D & R Fabric

Unwinding with scissors and spools is an underrated luxury—somewhere between intimidating and therapeutic. Fabric stores anchor neighborhoods; they’re the places where self-starters gather raw material and ideas take shape. In Queens, a few blocks from the N train, this old-school shop quietly keeps the tradition alive.

D & R Fabric lives at 36-04 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria, NY 11105—a stretch better known for 24-hour diners and stroller traffic. The store specializes in small-batch supplies: upholstery weights, quilting cottons, even novelty trims for cosplay and costumes. Professionals swing by for bulk canvas, while first-timers pause over linen swatches or vinyl lining. If it cuts, rolls, or zips, odds are they carry it.

Hunt for ultra-narrow seam tape or that elusive copper rivet. Bolt ends meet embroidery floss without a sweeping sales pitch—just someone handing over the tube you actually need. The air smells like starch and weekend projects; shelves look lived-in rather than staged. It’s one of those spots where the quiet hum of cutting mats beats any playlist.

Quick way to find the bay of parking spots out front: directions via Google Maps. Ring (718) 777-0182 for a heads-up—some days the cutting table is three deep.