Little Finds: German Fabric Stores

Some of my greatest finds have been the ones I’ve stumbled upon!  If only to get so lucky more often --you know, the great little “corner bookstore”, the fantastic Metzgarrei, and most recently, fabric stores!

I’ve got time to sew again, however, I lightened my HHG load thinking I’d just pick up new material in Germany.  Little did I know finding fabric in Germany would be such a difficult quest!  So, I share today 2 of my “little finds”:

Fabric in Germany, is not called “Fabric”--ask a German where the “fabric store” is, even if they speak English “a little bit”, they look at you like you’ve gone mad!  So, the proper phrase you’re looking for is: “Wo ist der Shop von Stoff?”  Yes, fabric is indeed “Stoff” (Schtoff, if you pronounce correctly).  Hopefully you’ll get somewhat clear directions!

Pfaff Store, downtown Kaiserslautern:

A wonderful place to find the sewing machine repair man (call to see if they can service yours).  The Pfaff store has at least 1 English speaking clerk who was especially helpful.  Beautiful fabrics, wide variety of textures, but, a rather small selection of cotton quilting fabrics.  Prices €10-25 per meter.  So, a larger piece of fabric sold as a meter...better deal...hmmm.  Definitely worth heading there for a look--they had a nice sale pile, too.

Stoff Centrum, also in Kaiserslautern, near the Saturn/Globus:

This shop was like finding a diamond in the rough (German zoning still befuddles me!) Stoff is a beautiful, large store with friendly staff, although they didn’t speak much English.  Large selection of fabrics, many different textures.  Huge selection of notions, modest group of sale fabrics and a fairly large area of cotton/poly blends on 54” rolls.  Prices were from €3 -15 per meter.  I’m afraid I spent more there than I intended.....

Stoff Centrum, Kaiserslautern

Ikea-Mannheim

Not the first place I’d look for fabric, but their small selection was super duper well priced and I found 1 piece that needed to come home with me! €6 per meter.

Discouraged by the relatively small selection compared to my little quilt stores in Ohio, I placed an order at Joann.com.  Used my free shipping coupon and they mailed thru UPS with tracking, but it’s held up somewhere as I am still waiting for the order....3 weeks and counting. 

Indeed, you get what you pay for. #free shipping grumble

Lucky for me I have a few good friends who needed to make room for more fabric, so they sent me their “scraps”!  I’ve made a few wonderful baby quilt / travel changing mats and am loving the pretty pieces! 

Tschuss!

Linda

Pfaff Nähzentrum

Schneiderstraße 8

67655 Kaiserslautern

0631-61512

Hours: M-F 9:30-1800

Sa: 9:30-14:00

Stoff Centrum

Denisstraße 22 

67663 Kaiserslautern 

0631-50520

Hours:  M-F:  9:00-18:00

Sa:  9:00-13:00

Ikea-Mannheim

Frankenthaler Straße 123

68307 Mannheim

0180-535-3435