Saturday, November 27, 2010

M and L Fabrics - A Virtual Tour


I am so lucky to live near one of the most amazing fabric stores ever! It is called M&L Fabric, it is located in Buena Park, California, and it is huge. Seriously, people drive for miles and miles to come shop here and it's a hop, skip, and a freeway away from me.

I went the other day to get some tulle for a tutu for Maddie (more on that to follow) and I snapped some pics on the iPhone to share with you.

Here it is from the outside . . . large-ish looking, but unassuming . . .


And then you walk in side and oh my gosh. Acres of fabrics.


Ok, I am sure it isn't literal acres, but it feels like it.

Facing the front, the whole left side of the room is discounted fabrics, gorgeous, name brand stuff like Robert Kauffman marked down to $3, or $4 a yard depending on the row you are in . . . I have found some amazing deals in these sections.

Whole rows of flannel . . .


Solids . . . they have Kona solids, poplin, chambray . . .


The right side of the room is the "full price" fabrics, where you will find all of the lovely Moda prints . . .



Kauffman stripes or dots anyone?



Even Hawaiian . . .


Every novelty print you could possibly ever think of . . .


And some you couldn't possibly ever think of . . .


There are children's prints and holiday prints. The only drawback is that they don't carry Riley Blake, boo.



The back half of the room has the faux fur, the tulle, amazing sequined fabrics, silks . . .


And the stacks!



The stacks are rows upon rows of $2 a yard fabric, usually fabric that was cheaper to start with (although I have found some amazing stuff, for example, the toile I bought at $7 a yard ended up months later in the stacks!)

The second section has denim, corduroy, and even t-shirt and sweatshirt material.




There is also an amazing section of decorator weight fabrics that I managed to somehow miss taking a picture of because I was too busy checking out the Lake House fabrics.


Have I mentioned the trim section?


Or the notions section?



In-freaking-sane people.

I could probably easily drop a grand (if I ever had a grand to spend on fabric, hey, a girl can dream) in just a few hours at M&L.

This is also one of Maddie and Jamie's favorite places to go. Maddie is very particular about fabrics, she likes to feel them, pick out her favorites, and hold the bolts in the cart. James likes lean out of the cart and run his hand over the bolts as we go down rows. They also are both fans of the lollipop jar at the register.

Have you been to M&L? Do you have anything like it near you? If not, what would you snag at M&L if you were to visit Buena Park? I'm still drooling over the Lake House lines!

35 comments:

  1. wow! what an amazing place! My sister lives in West Hollywood so i'll have to see if this is within driving distance.

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  2. Oh WOW Jessica!! That's one amazing shop! I'm jealous!! Although... If I were to live near to something like that I'd be bound to spend too much !!! So maybe just as well!

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  3. Duff - Yes, totally within driving distance of West Hollywood and worth the trip!

    Marguerite - It would be way too easy to spend lots of money, luckily I don't have it to spend ;)

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  4. Ooh, I'm jealous... I can spend hours looking at fabric, imagining everything I could make!

    I'm pretty sure I need something made out of doughnut print fabric. I don't know what, but something!

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  5. YUM! I freaking love fabric stores.

    I don't think we have M and L here but we have similar stores and I love just wandering around drumming up craft ideas in my head and taking in the smell of linen.

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  6. I've been there! I love your photos of the store. I personally try to stay clear of the full price fabric section, although I splurge every now and then on some of the Moda prints. I also wish they carried Riley Blake fabrics (my favorite!), however I've only seen them in quilt stores. Maybe we'll run into each other at M&L one day! :)

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  7. Um ... jealous! Why is it an entire country away from me??? Oh wait, because I'd spend way too much money there ... haha. Man ... wonder if there's anything like that around here? All the fabric stores in my immediate area have closed. CLOSED! There's like, nowhere you can go. Hobby Lobby has some, but not much. Sigh.

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  8. Candace - I'll be the one with two rambunctious toddlers in my cart who are trying to snag fabric.

    Rivka - Oh no, that is horrible. There is something to be said for being able to feel a fabric before you buy it, even though I love buying online, you need to be able to go to a fabric store every once in awhile!

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  9. I love that store. Enough that I try not to go too often, as I have a bad habit of walking out with 4 times as much stuff as I went in for...

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  10. Awesome!!! It would be hard not to spend a ton of money there!!

