We quilters tend to wander along the Drunkard's Path, I think. We've been skewering the Evil Empire (aka WalMart) throughout 2 or 3 different topic threads.
Same with the general topics of printing on fabric, ideas for fabric co-ops and fabric/block/pattern swaps - and lots of other topics, I'm sure.
Poor ol' Admin has been "listening" for response to her idea about looking for online sellers who might give newsletter members a discount. Lots of requests and "like the idea" comments in other threads, but the main thread for it goes generally unanswered.
Anyhooooo ... that's me on the soapbox for too long.
Somebody shared this link under another topic:
http://www.thousandsofbolts.com/
I'm pretty cheap, but thought their prices compared very well to any other places I've looked at. More than at the EE, but 25 - 75% lower than the others for what looks like good stuff. And a huge selection. I found things there I've been hunting for in vain for ages now. (gotta check the budget before I cut loose, though. My dogs and cat are such pains. They insist I feed them once in a while. LOL)
If you haunt Joann's online sale pages you'll stumble across some decent prices once in a while, too. They had several nice looking fabrics for under $2 p/yard the other day.
If we keep hunting and sharing links to good prices; get a scrap/fabric/block/pattern swap going, I think we can save each other lots of money without having to actually send any to each other for group purchases.
I can't speak for anybody else, but if we each have something to spare the other can use, I'm not going to worry whether or not I paid more p-yard for what I send than the other person did for what I get. I'm sure the Big Quilter in the Sky will see that it all evens out in the end. :D
I'm 5 minutes from one EE fabric department (horribly downsized but still there) and about 45 from another. Between their bargain tables and the occassional miracle at hancock's or Joann's, I'm still grasping at straws of hope. LOL
Ok. I'm sorry. That was me back up on the box again. :oops: