After reading all the posts about fabric costs at LQSs I thought I would share my most recent experience. On my last visit to my LQS in Ephrata PA I didn't notice that the cost of yardage had gone up very much. I was on a mission to find some "butterscotch" color for an upcoming project. Now I'm not one to pay particular attention to costs when I need something special, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that one piece was $6.95 and the other was $7.20. Both fabrics are Benartex and feel like silk.

I was at JoAnn's last week to use my coupon on some batting and checked their fabrics...

If I hadn't spent all my birthday cash I would be back at my favorite LQS to stock up.

Some LQS are doing everything they can to keep from increasing prices. Many are only increasing prices on new inventory that arrives and only passing on the price increases to fabric that is new arrival in their shops and they had to pay higher prices. If you know your brand names, bargains can be found on line, most manufacturers quality is across the board. For example, I have never ever been disappointed with a Hoffman fabric so won't hesitate to order on line without touching. Same for RJR, P&B textiles, Robert Kaufman, Timeless Treasures and Kona Bay. I have also had very good luck with Bernatex purchases on line.

I have found Amish and Mennonite shops tend to keep their prices low and only increase based on their cost. Also there are always thrift stores, yard sales and estate sales. There are ways to dodge the price increase bullet.

I know what you mean about the touch but some Joann's store have beautiful fabrics. I most of the time buy their premium fabrics and Legacy Studio, and noticed recently they carry a lot of Robert Kaufman, VIP...etc and all the good names, but again our store is a super store, maybe at other places they are short in inventory. There is also a different Joann's that is 30 min away from me (thank God) that carries HUGE inventory and you just want to keep petting every pc of fabric they have so really it all depends.IMHO:)

Yes but try shopping JoAnn's without a coupon! Their better quality fabrics are priced MUCH higher than any LQS I have ever been into. I saw batiks in there recently at $14.99 per yard! And they weren't even great quality batiks. Forget that. I can get Hoffman Batiks at LQS for anywhere from $8 per yard and have never seen them higher than $12 and I can find them on line (usually older lines) for around $7

I love Civil War era reproduction fabrics... and don't find many of those in thrift stores, so will have to pay more in the future probably... and I will if I have to..

Just so wish our economic "downturn" would turn back around in my life time..

I am glad you found what you were looking for at such a good price. There are some good prices for good fabric out there you just have to look harder to find it.

Totally agree. I either wait until those fabrics are regular sale so i can get them with 50% coupon or if they go to 30 or 40%, then i use my VIP card to get another 10%, other than that i will not touch them. As for their Batiks..don't like them at all. I bought once 28 yards from Connecting threads and love them, so i am sticking to that:)

Whittles fabrics seems to get a lot of Civil War Repros in. Average price is $5 per yard.
http://www.whittlesfabrics.com/cgi-bin/Store/store.cgi