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  11. I live in Scotland UK I want to emigrate to somewhere near that shop:)

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  12. My husband is glad the store is in the US and I live in Australia, otherwise we would have to extend the house.

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  13. As a fabraholic, I think I could "overdose" here. haha

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  14. I had an attack when I saw the polka dot stripe aisle! What a nice store! A store like this makes so much sense why isn't there one in every city, small town or village? Thanks for the tour because I doubt if I'll make it there but I can dream....

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  15. I would love to go there but can't handle the enormous traffic in Cal.I live in Casa Grande,az so im not that far but hate the drive there nad back.The place looks amazing.
    We have a store in Phoenix that has 8,000 or more and havent been there yet..It's called 35street sew and vac.Its on 35 and Northern.Thanks for picts.

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  16. I haven't been able to sleep lately and have been missing home. I googled M&L Fabrics to see if I could get a peak. For some reason I have been thinking everything has changed since I've moved north. I was so glad to have happened upon your blog! It took me right back home...don't get me wrong, I love the beauty of northern California but there are things I do miss about the madness and hustle and bustle of So. Cal. M&L Fabrics will always be one of them. Thanks for the pair of ruby slippers, such a fun trip back to 'Oz'!

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  17. Wow! What a fantastic store! I am ready to make my regency gown! But I'm confused are you in CA or Montana?

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  18. Candy, we moved to MT in March of this year, I posted this last November. However, it got posted on a quilting board by some nice person, so it's become my most popular post!

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  19. Okay, gotcha! I read that but it wasn't coming together in my mind! Thanks for clarifying!

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  20. My MIL introduced me to M&L fabrics maybe 3 years ago. I live in MD, but everytime we travel to Long Beach to see family I make her take me there. "Make" her is the wrong word; she gladly takes me there. I try to have projects in mind when I go in, but I am a kid in a candy store that also sells what I make on Etsy so it helps me reson my way through fabric binges. I have an amazing husband who lets me go nuts and I usually bring an empty suitcase with me. I wish M&L were much closer. Oh, and my CA family too.

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  21. I live one mile from Fabric Depot in Portland Oregon. It is the largest fabric store west of the Mississippi. One and one-half acres of fabric. I used to work there when I first moved here five years ago. They have a weekend sale once a month when all fabric is 35% off, and everything else is 25% off. They have gorgeous bridal/special occasion, quilting, dressmaking, notions, trims, buttons!, home dec, yarn, patterns, crafting - I never get out in less than an hour! Very little "cheap" material. Doubt that I will ever make it to southern California, but I love shopping in Portland, OR. http://fabricdepot.com/

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  22. your pictures have convinced me to go to M & L. I will be in Disney in later July and looks mom will need a field trip from Mickey and gang. Is it far from DLR?

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    1. Lee, no it's only a few minutes away from Disneyland. I hope you enjoy your trip!

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  23. I have worked in Anaheim for 4 yrs now and I just visited this place today since I started sewing again. Oh my - it's fabric Nirvana. What a great little blog about the store. Fun stuff. Anaheim has lots of hidden gems. I am so glad to have discovered it. Thanks for sharing it. I'm glad people put this on the web or I never would have found it. Bought some awesome Robert Kaufman fabrics on the cheap. You have to love great fabric at an even better price!

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    1. Thanks for commenting. Anaheim does have a lot of really great hidden gems! M&L has spoiled me for everywhere else ;)

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  24. It's in West Anaheim probably 15-20 mins from Disneyland.

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  25. I'm going to have to check this place out!! Thanks!

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  26. I was just there today Jessica .. Thanks for sharing this .. Words just dont do it justice .. This way I can share with my QUilty friends

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  27. Best fabric selection in California! Will be back soon, I drive 3 hours to this store!

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  28. I live in Cypress, and I think they should just install a cot in the back for me---I live there! It's the ONLY place I buy my fabric!

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  29. I've been to M&L and LOVE it! But where to buy patterns???

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  30. I love this place, I can spend alot of $$$$ there, but take my husband and he picks out more then I did. Iam going next week! Very much worth the drive.

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  31. It looks like a larger Michael Levine, in downtown Los Angeles. Michael Levine is actually two stores, on each side of Maple St., one for upholstery, linings, vinyl, the other for everything else.

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  32. I just started to learn quilting and found it is amazing hobby with all the beautiful fabrics. Now i can't leave empty hand from shop. I reckon i will spend my pension in this shop. I wish one day i can make a trip to there from England.

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