Kimcatlou

Makes me realize that I have a mega-fortune in my fabric collection. I keep trying to use it up, but somehow I have more than I can use in my lifetime since I am 82 years old. I have used some of it in making projects for the craft sale at the retirement facility where I live, but I still have lots. Can't seem to part with it, especially when I see the prices for new fabric. Of course, new fabric calls my name if I get too close! Then I am weak again and buy a "little" more!

Bcfernurse

There are wonderful quilt shops in Lancaster and Denver PA area first class fabrics and wonderful prices and with coupon even better. We are very lucky a great day trip with friends. Many of these places have online ordering also. But there is nothing like feeling the fabric..

Amythyst02

I am on a very limited budget, and its been even tighter this last year. So I cannot afford the LQS's $12.00 per yd. I only shop JoAnn's when I have a sale flyer. I do most of my shopping right here on the boards. The members here are constantly selling beautiful fabric and so I read the boards and then go peek to see what is new on sale.

cherrio

look online. a thousand bolts is less expensive and nice quality. not scratchy, thin like our JoAnn's. The JoAnn's in the next city has nicer fabric but is about 10 -12 bucks a yard.

willferg

And also based on the profit margin the company chooses to set. If they price the fabric too high and their sales drop, they will be hurting themselves. LQSs close every day, unfortunately.

RainydayQuilter

I'm in a rural area the nearest Jo-Anne's is an hour and a half away. The two LQS that were within 20 miles of me both closed in the last six months, and 2 of the others that were on my places to visit when I went to the city also recently closed. That said I do have an "ace in the whole" pharmacy/variety store about 40 miles away. They used to have just 1 aisle of flat fold fabric on shelves, as fabric has gotten harder to buy locally they keep expanding the fabric dept. I would guess that its now somewhere between 1/4 to 1/3 of the stores square footage. Within the last year they have started transitioning to bolts instead of flat fold on the shelves, which alows even more fabric. It is high quality fabric. As I understand it they order the type they need (civil war, children's novelty, batik, etc.) but don't get to select the lines, so when they open the shipments it's a surprise. If you see something you like you buy it then, because most likely they won't be able to get it again. Some of the fabric is what you see in the ads in current quilt magazines some is older lines, almost all of it is quilting cottons. Here's the part that might make you jealous, they have flat pricing. They charge $5.89 a yard, new arrivals are $6.89, batiks are $7.99, kona solids used to be higher but now they are $5.89 also, the wide backing fabric is priced like traditional stores you check the bolt for price, they run between $9.99 - $16.99 a yard. When you check out if you show them your quilt quilds membership card you get a 10% discount.

TheCloser

The price of cotton has zoomed, partly due to the weather in the last few years. I have been looking for a nice
all cotton long nightgown on the web and they are around $70. A little too pricey for me.

Skratchie

If you buy from someplace with free shipping, it is absolutely cheaper - like fabric.com. Spend $35, get free shipping. I just ordered 6.5 yds of fabric and with tax it came out to little under $60. Of course, some of it was on sale, but even the stuff that wasn't on sale was only $9.20 a yard.

I quilt because it makes me happy, and I deal with the higher fabric prices because I can afford it - I am VERY fortunate to have a very good, well paying job. I know that I'm in the minority there. I find $14/yd fabric to be a little high, but I am more concerned about how quickly the prices have doubled - from $7/yd when I started quilting 10 years ago to $13-14/yd now is just crazy. I don't see those prices everywhere, but it's not easy to find "current" fabrics for less than $12/yd in my area at this point.

tessagin

The LQSs here mostly have rewards cards which helps a little but at a minimum of $9.99 and not too many sales, I don't go to them often. One shop does not have much in the way of fabric. Sells mainly sewing machines and notions some batting. Advantage is they know more about sewing than many of the employees at JF, Hancock's and Walmart. They're mostly cashiers and stock. Not being condescending just stating a fact that I've noticed. Usually it's the manager who has more knowledge or experience in the art.

mickiej43

We have a local gal that has a quilt shop in her home and does a lot of internet sales. Her website is sewitis.com. Try her, you might be surprised at the prices.