KyKaren1949

I cannot afford to pay those prices for fabric. I feel sorry for the local quilt shops, and I don't believe they are ripping us off; they have higher wholesale costs and overhead to pay as well. I've learned to shop online for all of my fabric. If I am looking for a specific fabric for a focus fabric, I use www.quiltshops.com to find the lowest price on it. I buy frequently from www.quiltrfabriccloseouts.com because they carry name brand quality fabrics by the yard at decent prices. I also shop at www.overtherainbow.com and www.whittles.com. When I retired, my income reduced by about 50%, so there's no choice here. I would love to support local shops, but I simply cannot afford those prices. By the time I pay to have someone long arm my larger quilts, it's many hundreds of dollars invested for quilts I give away to friends and family members. Someone mentioned the prices skyrocketing a few years ago, and I do remember that. They claimed we had a cotton shortage so prices would be high for awhile. However, that cotton shortage is long over and the prices never did come back down; they just continue to rise. In my opinion, what we will see is fewer and fewer locally owned shops because of this. The manufacturers had better stop being so greedy and see the writing on the wall. They're cutting their own throats!

KalamaQuilts

In 5 years we'll be wondering what we were complaining about now I'm guessing in 5 years we will be seeing $20.00 a yard commonly.

And I agree with the non-USAers, considering what they have to pay we really don't have anything to complain about.
Auto fuel is another similarity...the UK's is twice what ours is.

dee1245

I made a quilt for my grand-daughter in Dec. I bought fabric in two shades of blue from Connecting Threads for something like $4 a yard; it was a very nice bargain and heavier than I expected. For the pattern I chose to make I needed another color so after looking all over for something to match, I ended up at Walmart. I chose a navy pin dot on white. For the back I used a queen size sheet, but found it not to be enough, so off I went looking again. I ended up at the LQS and found a color that would blend and about fell over when I got to the register at $12.95 a yard. I needed 2 yards to finish the quilt borders on both sides. I usually do not purchase full price, especially at the LQS. I purchased at the LQS last week because I fell in love with the fabric. It ended up on sale with the price of $5.35 a yard. I took the rest of the bolt which was 6 yards. Woo hoo for me. I have found Waverly fabric at my Walmart and have purchased a few pieces to test it out. It washed up and dried nicely, and for $3-4 a yard this will be my go to place from now on.

mjhaess

That sounds like a lot...I don't pay that...

Sewnoma

Yup, yup, yup! I see this too, and one shop had some fabrics I wanted badly but they wanted $28/yd for them so I didn't take those home. Apparently they were Japanese imports, and those, for some reason, are extra-expensive.

Beverly's (small chain store) is still sticking to around $9.99 & $10.99 a yard for their LQS-quality fabrics, which is very convenient because there are two of them near me and they tend to stock a lot of the types of fabrics I like (incl. LOTS of batiks).

MOST of my fabric comes from either online shopping, or buying it second-hand. I've had some significant scores at local thrift shops, and there's a local charity shop that's dedicated to selling off pre-owned fabrics and sewing/craft supplies that's a great place to hunt for treasures. It benefits the local senior center so I like shopping there anyway.

I've also discovered my guild's annual fabric sale, where fabric is donated by members and sold off for $2/lb. It's only once a year and that's probably a good thing; it was held last month and I bought something like 12 yards of fabric in whole pieces 1-yard or more, and probably another 5 or 6 more yards in smaller/irregular pieces and scraps; I paid $12 for a bag stuffed full of fabric! Score!!

I have two garment-sewing friends who refuse to take up quilting (so far) so I get all their cotton scraps, which is awesome. I'm glad I like scrappy and crazy quilts - I can use almost anything and I waste almost nothing, and end up with some really neat quilts! At least *I* think they're neat!

Neesie

I'll only pay that much, if I really love the fabric and can't find it anywhere else. I seldom go to the LQS but when I do, I mostly check the SALE shelves.

I buy most of my fabric online (same brands/quality as LQS) or at Hobby Lobby.

Sheilz

Aberdeen is expensive for most things and fabric is no exception. I shop online for most of my fabrics. Plush Addict run a points system which can be useful in knocking a ten or twenty quid off an order. Also, if you spend more thsn £50 (hope the American ladies are sitting down before they read that) at The Tabby Cat online, they give away a pack of 10 " squares (its got a name but can't for the love of me remember what). The free squares are from older stock but still decent fabric. I find them useful for appliqué. Its tartan fabric that I plot and scheme to get hold of. At £70 per yard that's one afa expensive purchase. Like the other non Americans I'm kind of amused at the complaints about fabric prices. I'd be out the door with fabric if our prices were that low.
On a serious note though re how clothes can be bought at ridiculously low prices - I don't buy these, not ever because logic tells me some poor child is being abused/exploited to stock supermarkets. I know they're all at it but I do my best not to support the worst offenders.

sewbeadit

It is up to 14.99 for some here where we live. I buy on line, on here from QB members and anywhere else. I have a limit as to what I will pay per yard. When I find a really good sale I will stock up.

QultingaddictUK

Oops forgot another really good site is Empress Mills, they have Klona cottons at only £5.50 per metre x 54" width http://www.empressmills.co.uk/produc...cotton-fabric/ a fab range of denims http://www.empressmills.co.uk/produc.../denim-fabric/ from £6.30 x 60" width!

For wadding you really can't beat http://www.asding.com/ get a quilting friend to share with you a roll and you get 15% off + free delivery.

Enjoy your quilting

sewbeadit

The price of cotton went way up several years ago and I think that is why the prices are trending upward now. There are threads somewhere on this board concerning the prices going up from a few years ago. Most quilt shops have a corner of sale fabrics and I have found beautiful fabrics in there. I buy it when I see it the price I like for the fabric I like and won't pay those really high prices.