Fabricate

Cute store with a variety of fabrics at good prices.
There were different rooms for scrapbooking, etc. I think they have something for everyone.
There was one friendly woman working who explained their system but otherwise left me wander.
I found great seasonal fabrics for fall and Christmas.
Personally I have dog allergies but the fact that they had rescued an older dog did touch my heart. I was also glad the dog did not have free rein of the shop.
I am a modern fabric collector as we all know I will never use it all. They did not have much in organic or modern fabrics but a nice collection of choices.
Plus I think there’s an old bank vault being repurposed. Cool.

Wow – Kim from Salem MA really got this one wrong. The owners at Fabricate are always trying to help, with information and advice that most customers are really grateful for. It’s sad to be so misunderstood – they work hard to be there for year-​rounders (in a very quiet winter town) and simultaneously to offer what the inevitable flood of tourists want each «season.»
It’s a cute store (I’ve heard tourists gush over it), with some very good fabrics (& other stuff I personally can’t assess), and high quality essentials for quilters. Also, they’ll order what you need – batting, rulers, etc. – if they don’t stock it. The owners’ friendly, patient helpfulness & even enthusiasm for everyone’s projects though is what I most appreciate & what prompts me to write this. Pity if the negative attitude of one visitor influences others.

I have been in Fabricate a few times (as a tourist now that I no longer have family in town) and have always had a positive experience. Not only have I found the staff helpful to answer any and all of my questions, but they also helped my browsing a bit easier in showing my 4 year old daughter some toys they had to entertain children. I love the selection of fabric and they have a great sale room as well.

So I am a quilter and like most quilters, check out local shops for fabric and patterns to add to my stash whenever I travel. As a yearly visitor to Bar Harbor I have checked out this store twice. Unfortunately, the first time a few years ago was a disaster. I was followed around as if I were a thief, ready to put something in my bag. It was extremely uncomfortable and I left vowing to never return. There are other quilt stores in the area I have regularly visited instead. This year I decided to try again. While I was not followed, I was still made uncomfortable by an unfriendly staff person. She stood at a cutting table, said prices for fabric and then stood silent watching me look at the various bolts and fq’s. No welcoming face, no smiles, lack of personality, etc. Maybe they only like year rounders at this store. But hey. you are in a tourist town and most likely, that tourist is a quilter and looking to spend $$$$. This regular visitor will not be back ever.