I can't sew...well, I couldn't sew. Had a cheap little machine I bought secondhand and couldn't thread the bobbin, couldn't thread the machine, literally didn't know what the dials were for. After numerous failed attempts at teaching myself, I booked a private lesson with Colleen. Over the course of two hours, she taught me all about operating my machine, basic stitches, entry-level sewing tools, and I even made a drawstring bag! She was kind, patient, encouraging, and a FANTASTIC instructor. I can't wait to take some of her group classes!! The store itself is great. Lots of sewing supplies that are of higher quality and will last you a while. The people who work here couldn't be nicer or more helpful. If you feel intimidated by learning to sew, this is a perfect spot to start learning. Even if you're already a great sewer, you'll find everything you need here. They have a spacious section in the back where they teach group and individual classes; you can also rent a desk/machine if you need some higher end equipment to work with. Huge thank you to Colleen and the staff for helping make my entry into sewing fun and easy!! read more

Modern Domestic - The drawstring bag I made in a private beginner's lesson with Colleen! - Fabric Stores Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Very modern vibe, hence the name . Friendly staff, reasonable prices, moderate selection of fabrics. I was very happy to find Rifle Paper Company fabrics! read more

Very nice little store but seemed like a lot of variety of thread and printed material. Has one regular parking spot and one handicapped but lots on the street. Nice staff offering help. I took in three pair of pants and found the matching thread I needed for just over $12. read more

Modern Domestic is my favorite fabric store. I enjoy browsing the store because of all the beautiful fabrics and modern quilt patterns. The store has lots of displays and samples for inspiration. They also have a great selection of high-quality garment fabrics. Staff are very knowledgeable and willing to offer suggestions. They carry every notion I need. I love the one stop shopping. I bought my Bernina from Modern Domestic 10 years ago, use it almost every day and it still runs like a new machine. They have an excellent service team and I will trust only them to service my machine. read more

Charming, fun, adorable. I made progress on a project that is going to be great. I just used the sewing studio.

Kind and helpful all the way. Teamwork from employees to make sure I was taken care of and satisfied. I liked them and will always go back, if needed. Thank you- this rating is a bit late, but better late than never. I was not charged either, but opted to pay as they were so nice. read more

I took the very beginner sewing class and learned enough to run my machine at home and make a basic grade string bag. Well worth the two hours I spent. After class, I was able to pick up a few items I need for sewing at home. The prices were higher than a box craft store, but the quality is much better, so I don't mind. read more

Modern Domestic - Sewing class - Fabric Stores Near Me - Portland, Oregon

When the pandemic started, I, like most people found hobbies to keep them occupied. I hand sewed masks for myself and friends, which took about 1.5 hours per mask. And the whole time I was wishing I knew how to use a sewing machine. Flash forward to a few weeks ago, I see that Modern Domestic has sewing lessons. I knew I had to sign up. And you know what, I'm so glad that I did. The teacher was super helpful and attentive. The class was a beginner class and we made napkins. I love how easy to use the machines are. Added bonus, you can "rent" a machine by the hour to do your own projects. I will definitely be back! read more

Modern Domestic - Fabric and thread - Fabric Stores Near Me - Portland, Oregon

A big thank you to Patrick for his great trouble shooting on my Bernina 570 this am. Fixed my problem immediately and was extremely kind and helpful. Greatly appreciated! read more

I came in for the first time and had a great experience! I was mostly helped by Rachel, who was so nice and patient. She helped consult on my color palette & pattern, and even saved me from buying way too much fabric by going through cutting calculations with me. The selection of Kona fabrics was vast. I wplus totally recommend this business! read more

Great fabric and fiber art store. The products offered are wonderful and the service is excellent. If you buy more than $100 worth, they will ship it to your house for free. Since I was here traveling, shipping to my house was so helpful. Their fabric and other products are really lovely and top-notch in quality. read more

No trip to Portland is complete without a stop at this lovely quilt shop! The staff is always SO welcoming, knowledgeable and excited to hear about your latest project. I don't think I've ever been in when they aren't having a class - they always look very fun! MD has a gorgeous selection of Bernina machines, quilting cottons as well as apparel fabric and patterns. My only complaint about this shop is that they don't have a Seattle location! read more

