I'm one of those people who doesn't feel obligated to buy only at my LQS. I've made many quilts from fabrics purchased at JoAnn's, Connecting Threads, Walmart, etc., and as long as you're careful about selection and quality, to me, fabric is fabric. Just because it comes from an expensive shop (fabric around my area in LQS is anywhere from $11-$13/ yard) doesn't guarantee you fabulous quality fabrics. I would not be able to make very many purchases if I didn't take advantage of the retail stores.