The Wallmarts in my area have all discontinued their fabric dept. Joannes and Hancock carry some decent/nice fabric at reasonable prices. I often shop at the LQS to help make sure she stays in business, b/c so many have had to close b/c of the chain stores. The LQS have a lot to offer in workshops and personal services. So, it's worth spending the extra $$ if you can afford it. I recently took a workshop from my guild and the instructor suggested that b/c of the way fabric is milled today in the US and elseware...all quilting fabric should be prewashed to avoid surprises eg. fading and shrinking. I've begun doing that. I dry in the dryer to "almost" dry and then press before using.