Modern Domestic - Fabric Stores Near Me - Portland, Oregon

****Update 8/16/19: I have to say that my recent 2 visits to the store have been very pleasant! Not sure what happened but I sure am glad and happy that MD has finally turned into a fun, positive and happy place where I can shop for my quilting & sewing supplies! ****Original review: This fabric store has a really cute selection of modern cottons, prints as well as a full range of solids, canvas, apparel fabrics, waxed canvas....you name it. They also have a good variety of metal strap sliders, magnets and such. Because of their fun and well curated selection I come here, but ONLY because of that and due to the lack of alternatives. Sadly, I always feel unwelcome here and as others have already mentioned feel like the sales staff are very busy chatting with each other instead of attending to customers. You almost feel like an intruder coming into the store. Once you get their attention you still cannot brush off the attitude coming your way. Really a bummer. All I want to do when at the store is quickly get my stuff and run. read more

Really great help on pattern navigation and technical issues! I have gotten help in the store and on the phone. Always helpful.

My wife's Bernina 830 has only been serviced by this business and up until there were issues with their techs did our relationship sour. A tech that they fired, as he put it, "blew up her machine. A new tech tried to fix it but it never properly worked again. She couldn't fix it and suggested sending to the Bernina company. We had to pay to ship it and no communication on us paying for a repair that was due to them damaging in their care and not repairing based on the previous paid service the fired tech couldn't figure out. So her machine was held captive until we paid for a repair we never caused damage for. So I paid to get the machine out of jail and we were given 90 day written warranty. She didn't even get a few hundred stitches in before the machine threw errors and sounded horrible. So we took it back for service to get our money's worth that I still don't feel we owed. They called my wife and told her they were not going to service her machine, that they voided the warranty and to come pick the machine up. And we did just that. I've filled complaints and if that doesn't solve it we will take them to court to be made whole. Beware. read more

This place is doing everything right. The building stocked with drool-worthy fabrics, a rainbow of threads and every notion you could ever need. They have classes for every level of sewing enthusiast, on everything from machine basics to zippered pillows to perfectly fitted summer dresses to quilting classes taught by everyone's blog hero, Elizabeth Hartman of Oh, Fransson! Recently I learned that in addition to all of this awesomeness they have the BEST machine servicing system in the city. I've always taken my machine to the shop I purchased it from, a well established local business that has always been friendly and done an excellent job. Since MD is within walking distance from my house, though, when my beloved BabyLock started misbehaving I decided to try them out. SO GLAD I DID! First of all, basic service $50 less than the other place. Nice. They have you put $25 down, then contact you if your machine is going to need anything beyond a tune-up, giving you a quote of labor and parts cost and the opportunity to stop service. This is AMAZING. Repairs can get expensive. I got my diagnostic call a few days ago, and it turns out it needs parts and extra labor, so it might take awhile before we're reunited. Typically being without my machine for a few weeks would be hugely problematic, BUT: They let you sew in their classrooms until repairs are finished! As long as there are not 2 classes being taught, you can go in and take advantage of their amazing studio spaces. They even give you a toolkit, complete with everything you need (pins, fabric and thread scissors, roto-cutter, seam ripper, chalk wheel thingy, etc) to use. All you need to provide is the "consumables," ie the stuff your project is made of (fabric, thread, interfacing). They have several Bernina machines, huge work tables with cutting mats, wide ironing boards and fancy irons, great lighting and a friendly and helpful staff. While my baby is being serviced I am pretty much living there. tl;dr: This place is amazing, check it out. read more

Modern Domestic - Fabric Stores Near Me - Portland, Oregon

My sick Bernina Q20 longarm quilting machine, purchased in January of 2021 from Modern Domestic, has needed repairs for over 6 months. I emailed the repair department and was told the longarm technician was on extended medical leave but was requested to send photos of my problem (my needle shaft went out of alignment while free motion quilting and the needle did not hit anything). I sent photos but did not receive a reply. I recently called the shop and to my dismay they don't do house calls for longarm quilting machines. The Bernina Q20 is a beast of a machine and my status as a customer just 15 minutes from the shop and a long time senior citizen should qualify me for some kind of special consideration but unfortunately not. I have located another Bernina dealer who makes house calls for longarms. read more

