I agree. Most of my stash was given to me by lovely people who knew I'd give it a good home and that I made lots of baby quilts for charity. I can't afford to just shop at the high dollar fabric stores. That's not to say I buy junk, but anyone shooping carefully can get good fabric at Joannes and Wal Mart for less than say the "bernina" store in Raleigh that charges 8 or 9 dollars or more for fabric. Just the fine fuse that I use in applique is the equivilent of $8.00 a yd. If I use it, and that is because I don't enjoy needle turn applique, then there won't be a lot of expensive fabric in the quilt. I haven't won the lottery yet!
Even the mail order places charge quite a bit and then there is the ever rising cost of postage besides!