QuiltnLady1

I don't spend that much on fabric unless I LOVE the fabric -- and with my stash I can mostly use fabric I had bought for $5-8 a yard. I buy fabric online -- if I know the manufacturer and the designer. I have bought a few lemons and can't afford to do that often. I admit I haven't gone fabric shopping recently -- last time fabric was $10/yd and I was having a hard time paying that. Given how much fabric is needed for a quilt, this really makes it very expensive to make a big quilt.

imsewnso

And in Canada

mom-6

Nice fabric can be very expensive. I recall paying $12/yd for some beautiful fabric for a dress way back when.

I've also found incredible buys -like black satin peau de soi (sp?) and upholstery velvet for $1/yd.
Two seperate instances several years apart. Just last month I got a whole roll of gorgeous plaid drapery fabric for $20.

Sometimes you can just be in the right place at the right time!

And yes, I'm a fabricaholic and love doing all sorts of things with it.

nygal

I agree. I love quilting shops but their prices are too high. I understand why they need to be that way but it's still more than I am willing to pay. I shop online and at Joann Fabrics for most of my fabrics.

Geri B

Justflyingin........you mentioned buying from hancocks in Paducah....do they ship overseas? $$$$$$

You also spoke of the price hike on "luxury items"...... . Some Prescriptions medication in "poorer" countries are much cheaper than say, the US....and at the rate of escalating prices for every thing here we will soon be a " poorer" country...!!!!

helou

I could not beleive it today. I needed 1 yard of fabric to make the binding for the quilt I am doing. the "perfect" one was $19.99 a meter which is 39". I kept looking for something less expensive when I finally asked if the one I wanted was on sale. What a relief when the sale person told me that it was on sale with 50% off. I had not seen the sign for the sale as (of course) it was down the lowest shelf... I hurried up and hold on to it until I reached the cutting table. this was the first time I saw that price for non-batik fabric.
the other fabrics that were not on sale were $19.99 plus 15% tax.
time for scrap quilts with what I have...

k_jupiter

We all are different types of quilters. If i go through 30 yards a year, that is lot. But when I buy my fabric, it is usually at my LQS. Why?
1.)I want Eddie to stay in business.
2.) I like the wimmen in the shop fawning all over me.
3.) My time is much more valuable than saving money on cheap fabric.
4.) I give my quilts to people I love. They deserve the best. I give them the same quality I demand for my quilts for my beds.
5.) When I finish a quilt.. I say "darn (for you people with sensitive ears) is that a nice looking quilt, every color is deep and rich and well though out. You have to work very hard to do that with JoAnne's or Hancocks or Hobby Lobby.

As I said, we are all different quilters, we all quilt for different reasons. I applaud all you who spend your time making charity quilts for women's shelters, homeless folks, military returnee (big piece of my heart in that one), etc.
Those of you whos quilting ambition is to work through as much fabric as you can for someone else, good for you. I do hope occasionally you slow down and make one absolutely beautiful quilt for yourself, and damn (for those of you without sensitive ears) the expenses. You deserve to show off your skills with truly first class materials. Everyone of us deserves a quilt we made that makes our family and friends go "ooooooooh!" and "ahhhhhhhhh". Hard to do with cheap material.

BTW, for a queen sized quilt... use 105" backing material. Three yards. Much much cheaper in the long run and quilting without those seam lines in the back is great! I try to use Kona solids matched to a border or prominent color scheme of the front. timin sanjose

zennia

Todays prices make me so happy that I have a closet full of fabric collected over the years.
What upsets me is when fabric that has been in store awhile for $8.00-$9.00 is marked UP to match the new fabric.

Snooze2978

I find Batiks cost more so I tend to go to my favorite online store and wait for them to have a sale on their Batiks. The price of fabrics are going up quite fast in my opinion. Sure glad I have a nice size stash as I may have to lean towards what I have instead of what I'd like to have.

Belfrybat

When we had a quilt shop in town, I usually shopped the bargain bins at the back where fabrics were discounted 30 - 60%. Occasionally I would buy something full price to complete a quilt, but never more than a yard at a time.