Good amount of staff to answer questions and nice selection. I like to buy local however when they charge $10 for a pack of blunt needles that I can get for $3 elsewhere I feel ripped off. read more

Modern domestic is awesome. They have a great selection and they never make me feel like I'm not an advanced enough quilter to be there. I was really impressed with their covid precautions and their attention to keeping the number of people in the store to an appropriate amount. Their supply of Ruby Star Society fabrics is unmatched! I can't wait until the pandemic is over to be able to browse in a more relaxed setting! read more

I attended Modern Domestic's "Learn to Sew BYOM" class (Bring Your Own Machine) and found everything I was looking for. I received my first sewing machine for Christmas, and 10 months later, finally got off my butt to learn how to use it. YouTube videos are great, but there's nothing like a teacher next to you who can show you the specifics of how to setup your machine, watch you practice the steps a few times, and answer your questions as you go. Although the website and store emphasize their loyalty to the Bernina brand, it was clear that the staff was happy to help with anything we brought in. It was a small group (myself and 2 other students) each with our own machines, each a different brand (Brother, Janome, and Singer.) If you don't have one of your own, they provide Bernina machines to use. The instructor, Ashley, was able to competently point out features and trade-offs unique to each of our systems and offer tips for proper care and long-term use. She patiently and enthusiastically answered all of our newbie questions, and we left by finishing up our first project ever: a drawstring pouch. Less than 3 hours, and I went from "I don't know what's in this box" to "wow, I feel ready to tackle some projects around the house now!" read more

My Darling Husband is very fond of Modern Domestic... because when he and I arrive we aren't hounded (shadowed) by pushy saleswomen. I'm glad that on the back wall there are lined up and easily scanned... if that's (scanning fast) one of your Superpowers. There were a few machines that were available... but I didn't bring any of my projects with me. I asked the prices of some of the less complicated sewing machines on the floor. I thought those were for sale. I was told that the shop recommends Bernina sewing machines for beginners. I replied,... "I haven't sewn on a machine... ever... but, I'm not a beginner." I was then asked about what patterns did I choose. I'm not sure why I was asked that. I replied,... "I don't usually use printed patterns by Butterick because they don't fit well. And, I've seen some patterns on other newbie (newer) sewing enthusiasts... that lack sophistication in the final stages." And then I mentioned my button collection. I was told by that saleswoman that Modern Domestic generally can't buy enough buttons... all seasons of the year. Apparently, I'm not the only person with a button collection that shops at Modern Domestic. There were a few projects hanging on the Western wall... and I inquired as to which saleswoman was the sewing enthusiast. The saleswoman replied she didn't know... but, she could find out in a few hours when the owner of Modern Domestic called for the order specifications for that week or month (I don't remember what she said). My Darling Husband asked me what I was going to buy the next time I brought him along with me. I asked him... did he look at the prices. He said... he had. I asked him... can we afford to buy whatever I wanted within reason... he said,... "Yes!" I don't have any projects that require fabric or button, yet... but, he and I will be back later. read more

Didn't realize a fabric store could be snotty, but...I found one. Was excited to have a reason to pop into Modern Domestic, but when I got inside, the salesperson would not acknowledge me (I had a 2 year old with me, hard to miss). I had to interrupt her after another employee walked right past me without greeting me or asking if she could be helpful. I needed some ribbon. That's it. They didn't have it and recommended I try Collage just down the street (12 blocks). Nice to refer me, but couldn't shake the feeling I was not welcome in whatever very serious quilting club this place gatekeeps for. No thanks for coming in, no smile, no "oh what are you working on?" Don't worry MD, I won't be back. Sorry to bug you today. read more

