sadly i just can't afford to support my LQS and neither can most people in my area.
when i first started quilting 9 years ago there were 5 LQS in my area along with 2 joann's and 1 walmart.
back then the LQS charged $8 a yard for fabric and $10 for batiks and joann's was the only reasonable place in town.
fast forward to today and there is only 1 LQS and 1 joann's and walmart never stopped selling fabric in my area.
walmart is very reasonable in prices, joann's is mixed in pricing some high some low, and the LQS is insane - they sell typical quilter cotton for $12.99 and batiks $16.99.
when i first started 9 years ago i didn't know how to hand dye or screen print but i taught myself very quickly because who can quilt for fun or business at those prices.
what is really sad about our LQS is when the prices started going up they shut down the quilt shop for a day to raise the prices on everything in the store not just the new bolts.
some fabric has been sitting on the shelves for 6 years but they decided to up the price to today high prices.
they have lost many customers over it - it was a huge discussion at our guild and the guild decided to never invite them back to our meeting for demo's or to sell product because of it.