Mill End Store - Portland (Milwaukie) — Attraction in Milwaukie

I was bummed by my experience here. I had shopped here in the early 2000s and had been told when I moved back that it was still The Place to find fabric in this area. I was promised it was worth the drive in.

I went in with a 250 dollar budget, assuming I'd be hard pressed not to blow it. Instead, I ended up purchasing two yards of "it will do maybe" fabric. The selection was strange. I know as a mill end store they carry leftovers, but you'd think that they'd still have a buyer who would focus on getting good variety in.

The selection was either too basic, or too novel. I could have linen in 20 vaguely differentiated shades of "wheat" but I couldn't find a single reddish color? The organization of the quilting cottons was extremely poor, with the fabric divided by subject matter, not color. I've never seen a store not primarily organize by color, and I really did not care for it. By the time I got to the third or fourth 'subject' I was simply annoyed. It felt like a weird speedbump tactic that is supposed to get customers to slow down, but actually sends them back out the door.

People who want to look at every bolt are going to do that. People who want to get in, find what they need, and leave, would prefer a store set up in a way that it's fast to do that.

Everything felt picked over and overly slim. Many shelves were only half full. There was actually a nearly 400 sq foot section that had nothing at all in it. I was accustomed to this place bursting at the seams. Not anymore.

There are good things to be had in here, I'm sure, and if you want to make formal clothing they do seem to have selection there. But the quality of the canvas I purchased feels low for the price. I will sew it up, but it did not launder that well.

Not really interested in the hour and a half drive to get here in the future.

Update: After laundering the canvas I purchased was kind of awful. It shredded easily, I couldn't get it to stop fraying, it was coarse and didn't have movement. For 17 dollars a yard, ...

There are only a handful of independent fabric stores left in the Portland-metro area. There are other stores that have wonderful fabrics but there is no one with this level of variety. Only Mill End has fabrics for virtually every conceivable use including home decor, upholstery, outdoor, utility, bridal, crafts, quilting, active apparel, suiting/tailoring, costume, and general apparel sewing. They have an excellent range of both basic and high end fabrics. Woven or knit Silk, Wool (and felts), Linen, Cotton (try to find a weave or pattern they don't have), Rayon, Nylon, Polyester, Spandex, Courdura, Cane, Neoprene, Grasses, and tech fabrics are all well represented. I've never special ordered anything from them but I know someone who has and they said it was easy. Their inventory of trim and beading is good but not remarkable. The notions section while well stocked, seems underwhelming in comparison to the fabric. They have an adequate amount of craft supplies (I was surprised and disappointed by the total lack of dyeing and fabric paints). I cannot recall if they carry yarns and floss for needle crafts. The staff is helpful and knowledgeable. In my opinion the strike a balance between some fabric stores that treat you like are a Saint Bernhard in an antique store and other stores that are so short staffed that it is almost impossible to find someone to take your money. If you love (or even like) fabric then Mill End is (one of) the best...

I hadn't been here for years. It dropped off my radar until recently when a friend and I were talking and realized there was a place where our needs intersected: The Mill End Store. My friend was redecorating following some renovations to her home, and I had taken up a new hobby and have interest in sewing and craft supplies, notions (zippers, backing, buttons, patterns, adhesives, kits, etc) upholstery supplies (batting, webbing, foam, etc.), and among other things, fabric. Oh boy, is there FABRIC. In fact, the Mill End Store has the largest display of fabric in the country. I spent half a day here browsing (and touching) a vast array from silk to suede, and spandex to sail cloth, burlap to brocade, and taffeta to twill. As my morning waned I reluctantly made my way from the remnant area past upholstery fabrics, the bridal department, sewing room supplies, the cutting tables, the phalanx of welcoming, courteous, helpful and knowledgable staff, (whew, almost to checkout), the designer collections, and the entrance to the in-house floor covering sister store, I realized there was an entire swath of the cavernous warehouse that I hadn't even been in! My companion and I haven't scheduled our return trip to explore the areas we missed, but it'll be soon; I spotted some tropical print oil cloth bolt ends that'll make...