Mary Jo’s Cloth Store

I don’t even sew, but I love this place for crafts! Crazy selection of fabrics, ribbons, buttons, etc!

Huge! Living with a Fashion Designer is Cooler than Cool! I get Tailor Made Clothes. Clothes need Fabric! My Designer needs Fabric! As «Projekt Runway» fans my eBay Bride and I were excited about seeing and getting something Unique!
Wearing Clothes does not prove sanity, does not prove wealth, does NOT Prove Anything!!! Since we do wear clothes as part of pretending to be sane, or to somehow «fit-​in» we ought to be able to «show» some Individualism… AND Maybe ShowOUT! Kiss-​kiss
Thanks Adam!

finish the analogy:
a crack house is to a crackhead as mary jo’s cloth store is to a_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​
ok, i’m not really sure what word you would actually put there, but the truth is that most people who sew have what we call a «stash.» it’s buckets and bags of cloth that we have found over the years that is waiting for the right… outfit, project, or quilt to spark our creative fires.
For any cloth stasher out there, mary jo’s is a great place to score your next hit… er, cut of fabric.
It really doesn’t matter what kind of stasher you are, quilter, upholsterer, fashionista, or the occasional pintrest experimenter chances are you will find what you need here.
the store seems overwhelming, but they really have organized it well. color coordinated in some places, theme coordinated in others (the coordinated by color for instance if you’re looking for zig zag, they’re grouped together and then by color).
They have quilters cotton (which i often use for clothes), upholostery, indoor and out, suiting fabric, formal wear, dance wear, lace, brocade, eyelet, spandex, vinal, seasonal, thematical, etc… and then there are notions, lace, and trim, elastic, and patterns! (pick the pattern you want, let the ladies know, and they’ll pull it for you)
Staff are knowledgable if you have questions and the selection is A-​MA-​ZING! I spent 2 hours here and could have stayed more if it weren’t for other pressing things to get too.
Now i’m sure you’re wondering, it’s so amazing! but what are the downsides?
1. Prices are pretty industry standard. Quilting cottons around 8 – 9 a yard. everything else goes up from there. most stuff i loved was around 12 – 15 a yard. But unlike chain fabric shops there are no coupons or sales to take advantage of, which means you are going to spend a pretty penny for what you want. (although i did luck up and find some beautiful black charmeuse with giant pink polka dots on it for $ 4.98 a yard, but that price was not typical. I bought some clereance fabric, normally 11 a yard for $ 7)
2. It’s a little off the beaten path… well it’s Gastonia. The store itself is in a nice shopping strip mall near target.
3. most cuts of fabric they rip off the bolt instead of cut, so if that’s a problem for you, look away. :D
While these are the most negative things i can come up with to say, none of them are regretable enough to drop a star. (price is really the only disappointing thing to me, b/​c i like to «get a deal» when it comes to my fabric. especially when you need 4 yards to make a dress, and you have to pay $ 12 – 15 a yard, it gets pricey QUICK!)
This place is going on my «Get on the bus!» list, b/​c it is worth the drive! Especially when you’re looking for things you can’t find elsewhere. happy fabric-​ing!

Thousands of Square feet of fabric shopping. Sewing classes are offered too.
The place was massive… tons of selections …
The staff was very knowledgeable and offered to help numerous times.
I really enjoyed my time there even though i wasnt lucky enough to find something that i wanted for a particular room.
Lots of nice stuff… just not what i needed.
This is a heavenly place for people who love to sew.

I’ve been to Mary Jo’s three times, including once as a celebration for graduating High School. The fact I am driving some five hours away from my home in GA really says something about their selection, but they are by no means perfect.
I will start off by saying that I make costumes and everyday clothing. I am not a quilter, I do not do crafty pinterest projects. I go to school for theatrical costume production so I don’t fool myself into thinking this store is aimed towards people like me. I know that the vast majority of people who shop here are quilters or crafty moms who have picked up sewing as a day hobby. But even then I find their apparel fabrics to be lacking.
If you’re not making dancewear, a bridal gown, or bridesmaid dresses, then their apparel fabrics are few and far between. Their selection is overwhelmingly light cottons meant for basically anything else other than garment construction. The store is a bit oddly laid out and despite my periodic 6 hour stop every couple of months I have never been able to completely master the layout and organization of it all. They have many nuances in how they do things. For instance, you have to ask someone behind a counter to fetch a pattern. They rip the fabric rather than cut it, even if asked. [Not a big deal to me, but to some it is.] They cannot cut multiple pieces from the same fabric, it has to be a continuous piece. I could go on and on. Basically, don’t expect them to cater to your every whim and expectation, this ain’t Jo-​Anns.
Overall I really shouldn’t complain considering the only thing in my hometown is the tiniest Jo-​Anns imaginable, and compared to that this place is heaven. But don’t expect it to be the southern equivalent of MOOD, or the fabric district in NYC. It’s far from it.

