I have lived in the US for the past 8 yrs. I am currently in BC on holiday, so of course I had to hit a few fabric shops. The first one I found was a Fabricland. Well...pick me up off the floor....their Average price for quilting cottons was $20/meter!! And it was not especially good quality....about the same as Joanns in the US that would go for about $7-8/yd.
Next town, another Fabricland. I was leary, but went in anyway. Much better prices, but still fairly high for the quality...$10-15/meter. 3rd stop was an LQS. Much better quality, and expected prices...about $12-16/meter.

I did pick up a few pieces in the second Fabricland for a childs' utility quilt. All pieces I purchased were on @ 30% off, so that was good.

Patti

Do they have different colors/patterns of fabric then we have here ?

I'm Canadian & can tell you it's the same fabrics. We have moda and all the other brands. The prices are higher and the shops know that. So eBay and online stores become well known. I live on a border city so I can run over to joann's really easily but that isn't always the case. But you also have to think about it because our store sell in meters not yards so when to prices are close it's not so bad.

Are the salaries higher in Canada to help with the pricing?

Minimum in Ontario is $10.50 now...

I live in BC and yes, our prices are a lot higher than what you pay in the US .. I moved here from the East Coast (of Canada, in Newfoundland where I spent 18 yrs) 5 1/2 years ago and it's even higher there due to the high cost of getting it up so far and across the water ...

Salaries in Canada are higher than in the US by far, particularly here in BC ... the cost of living in BC is extremely high, especially in Vancouver where I live ... people here just don't bat an eye about the fabric prices .. to order from the US isn't feasible when you tack on exchange, taxes and possible duty (depending on method of shipping) so we just pay it ... I just paid $20.00 for a meter of cotton today at Fabricland .. I just got my regular membership 20% off ...

If you get a chance to visit Fabricana you will really be blown away .. I dont know where you are holidaying but there is one in Richmond and one in Coquitlam ... I've only been to the Coquitlam one .. they have Amy Butler, Kaffee Fassett, Asian prints, etc ... great store but also expensive and nothing off unless they happen to be running a sale .. they do have sale fabrics on the side wall though ... probably our sale equals your regular price fabrics though.

Toby

Wow! I also experienced the same high cost of fabrics when I've been on cruises for the last several years. I'm thankful for the Internet and sales. It's not cheap to be a quilter!

The one place in Vancouver where fabric IS inexpensive is in Little India or any of the East Indian cloth houses .. however, they aren't geared to quilters but for chiffons, organzas and georgettes, that is the place to go .. they do have cotton prints but not like Moda or anything .. but to go into these places is a cultural experience ...

Toby

Fabric prices in Canada are relative to wages, although they sound high when compared to bargain shopping in the USA. Quality fabric from an LQS is $18 - $22 per metre for cotton. If you're buying all new fabric of good quality, a quilt is an expensive investment even before putting time into it.

Ethnic fabric shopping is a good idea, and in a city like Vancouver there are certainly plenty of opportunities.

That is probably why I don't quilt .. I make bags ... I hardly have any cotton at all ... we are expecting our third grandson (first baby for oldest girl) in August and I am hoping to do a small quilt of squares or panels .. that will be my extent ..

I have done one quilt top .. flannel .. was awful .. I have done quite a bit of crazy quilting with bead/button/ribbonwork .. I used to buy my fancy fabrics at the cloth houses ... I live in a largely East Indian area.

I dont go across the border so I just pay the prices here :(

Toby

wow, fabric is expensive, hope you can order it online,

I dont even bother ... by the time we pay the conversion (if there is any) and the tax, plus duty (depending on how THEY choose to send it), it doesn't save that much ... if I could go across to WA state and buy it, I probably would.

Toby

A couple of years ago I ran into a quilter in Urbana, Il. that was purchasing a HUGE amount of fabric from one of our LQS's. She said that she was here visiting a friend. She was from Australia. She said that her friend was allowing her to leave all her clothes here so that she could fill her big suitcases with fabric to take home. She also told me that the following year she was going to come back with empty suitcases to refill with fabric. She said, "Since my clothes will already be here. . . . ." So, my suggestion to all you Canadian quilters is to make friends with someone on this side of the border, keep some clothes here and come on over once in a while with an empty car to fill.

I am saddened by this as well,, I live in Puerto Rico,, and there are virtually NO fabric shops ehre. Unless you going to make curtains,,lol... So,,I have to start shopping online,,m ymommy (who live sin W.Pa) send me care packages every now and again,,, but I feel the pain with you Canada,,,, :cry:

I live in Newfoundland and usually the fancier LQS will bring in "Lines" of fabric and charge accordingly, but if you're looking to buy nice fabric that matches but isn't necessarily all from the same designer, you can get really nice fabric for 10-12 a metre. I have two stores near me that try and keep their fabrics below 8.00 a metre and they are doing good with their aim so far!
I too have visited B.C. and find that they have the highest prices I have seen anywhere. Satin Moon in Victoria charged me 22.95 for pretty flannel 6 years ago and I was silly enough to buy it for a rag quilt I was making for my daughter. I also used 4.00 flannel from Walmart and the quilt today after 5 years at university and countless washings? Can't tell the difference between the expensive and the "cheap"!