A disastrous Intro to Sewing class offered through PCC led me to Modern Domestic. In said PCC class, the instructor had moved through sewing machine basics at a rapid clip, leaving me feeling overwhelmed and lacking confidence with the fundamentals. I was still determined to learn, though, so I did an online search for Portland-area sewing studios, and stumbled upon Modern Domestic. They happened to be offering their 2-hour "Sew Basic" class that very same week, so I signed up and hoped for better luck the second time around. The "Sew Basic" class was everything my first attempt at a sewing class had not been. I was led with four other students (most classes are capped at eight students) through the fundamentals of winding a bobbin, threading a machine, sewing seams and constructing a simple project by owners Michelle and Lupine. The class was thorough and well-paced, and the incorporation of a simple project after covering the machine basics reinforced the essentials in a way that my other class did not. I left feeling encouraged and ready to jump into my own work. I didn't want to review Modern Domestic until I'd tried out the Open Sew. I want to keep sewing, but I have a tight budget and I don't own a machine. Modern Domestic makes the craft affordable by offering use of machines, basic tools, and vital equipment like cutting tables and irons at a reasonable hourly rate. For my first attempt at Open Sew, I attended one of the "Friday Night Sewcials", a weekly event that offers three hours of open sew time, and good company, for just $10. Now that I've enjoyed both MD's classes and the open sew time, I can confidently say that this place is an absolute treasure. The facility is bright, open, clean, and stylish. I was able to quickly get comfortable with the workspace and immersed in my projects - the big working tables, ironing boards with fancy Oliso irons, and great lighting (even at night, in a well-windowed facility!) is so ideal that I think I'd still work here even after I own a machine. As I worked, The Beatles played quietly over the speakers and enthusiastic quilters discussed their projects downstairs. Next to me, other sewists were working on a t-shirt quilt, spandex tights, and a pattern reproduction from an article of clothing. Amy, the staffperson, was available to answer any questions. Plus, since MD sells a selection of notions, when I was in need of a flexible ruler and some extra bobbins, they were right there to purchase. It was a wonderful experience. Since I found MD through the web, I also have to give huge props to their website - the design does a great job of capturing the feel of the facility, and I love being able to sign up for classes online. As a person who does pretty much everything over the internet, it's great to see this company living up to the "Modern" in its name. Have I raved enough yet? I love this place! I'm looking forward to many open sews in the months to come, and when I eventually buy a machine, I'll be buying it here, too. read more

Great little store in the middle of a terrific arts district. The space is sleek, modern and fun. The women who work here are personable and knowledgeable. Plus, one grew up in Illinois. All the cool quilters are moving to Portland. There are 3 sections, the first primarily devoted to Bernina sewing machines, my own personal favorite so this was fun to peruse. There were also notions and other fun items in here. The middle section is where the bulk of the fabrics are located. The selection is not huge but everything is quality, fresh and fun. I got some fabrics to make pillows and to complete a collection for a T-shirt quilt for my husband. The final section is the area where you can take classes and create your own magic. It made me just want to sit down and sew, it was so enticing. I love visiting Portland but I can't want to get home and sew with my new fabrics. read more

What a cool little shop this is! I stopped in to Modern Domestic the other day for the Modified Style fabric distribution party, and was surprised to find a bright, open space full of sewing and crafting supplies, fun project art, and lots of things with birds on them. This store/studio offers equipment for sale and equipment for in-store use, as well as classes and other fun community activities. While I don't know any more about sewing than I learned in home-ec in high school (yes, they made boys take home-ec in my high school, and yes, I did sew a bag and as far as I remember I got at least a B on it), I can see that they offer a ton of supplies like thread, bobbins, needles, scissors, irons, measuring and cutting tools and similar. The ladies who work in here seem nice helpful, and I could see that the sewing class for children that was taking place upstairs in the loft looked like a lot of fun. This was definitely a fun shop to browse in while I was hanging out for the fabric party, and I am sure I would direct any of my crafty friends here were they looking for some coolness to check out. read more

I'm writing a review about their sales on machines and my experience only. I've been to Modern Domestic a lot and think this is a great store and are a 5 star place on everything else. I recently was in the market for a new sewing machine (exciting!) and had first gone to a sewing center to look at other machines first. I had been sewing on a 1970's Bernina for about 5 years and it was time to come to the 21st century. I thought I had wanted a Bernina, but after looking at a Pfaff, I was curious what the Bernina features were going to be in comparison for the price. I was greeted right away when I walked in. The gal who was helping me was very friendly and pleasant to talk to. She inquired what I was wanting in a machine and showed me what she thought would work best and why. I honed in on one machine and asked a little further about prices, additional feet I'd need etc. After comparing the two machines I was between, the Bernina was about $800-900 more expensive than the Pfaff I was looking at the sewing center. The Bernina did not have some of the functions I wanted like start/stop secure stitching and thread cutters. The Pfaff also has a built in walking foot and I would have needed to buy that separately. MD offered financing, but was not as flexible with the price as the sewing center. The sewing center offered to throw in a few things free, and MD was not really able to offer any additional discounts (like paying full in cash). I might have been a little more prone to the Bernina since I know they are top of the line machines, but all-in-all, the Pfaff/sewing center won me over. I still had a great experience and would recommend Modern Domestic. read more

