The other day, I went into a local shop that sells a few other trinkets, but, also had a nice fabric dept with reasonable prices on some fabric.
I was shocked when I went back to the area and found the shelves almost bare. I asked the clerk what happened to the fabric dept. She said they decided to do away with it. With the rising cost of fabrics they could not compete, and they did not want to charge customers 11 and 12 dollars a yard, which she says is coming soon.
So now I am left with just about no where local to go for fabric. I have to wait till we take our annual trip to Kansas when we see the kids and check out Joanne's or by from Marshal's online

So sorry about that sad state of affairs! I feel so blessed to have choices about shopping.

Thats sad to hear. But if LS are going to start raising their prices, they will all be shutting down soon!I know I dont have money like that to pay for fabric!

Start your own quilt shop!! :-D :-D
Ok, sorry, that's MY dream..... :lol: :lol:
Sorry to hear that you won't have a source of fabric close to you. :thumbdown:

I keep wondering why the manufacturers don't get it! They raise the prices, we buy LESS!!!!!! Sorry about your shop!

That is so sad. It is horrible how prices (of everything) keeps going up and up but me paycheck stays the same. It's not only sad, it's a little scary.

I am so sorry!!! Quilting WILL become a dying artform if the prices of fabric keep skyrocketing!

I was in LQS last week, (I really do not shop there, she does not carry the fabrics that I use). Anyway I asked about fabric going up and she said that it is and she has not raised prices in over 2 years. She says that she feels they are already paying enough for fabric.

We had a great visit, my friend bought some things, I did not. Her shop is darling but she only carries Civil War and 30's type stuff and I am into batiks.

I would love to support her, but what to do? I cannot afford to buy fabrics I would never use, the only threads are white and offwhite. I do not buy books or patterns.

Guess we'll have to do what our grandmas did: start using worn out clothing, etc. ;)

To be perfectly honest I could probably quilt for the next ten years or more out of my stash and have to buy nothing more than thread and batting.

join the 'fabshophop' on line, you will find something like 180 different quilt shops with on line shops across the country (and Canada) opens a whole new world of resources :thumbup:

How far are you from Glendale? There is a great quilt shop there and one in Mesa (which is the one I shop at). They are owned by the Mulqueens.
They are having a Christmas in July sale Thurs-Fri-Sat July 22, 23, 24th. Fabric is $4.50 per yard (retail $8.95) and really great sales on thread, quilting supplies and everything. I have gone the past 2 years and great bargains.I also bought my Brother Duetta embroidery mach and my Brother Inovvis-40. Their website is www.sewshop.com

I just got an e-mail from one of my fabric suppliers and they are going to raise their prices by at least $1 per yard the first of August. So it is going up!

I own a little t-shirt shop and my suppliers told me that fabric prices around the world are going up 4% to 6% so the price of my shirts etc will go up too. So I guess it is not a ploy to those that are suppling fabric only.

The manufacturers of the cloth itself are the ones raising the prices first, and they are all overseas. Which means that it's not just the prices the manufacturers set, but also the exchange rates on the dollar. Plus some fluctuation based on the price of oil, I would think, 'cause it requires fuel to power the ocean freighter that brings the fabric to our shores. The initial increase just creeps upwards along the supply chain. In the end, all the retail stores have to raise their prices, just to continue to cover the increases that were passed along to them. You know, so they can continue to pay their rent and employees and taxes. Ummm... the taxes, for sure, never do go down!