9 Kansas City area craft stores that makers can turn to after Joann closings
With the impending closure of Joann Fabric stores, which includes five locations in the Kansas City area, many craft and sewing enthusiasts are left wondering where to turn for their supplies.
Instead of big-box stores, they might consider turning to local small businesses. Kansas City has a long history of independent craft stores and fabric artists. Many of the stores in this article have been staples in their community for 10, 20 or even 40 years.
Here are some KC area options for quilts and fashion fabrics.
Fabrics
Prairie Point Quilt & Fabric Shop
12116 W. 95th St., Lenexa
Prairie Point offers a wide range of quilt fabrics, sewing notions and classes for enthusiasts of all levels. Since the original store opened in 1995 as Prairie Point Quilts, the shop has changed ownership four times four. Most recently mother-daughter duo Cathy Hodges and Ashley Hower became co-owners in 2024.
Harper’s Fabric & Quilt Co.
7918 Santa Fe Drive, Overland Park
Harper’s provides an extensive selection of cotton quilting fabrics and sewing supplies. They are the only dealer for the PFAFF brand in the KC metro area. They also offer classes in quilting, sewing, and hand and machine embroidery to help you enhance your skills, whether you are a beginner or experienced.
ZoeLee’s Fabrics & Sewing School
1329 NE Deer Valley Drive, Lee’s Summit
As the only exclusive fashion fabric store in the Kansas City metropolitan area, ZoeLee’s has been a staple for more than 40 years, offering a variety of fabrics and sewing classes. At ZoeLee’s, makers can find various heirloom, swimwear, sports, lingerie, and fashion fabrics, including cottons, velours, pleathers, cotton jerseys and rayon lycras.
Yarn & Fiber Arts:
Yarn Social:
1707 W. 45th St.
Yarn Social offers a curated selection of yarns and hosts community events for knitting and crochet enthusiasts. Unique to Yarn barn is their Queer Social block from 6 to 8 p.m. every Tuesday a safe space for queer individuals to work on their knitting or crochet projects. Mistake Monday is also offered on the first and third Monday of every month from 3 to 6 p.m. On the first Monday, knitters can learn how to fix their mistakes on a first-come, first-served basis and on the third Monday, crocheters and knitters can get help. The group also has various other social hours throughout the week:
Sunday: Spin-In, 4 to 8 p.m.
Monday: Mistake Mondays, first and third Monday, 3 to 6 p.m.
Tuesday: Queer Social Hours, 6 to 8 p.m.
Wednesday: Virtual Yarn Social Hours, 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Thursday: Yarn Social Hours, 6 to 8 p.m.
Saturday: Yarn Social Hours 10 a.m. to noon
Yarn Social will also be celebrating Local Yarn Store Day on Saturday, April 26. There will be some gifts with purchases, mystery yarn boxes, prize giveaways, as well as other materials they are still putting together.
Unwind Fiber Arts:
207 SE Third St., Lee’s Summit
Unwind Fiber Arts is a luxury yarn boutique that serves as a creative space for makers who share a love of hand-dyed fibers and quality tools.
The Studio Knitting & Needlepoint:
9555 Nall Ave., Overland Park
The Studio offers a variety of knitting and needlepoint supplies, along with classes and workshops to enhance your skills.
The studio participates in Fiberside Chats along with 40 other yarn shops across the United States. It is a one-hour Zoom call every other Sunday where designers and creators offer a peek into their processes with a Q&A opportunity and sometimes giveaways and pattern discounts.
Yarn Barn of Kansas:
930 Massachusetts St., Lawrence
Yarn Barn has been supplying knitting, weaving, spinning, and crocheting materials since 1971, offering a vast selection of yarns, looms, and kits.
Craft & Art Supplies:
Scraps KC:
3269 Roanoke Road
As Kansas City’s first creative reuse center, Scraps KC offers a variety of art and craft supplies, promoting sustainability by repurposing materials. The shop also hosts activities and events to engage the community. Not only is it a fantastic place to shop for materials without buying them new, it also gives back to the Kansas City community through its volunteer programs. People who are unhoused are invited to help maintain and enhance the organization, leveraging their skills in the process. The organization also provides food, clothing, and hygiene items to the unhoused community when they volunteer.
KC Maker Studio and Fabrics:
5331 Johnson Drive, Mission
Beginning as an online longarm embroidery business in 2019, KC Maker Studio transformed in its first year of business quickly adding quilting classes and quilting retreats. The studio can help with projects like memory quilts during graduation season. They offer six sizes shirt block options: 9 shirts, 10-15, 16-19, 20-24, 25-29, or 30-35. Patrons can also create a gift registry on the website for fabric and crafting needs.
Have more questions about small businesses or ideas for some worth highlighting? Send them to kcq@kcstar.com.