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GrannieAnnie 03-21-2011 04:03 PM

Some of us seem to find fabric at our Goodwill's and thrift stores and rummage sales, while others never see any.

Question-----is it the area you live in? Is sewing and quilting common where you are? Can you tell what your area is like by the number of quilt &/or fabric stores?

I seldom find a lot of fabric, but I almost always find something.

(haven't been out for a couple weeks--------time to go again!)

CarrieAnne 03-21-2011 04:12 PM

I hardly ever find any here either, (fabric), but I have found books and magazines!

bluteddi 03-21-2011 04:12 PM

I know that different stores used to get more of certain items than others.. such as.. store A got more books that I was interested in, store B got more fabric, store C got more clothes, etc....

darlin121 03-21-2011 04:16 PM

I'm going again tomorrow. Maybe I'll find something this time.

sandyo 03-21-2011 04:21 PM

I usually do not find fabric but did last friday. Really great haul

fabric_fancy 03-21-2011 04:21 PM

very few people quilt where i live and 4 LQS have gone out of business.

the people who do quilt mostly shop online because the prices here are very high ($12-15 a yard) LQS don't even come to our guild meetings any longer because people weren't buying things.

frugalfabrics 03-21-2011 04:33 PM

I went Saturday and again today, but didn't find any fabric.

emptyshellamy 03-21-2011 04:38 PM

I don't find much at the goodwills around here but one thrift store does have a decent fabric section, hit or miss on quality. I did see 3 awesome old sewing machines at an auction last week...they have it weekly & machines sell super cheap, glad I didn't have money with me or I'd have taken one home, LOL! I'd say given the part of PA I live in that older people & the Amish still sew quilts. The younger women I see in JA's buying fabric are always decorating or making simple things like pillowcases.

no1jan 03-21-2011 04:45 PM

I have never found anything at my local Goodwill. What I have found is that you can buy the item new for maybe a dollar or two more and it isn't broke. I guess I live in the wrong area.

I did find wonderful deals at garage sales last year though. I bought at Featherweight in perfect condition with all the attachments, but no case for $50.00! Also a Singer purse for $2.00.

Hope2quilt 03-21-2011 05:05 PM

I never find a thing! I can find yarn! Tubs and tubs of yarn!

Hope2quilt 03-21-2011 05:05 PM

I never find a thing! I can find yarn! Tubs and tubs of yarn!

debp33 03-21-2011 05:14 PM

I don't ever find much. I imagine if I went every day or two I'd increase my chances, though.

Fabric Galore 03-21-2011 05:19 PM

I don't look for fabric at my local thrift stores; I look at women's dresses that are made out of cotton. I bought a 2X muu-muu for $.75 that was just the color I needed for my sampler/log cabin quilt. It is on my bed now and I love the fabric. Full skirts also offer quite a bit of fabric and they sell for $.75 - $1.00 each and usually have 2 yds of fabric. I also use the buttons and zippers for sewing for my family. My local LQS is expensive on her fabric; they have close-outs and sometimes I find fabric for $4-$5 per yard. I do better buying new fabric on line.

kso 03-21-2011 05:40 PM

I also read the yard sale ads that appear once a week in my local paper to see what people are selling. I have found fabric that way.

Recently I found a local auctioneer's website and follow her auction listings. Last SAT she held a living estate auction and my friend and I hauled home a pick up load of fabric and notions from that auction.

Hen3rietta 03-22-2011 03:19 AM

I don't find decent fabric at my local thrifts either. If there is any, it's usually polyester blends. Fine for clothing but not IMHO for quilts. But needle arts are not a part of most people's lives where I live so I'm not surprised.

GrannieAnnie 03-22-2011 04:14 AM


Originally Posted by kso
I also read the yard sale ads that appear once a week in my local paper to see what people are selling. I have found fabric that way.

Recently I found a local auctioneer's website and follow her auction listings. Last SAT she held a living estate auction and my friend and I hauled home a pick up load of fabric and notions from that auction.

Any pictures of your haul?

ohiobuckeye 03-22-2011 05:21 AM

A couple of weeks ago, after shopping at 3 LQS, I stopped at a thrift store just outside Holmes County, OH, where there is the largest Amish settlement in Ohio. I found a complete mystery quilt top cut out and partially sewn together. It came with the backing, pattern, and all neatly organized pieces. It was $15. I also found a fall panel for $0.25. I've never found fabric at goodwill and only once or twice at the local hospice shop. I'll have to add this thrift store to my travels. I wonder if it's because the amish live nearby and more folks quilt that I found it there? BTW, there were a few amish in the store shopping, too.

SherriB 03-22-2011 05:28 AM

I seldom find fabric at our Goodwills or Salvation Army. I think it is snatched up the minute it comes into the store. When Hancock Fabric's were closing their stores, I asked why we were lucky and got to keep ours. I was told our store and the one in Johnson City are some of the highest grossing stores for them. So I am assuming we have a huge amount of sewers/quilters who are always looking for fabric at the thrift stores also.

emmah 03-22-2011 05:42 AM

I'll bet a lot of bigger thrift shops just "rag" fabric pieces, that is , toss it in the bins where they put damaged clothes (then are sold to manufacturers or third world countries). I wonder if talking to the manager of your local shop about the desire for fabric scraps and asking them to set them aside for you to purchase would work. I think I will try that here. I have been amazed at what they toss and what they keep. I once saw the local shop filling a dump truck with items that had been left outside the shop when it was closed. Some of them had gotten wet..but they even tossed in plastic items and skiis!

PaperPrincess 03-22-2011 06:22 AM

Lots of Salvations Army stores in the Detroit area, but I've never seen any yardage or fabric at any of them. A couple of times I've seen a small amount of craft stuff, but very little.

GrannieAnnie 03-22-2011 11:39 AM


Originally Posted by emmah
I'll bet a lot of bigger thrift shops just "rag" fabric pieces, that is , toss it in the bins where they put damaged clothes (then are sold to manufacturers or third world countries). I wonder if talking to the manager of your local shop about the desire for fabric scraps and asking them to set them aside for you to purchase would work. I think I will try that here. I have been amazed at what they toss and what they keep. I once saw the local shop filling a dump truck with items that had been left outside the shop when it was closed. Some of them had gotten wet..but they even tossed in plastic items and skiis!


You might have hit on the problem. Would a man know that a little piece of purrple batik was a treasure? Would a kid? Would some women?


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