Pro tip: I wasted $75 on a 'designer' fabric swatch book that was just cheap prints glued to cardboard.

Hugo Knight · 2026-03-10T14:55:03.542058+00:00

Has anyone found a good, affordable source for actual fabric samples you can feel and drape?

What was the brand name of that swatch book?

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Is it that big of a deal if a swatch book is a little cheap? You're gonna order the real yardage anyway. I just use the free samples from big fabric stores online, they send little squares for free. Honestly, for draping you need a bigger piece than any sample book gives you.

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brians275mo ago

Little squares for free" is the problem, they're useless for seeing how a fabric moves. You need a sample big enough to fold and see the weight. I've had good luck asking fabric stores to cut me a fat quarter as a sample, costs a few bucks but shows the drape.

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