Love this place. They have tons of fabric and sewing gadgets. I took a 5 weeks beginner sewing class which was $ 25 and after completion I receive $ 25 gift certificate so the class was free. The fabric to me is a little expensive versus other fabric store. They have a huge variety which may be worth the price increase.

I went Saturday. I was in love and overwhelmed with the store especially as a beginning seamstress, but they can have my coins. I definitely love their suiting fabrics.

Love Mary Jo’s! This place started my sewing obsession. They have TONS of fabrics and notions to choose from and I find exactly what I need here 9 times out f 10 which is more than I can say for big box craft stores that never have unique items or just things that «feel special.» Mary Jo’s is a little pricier than chain stores but I am happy to pay a little more to support a local business that always has great selection. Shopping at Mary Jo’s feels like a treasure hunt! The only reason I didn’t give 5 stars is because sometimes it takes awhile to find someone to cut fabric for you and it seems that only about half of the employees are knowledgable or happy to help.

I’m one of the few that hated this place but my opinion is firmly based on knowing there’s so much better out there even if it’s not local. Perhaps if you like quilting or interior design this place would be okay, although even for this their prices are extremely high. For fashion fabrics they carry none although they think they have a selection. I think they luck out because they have no competition except for Hobby Lobby or Joann’s. The prices are too high for the fabric quality and the selection is extremely limited. They have a lot of the same thing which is printed woven cotton and upholstery fabric. I miss real fabric stores. This place does NOT compare to a fabric store in NY and definitely not Los Angeles. You will not find one decent knit, burnout, hatchi, eyelet, lace (unless it’s bridal and overpriced), etc. The only thing Mary Jo’s has that I can appreciate are some notions and sewing supplies.

Great find if you are looking for decorator fabrics for your interior! Unfortunately you have to go there, online is just not updated with current fabrics. I purchased a gorgeous tapestry fabric for 40 a yard, usually these are double that price or more. Great selection of Irish linen, from drapery weight to upholstery weight. I purchased a moss green linen to make a slipcover for a sofa — $ 20 a yard! Had it all shipped to my home in Illinois as I was flying home.

I have this friend, see. And she likes fabric, see. And I don’t, see. Ah well, the things we do for our friends.
It’s a beautiful day for a drive & we head out to Gastonia (it’s SW of Charlotte — I did not know that — had never been). This is a busy town with a busy shopping area right off the interstate (or super higway as her parent’s call it) She said the shopping center itself has undergone some spiffing up & has many more new shops to check out if I got bored. Thank heavens she was looking for specific fabric & not just browsing.
Little did I know that in this giant-​sized store were other things that are called Notions! I found some cute patches to glue onto my suitcase & some buttons that I can find something to do with, I’m sure. (I CAN sew on buttons) I also found this neat little embossing tool & some templates to do something creative with. So all in all it was a rather fun experience. Oh yes… fabric… they have TONS of it and even have a whole section of bridal fabrics as well as upholstery/​curtain fabrics (just fyi). So I have experienced Mary Jo’s & I highly recommend the visit even if you’re just tagging along.

I can’t believe I haven’t written a review for Mary Jo’s– this place stacks up with some of the shops in NYC’s garment district. You need it– chances are you’ll find it, along with some really nice ladies to help you.
After not being able to find just the right shade of pink for my bridesmaid’s dresses last year, I went to Mary Jo’s as a last resort. WOWEE! The place is the size of a warehouse, and has every kind of fabric you can imagine. Pricey silks to metallic polyester. All kinds of notions and accessories.
With a selection that makes Jo Ann’s PALE in comparison, good prices and good customer service, I recommend MJCS for any fabric/​sewing need you have.
TIP: I had to ship about 35 yards of fabric to the dressmaker in Massachusetts, and Mary Jo’s took care of it. Everything from the wrapping to the shipping and keeping me posted via phone when everything shipped. Bonus!

Mary Jo’s never disappoints when looking for great prices and selection and yesterday we also had GREAT service. Pat K. helped us with fabric selection, cutting decisions and color suggestions and was very friendly and patient and her 14 years of experience at Mary Jo’s was evident!
We purchased two large amounts of fabric for our wedding reception and we were able to get both yardages and some ribbon for around $ 60 complete with tearing instructions from Pat K. and some funny teasing from the salesclerk to my fiancé about our 3 hours in the store :)
I would highly recommend trying out this store, or online shopping, if you are in need of fabric or notions. It’s right off the interstate and super easy to find! Check it out!

I’m obsessed with Mary Jo’s online store
. I have never found a better online selection of decorator fabrics, and I do a lot of online shopping. Also, her prices are about ¹⁄₃ less than many other online retailers. For example, I paid $ 13.99 for a P. Kaufmann fabric on another site, and MaryJo’s has it for $ 8.49. I wish I had found this site first. Also, shipping is only $ 10 for any amount of fabric, and no tax if you are from out-​of-​state!

Wow. If you’re into sewing or crafts, you have to go to the legendary Mary Jo’s in Gastonia. The store, open since 1949, has thousands of types of fabric. People come from all over the South to go to Mary Jo’s — that’s how great the selection is and how famous this store is.