And of course this factors into the store's bottom line. If you buy 12 metres of fabric in Canada you are actually getting 13 yards. Might not sound like much to us but for a store that is HUGE.

Oh yes, one more thought... most of the stores I shop at here in Newfoundland sell fat quarter METRES! That extra little bit on a fat quarter is great!

And you MAINLAND Canadian quilters who can drive across the brder? Lucky you! This is an island. CHEAPEST way off is ferry. Car retirn trip and one person driving the car? Almost 400.00 and three days to come and go! I'll just keep paying the exchange and the duty!

It is true. I was looking for fabric last night online and the blender fabrics here run any where from $12-$13 up to $20 for some batiks etc. So even when I take into consideration exchange, shipping, duty etc. I can usually find it cheaper in the US. Although I wish I could shop Canadian our pricing structure makes it hard.

Some times ordering online doesn't help. Right now it's not so bad because the dollar is fairly close in value but you have to pay international shipping fees and then duty if it is over a certain amount. I live on a border city & there is a business in the US that is strickly for Canadians to ship to so you don' thave to pay the international shipping costs. it's a little crazy sometimes.

I live outside Toronto. The average price at my LQS is about $16/m. I am lucky enough to have Len's Mill close by, and the average price there is $6-$8/yd.

In SK the prices were higher, even with lots of Wal-Marts carrying fabric. There is 1 LQS in Saskatoon, and I didn't find it til the day before I left!

I live about an hour or so from Niagara Falls,NY so I run to Joann's when I can, or wait until I'm there camping.

I don't order online because I just can't stand paying the shipping, it's not worth it to me.

I do have friends in Niagara Falls,NY and we've sent things there, but sometimes I just want to get away and run down myself!

My best friend lives in Houston and I'm hoping to get down the the quilt show in November, and I've already started saving for fabric!!!

I guess we just do what we can with what we've got, and take advantage of the "deals" when we can get them!

Theresa

I live in Toronto and often travel to Buffalo to shop. Lucky me, I am only 1 1/2 hours away. I find the online shops too pricey to order from with the added shipping charges. There are a couple of shops nearby that have good fabric at low prices too, then there is Lens Mill, the best shop anywhere in Canada for fabric.

Met a group of Canadian quilters while at the Lancaster PA show and they were stocking up on fabric, thread and other quilting supplies. Fabric in the Lancaster area is even cheaper than at our US quilt shops.
Each year my friends and I spend a few days in that area for the show and lots of shopping at Zooks, Sauders, Country Store, Syliva's and several others along the way. May in Jersey

PS. Anyone taking a trip to the area should remember most shops are closed on Sunday.

What part of NL are you in Mamagus? I will be in St. John's mid June and know absolutely NO one there who sews!! I lived there for 18 yrs and have been in BC for 5 1/2 .. going to visit my daughter who went back in November for three weeks, got a job and is still there!! When I lived there I didn't sew, I made mohair bears and there was nowhere to buy my supplies .. I had to order it from either CA or Toronto .. I only know Fabricville .. dont tell me there are others ??? I see an empty suitcase coming with me LOL Maybe I'll have to leave some clothes behind.

Toby

MrsColumbo... When I lived in the Vancouver area many years ago, I loved going to the shops in Little India. Because I had my own business at that time, I also shopped the wholesalers in Steveston and Richmond. I won't have time for shopping when I get back to the lower mainland....driving back down tomorrow, flying home early Saturday morning.

If you were going to be in this area longer I'd say we meet for some fabric chat :)

Toby

That would be fun!!! I'll let you know when I will be back again. My family are in BC, so you KNOW I will be back. ;)

Patti

That would be great ... what area do you visit?

Toby

Sounds like Canadian quilters need to team up with a US buddy, who can pick up and ship them quilt fabrics. And just pay through pay pal.

I do this periodically for a friend in NS. Some websites won't ship to Canada, so she buys and has it sent to me. I then send it to her and she sends me $$ for the shipping to her.

Patti

I am in the Clarenville area and sadly, I think Fabricville is probably your best choice while "in town". They have really expanded their quilting fabric section. Piecemakers in Paradise is really expensive and Ed at Sewing World doesn't have much of a selection. There's also a small store in the Piper Plaza at teh beginning of Commonwealth Avenue just off Topsail Road.
If you're planning on driving there are several out around Bay Roberts including Wescals and if you're coming to Clarenville, Mercers on Marine Drive and WAVE creations in Harcourt are two good, reasonably priced stores. MY ABSOLUTE favorite store on the island is C&M Crafts in Carmanville but that is a LONG drive! Not do-able in a day for sure!