Love this place!!! Always welcoming! Always friendly! I wish that the classes were not so darn expensive...however, if you already know how to use a sewing machine, need a place a cut large amounts of fabric with precision, or need a little help from a knowledgeable guru...this is the place for you! The price is fair to use their machines for an hour...and it comes with use of just about any tool you could possible require! read more

Open sew is fun! It's very convenient to have machines, tables, pressing stations and even a little box of supplies ready when you walk in. I've been beyond satisfied with my machine service (Bernina 1008) and sharpening of shears. My one sadness is they stock only a few of the old style Bernina feet for the 1008, but they explained it is cost prohibitive to stock both models of presser feet. I am impatient and don't have much interest in ordering, so I go without. An invisible zip w/ the regular zipper foot ain't so bad! read more

This is an awesome neighborhood fabric shop. The selection of fabrics is well curated. There is a good variety of sewing machines. They offer classes. The shop is decorated super cute. Last weekend was my first time in. I picked up a corduroy print that was pre cut in a yard size. I buy fabric and my daughters great grandma makes her clothes. I love supporting local shops like this that carry higher end and unique fabric. read more

After a few friends recommended it, I called Modern Domestic to see about coming in and using a sewing machine. I told the owner on the phone that my own machine had gone kaput, but that I'd earned a free hour of sewing, thanks to my Supportland points (yay Supportland!), and wanted to come in. She told me to come on in and bring my machine with me so she could look at it. I came in, and she spent a good twenty minutes inspecting my machine, explaining it to me, tweaking it, trying to get it to function. She oiled the bobbin case, gave me a new bobbin, replaced the needle, etc. After a thorough inspection, she said that it needed a proper repair, which would cost $105 if they could fix it, or $25 if they couldn't. I told her I'd think about it, and she said no problem, and told me to go ahead and get sewing on any machine in the store. After I finished my sewing project, I went to the desk to check out and thank her. I assumed I owed her something since she'd replaced parts on my machine and spent a good amount of time on it. "Oh no, no charge!" she said. So my entire visit was free, plus I got an additional 20 Supportland points for my first time visit! I will definitely be bringing my sewing machine here to get repaired when I've got the extra cash. I cannot say enough good things about my experience or the owner, Michelle. Absolutely deserving of five stars. read more

A few years ago I purchased a Longarm machine from a competitor and was left hanging as to how to operate it. I found MD by chance last year and they have been simply wonderful in helping me learn how to operate it. Not only do they have in-store classes but have taken the time to talk me through issues over the phone. They are good people read more

I have recently decided I need to be crafty. I mean, after all, I live in Portland and it seems that hand-made gifts are not only the "in" thing, but just required giving. I have visions of myself giving my friends lovely towels and aprons, lovingly made in my tiny little apartment. Only problem, I'm not crafty. I decided to pick a project though, and give it my all. Christmas stockings. I got my materials, my patterns, and was all ready to start! And so, off to sewing class I went. I took the basic intro class at Modern Domestic. I really liked the instructor (maybe her name was Lupine or Lumen?) And I liked what we made in the class (little drawstring bags). Here are my problems though: 1) I don't have the same type of machine that they taught us on - my mom gifted me her old Serger sewing machine and I can't quite figure out how to thread it. I emailed the ladies at MD, and their response was a) I could come in for a 2 hour private lesson for $80. OR b) wait 'til March and take the intro to Serger class for another $30. Hmmm. I feel like my question is pretty basic - how to I thread this thing? Not sure I am a fan of the lack of help back. 2) I have Monday's off, so my plan was to take my project down to MD and stitch away during the open sewing time that they offer. Oh snap! They aren't open on Mondays. I did finish my project for those that are curious. I sewed the stockings by hand. read more

