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Fabric prices?

Fabric prices?

Old 01-02-2009, 03:50 AM
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I was just wondering what do you pay for fabric per yard? or metre?

I live in Australia and $26.00 a metre is cheap!!! Some quilt shops charge $28- 30 a metre! If not more!!! I loved when the Australian dollar and US dollar were nearly dollar for dollar but now the US dollar buys nearly $1.40 here add the cost of postage and works out nearly the same.

Sometimes you can get okay fabric at a discount store such as Spotlight but I dont find the quality to be as good - their fabrics are about $12.00 but you dont have the quality, and the choice of fabrc.

Plus if we dont support our local quilt store they wont be in business the next time we want to use them.
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Old 01-02-2009, 04:13 AM
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How long is a metre? 39 inches??? If that is the case, that is expensive!! Our quilt shops here charge up to $10.00 a yard (36 Inches x 42- 44 wide) Wal-Mart is cheaper of course and I am lucky enough to have a surplus store in Maine that carries quilt shop fabric for 2.69 to 3.99 a yard. Bought a bunch of Thimbleberries the other day and it was 3.99.
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Old 01-02-2009, 08:10 AM
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The last batch of fabric I bought most was on sale for $4. Some was still full price at $8. Wal-mart is usually $4.50. Joanns quilters cottons run $3-9. Same at Hancocks. Most LQS run $9 for the cotton, batiks run higher $12-15.

*All are per yard prices.
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Old 01-02-2009, 08:41 AM
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I work at a fabric store, and most of the quilting cottons are around 10 bucks a meter, regular price. The quilting shops have them between 15-20 bucks a meter, sometimes more depending on the fabric.

Check out thousands of bolts.com, they have decent prices, even with the shipping.
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Old 01-02-2009, 01:11 PM
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Like Baren*en*ked said, Thousands of Bolts are really good. Great prices for me here in Spain where the fabric is really expensive.

Elle
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Old 01-02-2009, 03:10 PM
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Isn't a meter just over a yard? We're paying 9.00-12.99 at local quilt shops per yard of quality fabric. Other larger stores charge less and you can find some quality pieces there but I think it's hit or miss. I usually spend $4- 7 a yard for that. Keep in mind that's US dollars so it would be higher in Australia for example simply because of the exchange rate. I think current Australian exchange is like 1 US=1.5 Aust and 2.0 pounds or so.
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Old 01-02-2009, 03:28 PM
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If a local quilt shop has what I am looking for, or if I like what I see there, I buy locally. By supporting them, they support other local businesses, the money stays local and we all benefit. Money spent at big chain stores mostly leaves the area altogether. And I buy nothing at WalMart, ever, because of their corporate "ideals".

If the local quilt shop does not have what I am looking for, or anything similar that will do, them I buy online from places with excellent customer service that I know and trust. Most also have brick and mortar shops as well as online sales.

There are many local shops (Keepsake Quilting is 'local' for me, as well as many others) and it is worth it to me to pay their prices to keep them in business. In return, I get lots of good advice, great fabrics, friends to share my quilts with, all that kind of benefit you don't get elsewhere. The average price is $8.50 (USD) per yard, no tax and no shipping.
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Old 01-03-2009, 03:50 AM
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I pay 8.50 to 10 Dollars a yard at quilt shops. Walmart is 2.44 to 4.44.
On line it is 3.00 to 7.00. I shop online at Marshalls dry goods, 1000's of bolts, Bear Paw, Quilt in a day, and E-Quilter. Many have free shipping specials throught the year or if you spend a certain amount.
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Old 01-04-2009, 02:26 PM
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I was in Victoria in early December and had to pay 18.99 a meter, thought that was a little expensive. I am paying 10.50 up here in Washington State. Seems the quilt stores are raising prices again.

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Old 01-05-2009, 09:53 AM
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I have been shoping my LQS "sale" fabric. They have a web site with their sale fabric listed. But it is very hard to see the true color. So I go in and ask them if they have something that I am looking for. They keep their sale fabric upstairs, so I can't just go in and look at them. Last Saturday I dropped off three UFOs that need border fabric and asked them to look in their sale group to see if they have something I can use. They were taking inventory and didn't want to spend the time then, so I just left the UFOs with them and they will call me when they get around to looking. But I have also gone in and they have gone upstairs immediately and brought 5 or 6 bolts for me to look through.

I just don't have $9 for a yard of fabric, and agree that if you don't patronize them, they are likely to close. Also, they are the only ones in town that can repair machines.

I also purchase sale fabric from Blue Bamboo (mybluebamboo.com), Connecting Threads, and Thousands of Bolts. Also I have purchased some from e-bay, but again, the colors are not always true.
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