I won't be outside the city at all as I'll be there only for four days .. my mom is in a retirement home in Paradise so I will try that one you mentioned and my daughter lives in Airport Heights .. Fabricville is always good, they are related to our Fabricland out here ... I have been to Clarenville numerous times when I lived there .. it was a weekend away with the old bf to a nice motel down from the Irving ... nice area ...

Toby

Good idea but the shipping and duty charges can be a killer. If any US quilters want to help a Canadian quilter they need to check all possibilities for shipping. sometimes the flat box rates are higher than using a large brown envelope . I am a Canadian Quilter in Southern Alberta. I get a lot of my fabric by ebay and some online stores. I watch for sales or good deals at these sites and even with shipping it is cheaper. Have to be careful of amount. If I order over a certian amount I have to pay "duty" on top to cross the border. It can be very frustrating. :-(

I live in Calgary and do most of my fabric shopping on-line. I have ordered many many times through the US quilt shops and only once have had to pay duty and it was minimal and I still saved. I have even ordered a box of quilt batting, never paid duty and still came out about $80 in the black. When I figure in the shipping and exchange, I'm still ahead of the game. I have some favorite shops that I frequently check on line.

I was in Montana doing a shop hop of my own a couple of weekends ago. I was slightly over my limit, claimed it coming across the border..."Thank, have a good day." The prices in the US are at least 1/2 of what is charged here. I now have a account set up with a shipping outlet near the border and can have my fabrics etc. shipped there for a very minimal fee. This takes advantage of some of the "free shipping" offered by some shops. I still go occasionally to my LQSs (though one shop is higher priced that the others in town)but usually keep my purchases to a minimum, or something I need right away, or if they are having a big sale. When I visit family in Ontario, I usually check out the shops there, but the prices are pretyy much the same.

Tell me about it. We pay double for almost everything here in Canada. I shop till I drop when in the States and rarely buy any fabric or quilting supplies here in Ontario, unless in a real bind. Oh and lets not forget our 13 % sales tax. Yeah Canada!

If sent by a private party with no claimed value on the package, can they really charge duty?

I've only paid duty once and that was on a purchase through a store. No I don't think there would be a problem with a private party no that you say that!
So any of you US quiltiers willing to buy and ship for us Canadian Quilters?!!

When I lived in Newfoundland I was making mohair bears and a friend in NJ and I decided to do an exchange .. I sent her a bear I made that was valued at about $100. thru Canada Post .. she got it fine and paid no duty .. when hers came, she put a value of $40.00 on it and sent it UPS not realizing that UPS is much better used within the US but sending to Canada UPS is awful ... they tried to charge me $80.00 "brokerage fees" plus some kind of tax .. I refused it and it was sent back to her ... she sent it back to me and I received it (two months later) via USPS .. when that came to the door I was met with a $70.00 duty bill even though she had "gift" on it and it was still $40.00 .. why? Because she had "Charlene's Bears" in her address label so they classified it as a business .. I sent it back again.

If you receive anything from an individual, it is fine and can be called a "gift" but "Charlene's Bears" even though it was a sewing machine in her living room, they call a business and it could not be a "gift" .. she returned it to me again with just her name on it and I was charged NOTHING ... hence I don't order anything anymore from any business or stores in the US ..

Toby

Hi Guys,

Here in the UK the minimum price for a meter of fabric is £10 that is about US $15..! I was looking for some moda marbles yesterday and in the US they range from $7 - $8.60. Here in the UK Moda Marble range from £9.50 - £11.00, that is more than double the price in the US. I have ordered fabric from the US, but by the time I have paid postage and then Customs and VAT and the £9.00 the Post Office charge to collect the customs and VAT it makes is more expensive than buying it here.

You US ladies are so lucky! If I ever get to the US I am not bringing any clothes... just empty suitcases for fabby!

Hugs

Caroline

Thank goodness for the online shopping. All you need to consider is the shipping costs.

Shipping is costly when it's coming to Canada ... it isn't even worth it for me to order from the US ... if I pay $30.00 a meter for fabric here (which I do because I very seldom buy cotton, only upholstery, tapestry), getting it from the US for the same quality may cost me $20.00 but tax and shipping plus the dollar conversion brings me up to about $29.00 .. I prefer to feel the stuff in person, not get it here and realize it's not near what I want in quality then having to ship it back at my own expense.

Toby

I grew up in Delta in B.C. and still have extended family there on the lower mainland and on Vancouver Island, so I keep in touch. My sister (who does not make quilts) has a terrible time both finding ready-made clothing (to fit her and her taste and her budget) and dealing with the shock of the fabric prices.

First of all ...we have free trade....there is no such thing as DUTY on fabric....all you pay if anything is the tax....13% in Ontario. I buy once a year in Lancaster PA and 90% of everything is else is on line shopping... 8 yds quilters cotton can be fit into a flat rate envelope..$12.00...that makes each yd ..$1.50 more per yd with free shipping (just converting my cost)..., I never pay the Tax(duty as some call it) on a package that size. Only if I buy a large package over..with costs much higher have I ever paid...still a HUGE bargain!!