Oh, to have some time to Sew. When I left L.A. I left about 90% of my possessions with strangers, friends, and family. I sold, gave away, donated most of it, I "placed" my most prized possessions. I can't quite recall if I gave my sewing machine, iron, and ironing board to one of my closest friends or if I placed it in her capable and loving hands. Either way, I figure it's hers now and I don't have anyplace to keep it, and I certainly have no place to set it up and use it. Thanks to Modern Domestic, I can still dream about sewing something creative or practical, actually, I can go there and do it! No set up, no worries about if my machine will work or if I can find the right needle or an empty bobbin. Yep, it's a sewing studio, equipped with Bernina and Janome sewing machines and you too can go in and use them, take classes and rock the DIY Portland community. It's a super space steps away from Tin Shed. I can just go there and use one of their most excellent and top of the line machines along with all of the other goodies they provide for a very reasonable fee. All I have to take is my own yarn and fabric and viola! I will have something sewn up when I leave. I've yet to take any of their classes but I'm hearing really great things about their new screen printing classes so I just might have to sign myself up and see what fancy schmancy designs I can create from my very own creative place. For those of you who want to know that my machine is okay, it is with my good friend who loves it because it makes better button holes than any of her other half dozen fancier mega expensive, computerized machines (she is a costumer for the TV/Movie industry and she still loves my machine, how can I ask for it back?) read more

One of my favorite places . All the employees are so helpful and knowledgeable. So many good selections of fabric too

I was greeted immediately! All my questions were answered about what the best starter sewing machine would be for an armature like myself. I also found out more about their classes, and definitely recommend starting out with that if you aren't sure you want to invest in sewing as a new hobby! Looking forward to trying a class out soon! read more

Modern Domestic - I love that they arranged these fabrics by color! - Fabric Stores Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Had a very positive experience with the sewing class: I learned basic machine operating skills, and the instructor provided a lot of insight on techniques, thread strength, materials, etc. I'm also looking forward to attending the open sewing sessions they offer. The sell entry level and high end sewing machines, and a lot of fabrics, threads and velcro; the people there are very nice, honest, skilled and knowledgeable. read more

I was not greeted when entering the shop. Both employees were only speaking to one another about fabric selection for their own personal projects. I needed help picking out a few supplies for my first quilt, and after lapping the shop several times I finally decided to ask for help. When approaching the counter both employees looked up at me, neither with pleasant expressions. I asked about supplies for my first quilt and she just explained the anatomy of a quilt to me, which I already knew, but did not direct me in any way around the shop. I would have been willing to buy all my fabric, thread, batting, rulers, and other notions. It was my birthday, and my husband and I dropped in hoping to have a fun experience and splurg on my new hobby. We felt so strange, we just left. I have had better experiences at their old location, and have taken a class I enjoyed immensely. I think the employees need some customer service training. I used to work at a yarn shop in NE and that would never have flown for a customer experience. I know working retail can be draining, but a bit of direction and positive energy goes a long way. read more

Absolutely loved the class I took here and will return for more classes. The instructor was very patient and humorous whcih made the experience worth the price of the class. I made a drawstring bag which was super easy to sew and learned a lot about the new sewing machines. read more

This place is amazing. Really nice staff, a selection of high quality apparel and quilting fabric, and a pleasant layout. I'm from CA and just here visiting, but you can bet that I'll be back again to get more goodies. This visit, I limited myself to a couple of yards of the Cotton & Steel Rifle Paper Co rayon and a delightful woven Robert Kaufman plaid flannel. Prices were fair for the fabric. read more

I wish I could give them more stars. The Fabric and notion selections are amazing. They have the perfect solids, the most modern prints, and a lot of modern apparel fabric. No one has modern apparel fabric like they do. The ladies that own the shop and work there are so friendly and helpful. I brought my machine in with weird problems. The expert technician checked all sorts of stuff and then they invited me to sew with it in the studio and make sure it was working properly. Part of the problem was me but instead of washing their hands of the situation they enthusiastically and patiently worked with me to learn what I needed. I felt totally supported by excellent teachers. Their attitude towards sewer education is so good - they're very detail-oriented but they're also very good at meeting you at your level and giving good information. I feel really lucky to live near such an amazing resource and crafty home away from home. read more