I've been bracing myself, and "pacing myself" since October. The increased prices are not a surprise. At the end of last year I bought a good amount of fabric on sale, in anticipation of the increase that was to come in 2011. I can make quilts from my stash for a few years, with only minor supplementing necessary. Yes, the price of fabric is alarming, but remember, quilting is a hobby. All hobbies have their own costs. We each do what we can.