guest instructors. They also have a fabulous selection of fabrics, patterns, notions, and more. https://drygoodsdesignonline.com

    I really like that entire neighborhood. Great coffee, retail, and lots of art galleries. 🙂

  2. Kirsten says:

    Pacific Fabrics is the bomb! They have 4 stores on the Seattle area and have a huge selection of, well, everything…but are still a locally owned company. Their Sodo store has an awesome outlet section too!

  3. Marie says:

    Thank you thank you!! I will be headed to Seattle soon and appreciate these ideas of where to stop. Fabric and food, my two favorite things!! Just an fyi I have heard that here in Pittsburgh PA we have more rain and clouds than Seattle

  4. Andrea says:

    Looks like I need to take a day trip into Seattle to check these fabric shops out I’m about an hour away. We do own umbrellas but never use them.

  5. Deb says:

    I love Drygoods. And REALLY love Circa15 Fabrics in Kirkland…love it enough to visit from an expensive ferry ride away! Modern quilting fabrics galore. And there’s a terrific lunch place nearby called Deru.

  6. Elaine @ Beech Tree Lane Handmade says:

    Suzy:

    We have been going out to Seattle for years and now have a son who lives out there. We love the place! Circa 15 Fabric Studio is my favorite fabric store, although it’s just over the bridge from Seattle in Kirkland. It’s seriously amazing! http://www.circa15fabricstudio.com/

    The most incredible pasta is at Il Corvo, for lunch, downtown: http://ilcorvopasta.com/

    The dining is Seattle is outstanding – so many great places – but Spinasse is a favorite of ours. http://www.spinasse.com/

  7. Daniela @ blockMquilts says:

    OMG! This is exactly what I needed! I’m heading to Seattle in 3 weeks time and was wondering what the best fabric shops were. Thanks so much for all the great tips! And I don’t care about the rain, I lived in Ireland for 6 years….

  8. Ramona Chester says:

    What fun is Seattle without a little history – In the early days, people had to register their trade and sewing machines also had to be registered. While many, many women registered as “seamstresses”, there were just a handful of actual sewing machines. The majority of these “seamstresses were the gals that posted their prices on the bottom of their shoes and walked on the glass walkway above Seattle’s Underground. Also, the saying for Seattle is: “you haven’t had enough coffee (a nod to Seattle’s love of coffee), until you can thread a sewing machine while it is running”!

  9. Maggie Drafts says:

    Oh good grief, now that my son is FLYING aeroplanes instead of designing them for Boeing in Seattle, I learn about all these prize places to go to in SEATTLE!!!!! (I just wonder if he knew about all these places while he lived there for 18 yrs and just didn’t tell me?!!!!! Hmmmmmm!!!!!)

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