If you’re still mourning the loss of our beloved JOANN Fabrics (and all of its great sales), you’re not alone. As an avid crafter and hobby hopper, I find it difficult to locate good supplies that don’t break the bank. Michael’s seems like the only option these days, but I would describe most of its products as overpriced corporate slop.
This is where your friendly, neighborhood craft store, Cut the Scrap!, comes in. Located less than twenty minutes away from campus in Allentown, Cut the Scrap! offers everything a crafter needs from yarn to paint.
And the best part? Everything is donated! Not only is this a more sustainable model than a corporate craft store, but it also makes all the supplies extremely affordable. You can discover great finds sometimes for a few dollars or even just a few quarters. They price yarn by the ounce, depending on the fiber material, fabric by cut size, for really cheap compared to other stores and scrapbook paper by sheet. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. There are hundreds of crafting treasures waiting to be uncovered; you just have to go digging. They also have different machines that would cost buyers hundreds of dollars if bought new, like a Cricut, available to rent.
Another great part about their donation-based model is that a lot of what they sell is vintage. I love finding older supplies because they are often better quality than what’s made today. While looking through the store, I’ll sometimes find yarn from brands that no longer exist, or stickers in a cute style that nobody uses anymore.
Cut the Scrap! recently moved just a few blocks away from their previous location into a larger, more open space, now located at 1145 W. Washington St in Allentown. I went with a few friends to their new spot for the first time this past weekend.
First, it’s really easy to get to—almost a straight shot from campus into Allentown. The parking situation is less than ideal, though, as you have to parallel park on what is mostly a residential street. But don’t let that deter you. I would brave parallel parking any day to go to this store.
My first impression when I walked inside was that it was in a much bigger space, which was so desperately needed. Their last location was a tiny house shoved between other tiny houses and was stuffed to the brim with craft supplies. Their new location offers shoppers more room to move around and dig through supplies with ease.
I think the best feature was the new space for crafting workshops and classes, which is now a long table, a little more separated from the rest of the shop. In their old location, the table was smack dab in the middle of the store, which made it difficult to get around and seemed to be cluttered most of the time.
So, if you’re looking for affordable craft supplies or want to get involved in a community of crafters, I recommend that you check out Cut the Scrap! before any other store.
Cut the Scrap! is located at 1145 W. Washington St, Allentown, PA 18102 and is open Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Check out their website for upcoming events.
