As a student with a passion for sewing, I've realized that having a hobby that takes large quantities of fabric (many varieties of which can cost upwards of $30 or even $50 a yard!) can be very expensive.  EBay is an excellent source for fabrics of all kinds, from basic cotton broadcloth to ornately embroidered and beaded silks.  However, with 40,000 listings in the Crafts section of eBay alone (not to mention the Collectibles category!), finding the fabric you want can be a little intimidating!

So, in the hopes of helping fellow sewers (especially costumers, as costumes are my favorite type of clothing to sew), I've created this guide.  Onward!

1. Purpose

First thing's first.  Are you purchasing fabric for a specific project?  If you're purchasing for a project and you already have a pattern, keep the back of the pattern envelope handy.


Above is a portion of a typical pattern envelope back (this one happens to be from Simplicity patterns).  You'll want to make sure to pay attention to your body measurements and the pattern size it corresponds to, so that you can choose the amount of fabric you'll need accurately.  Make sure you note how much fabric the pattern predicts you'll need!

The major pattern companies ("The Big Four" in particular) often note how much yardage you'll need on their website.  If you want to purchase a pattern and simply haven't gotten to the store (or haven't found it on eBay!), try looking there!

2. Fabric Fibers

There are many, many, many, many fabric types out there, and the retail price can range from $1/yard to $200/yard!  Decide what kind of fabric you want to use for your project (or just to increase your stash!), and start looking.  Some basic fabric types are:

- Cotton.  Cotton can be woven or knit.  Broadcloths, poplins, and sheeting are usually smooth.  Canvas and twill have a slight "ribbed" feel, and tend to be thicker.  When viewing a listing, be sure to note whether the seller indicates that the product is 100% cotton.  If no fiber content percentage is given, e-mail them!  If you're looking for "period correct" (for the purposes of historical costuming and reenactment) fibers, you don't want to purchase the fabric and have it delivered, only to realize it's a cotton/poly/acetate/rayon blend.  Cotton is often used for printed fabric, such as for quilting.

- Wool.  Wool is, of course, an animal fiber.  Oftentimes on eBay, much of the wool you'll find is woven as opposed to knit.  Wool can be woven in many ways: crepe, twill, flannel, smooth "coating weight", and houndstooth, among others.  Remember to check the product page to see if it is listed as 100% wool!  Often wool is blended with polyester or even rayon, but rarely with cotton.  Wool/silk and wool/cashmere blends can be very luxurious and soft!  If you've never purchased or worn wool before, or the person you are making a garment for has not worn wool before, ensure that you or your client (or friend, daughter, son, etc) don't have a wool allergy! 

- Silk.  Silk is an extremely luxurious fabric, and comes in an incredibly wide range of weaves: from the barely-there chiffons and organzas, to thick bridal satin or brocade.  Silk can also vary extremely widely in price, and is often embellished with embroidery or beading.  The "slubby" silk popular in today's fashion is called dupioni, though it is sometimes spelled duppioni, dupion, or duppion.  Shantung is similar to dupioni, but often has fewer slubs in the weave.  A slub is a woven "bump" in the fabric.  Fiber content is especially important for silk!  Many times, sellers will call a fiber "silk" despite the fact that it is 100% polyester.  Silk is often blended with polyester, acetate, rayon, or cotton.  It can also be blended with wool (so watch out for this if you're allergic to wool).

- Linen.  Linen is a very nice "basic" fabric, though it has a tendency to wrinkle very easily.  It is made from the fibers of the flax plant (don't confuse it with ramie, which is made from a plant in the nettle family), and is almost exclusively woven.  Linen is very crisp, but softens if you wash it.  It has a tendency to shrink, though, so if you pre-wash, buy more than you think you'll need!

- Synthetics.  Personally, I don't use synthetics unless they're blended in with a natural fiber, or I'm running low on cash but need something now.  However, there are several types of synthetic fabric. The most common ones are rayon*, polyester, acetate, nylon, acrylic, and spandex.  These can be blended in with natural fibers or a fabric may be 100% synthetic.

*I have been sent a note by a fellow eBayer regarding my categorization of rayon as synthetic, so I am adding a note to this guide regarding rayon.  Rayon is made from natural fibers but it is produced through a chemical manufacturing process, unlike true natural fabrics.  It is, therefore, neither entirely natural nor entirely synthetic, but somewhere in the middle.  If you would like more extensive information about rayon and how it is made, please Google "rayon".

A burn test is often the best way to tell whether a fiber is natural or synthetic.  If the seller isn't sure what the fiber is, you might (politely) suggest a burn test, or ask for a sample to conduct one on your own.

Cellulose fibers (cotton, linen, rayon): burns, doesn't fuse or shrink away from the flame, continues to burn when removed from the flame, and the ash is grey, feathery, and smooth.  The smell is similar to burning paper.
Protein (silk, wool): burns slowly, fuses and curls away from the flame, and is self-extinguishing.  The ash is black and crushable, and the odor is like that of burning hair.
Other synthetics (other than spandex):  burns with melting, fuses away from flame, is self-extinguishing.  These fibers form a hard black or tan bead, and the odor varies: acetate, acrylic, and modacrylic are acrid.  Nylon smells like celery, and burning polyester smells sweetish.
Spandex: Burns with melting, fuses but does not shrink, continues to burn with melting after being removed from the flame, leaves a soft black ash, and smells sweetish. 

Blends have a combination of these reactions, though percentage is often difficult to estimate.

3. Price

What's a fair price?  Well, that depends on the fabric, and of course this IS an auction site!  However, price is especially important to look at with regards to the "Buy It Now" function.  A price that seems too good to be true usually is- buyer beware if a seller is offering six yards of Scalamandre embroidered silk for $15 as a buy-it-now price!  At the same time, keep your eye out for deals, and look very carefully at the photos displayed, keeping in mind that the color may differ slightly due to the lighting, camera, or your computer monitor.  The best thing to do is ask for a sample if there is enough time left in the auction- especially if you're trying to match a fabric!

4. Quantity

Be sure to check how much fabric is being offered in the auction.  Make sure that you enter the correct quantity if you are buying from an auction with multiple yards available.  Make certain that you have enough and then some!

5. Fabric Care

A last note regarding your new fabric: pay attention to any cleaning instructions the seller may have included with the fabric.  Use your common sense- don't machine wash the beaded silk!  However, if the fabric is washable, and you plan to wash the finished garment, make sure to pre-wash!

I hope this guide has helped you learn a little about fabrics and buying them on eBay.  Happy bidding!