If I can I have them cut me a FQ because I've seen all too often that when I get pre cut ones home they aren't always accurate. If you are there when the cutting is happening then they know who cut it and have to be more accurate. I only do this when I don't know the store or I know the store has had this problem. I get charged for a 1/4 yrd

I was just wondering about this last week when I was at my LQS. Their FQ are $3 also & I was shocked. Since I rarely buy less than a yard I never looked at FQ until I decided to make a jar quilt. Sadly this LQS just moved into a dark, cramped old house. They were never friendly to begin with but I still went because it was well lit & easy to find what I needed. I have 2 other shops who need business enough to be friendly so I'll travel a bit farther to buy from them. LOL, now I am not asking to be anyone's BFF but I don't like feeling like I'm bothering them if I ask questions either.

me too!

Actually, this isn't quite correct. Most greige goods are made in China, i.e. the base fabric is cleaned and woven there. Some is also made in Pakistan and India.

Most top-end printed fabric is printed and finished in Japan and So. Korea.

Some of the more mid-low end fabrics, like David Textiles, Springs Creative, lower-end Cranston, and most of the the stuff you buy in Wally World, are also printed and finished in China.

Connecting Threads has their fabric printed and finished in Mexico.

Batiks and hand-dyes are mostly dyed, stamped and finished in Indonesia and India.

There are many reasons fabric isn't made in the USA anymore. If fabric were in fact made in the USA today, with all the government regulations and union labor, fabric would probably cost about 25 dollars a yard, and you'd be talking about FQ's at 8 or 9 dollars each.

FQ's aren't scraps, or made from scraps in any shop I've ever been in. FQ's are made in most shops by cutting a half-yard off the bolt, then cutting the half-yard in half lengthwise. In more careful shops this often involves starting with an oversized half-yard cut which is then re-folded, trimmed and straightened before cutting, so that you get a true FQ that is straight to the pattern. There is a lot of time involved and some trimming loss to making a perfect FQ, thus the increased price. Labor might be free in some places, but it isn't in most shops. Personally, as a shop owner I'd just as soon not cut FQ's because there is waste involved, but you're almost forced to offer them because so many patterns are based on FQ's.

If you do find a FQ pattern you like, it probably is worth your time, and you may save some money, by seeing if you can easily adapt that pattern to long quarters. I'd be willing to bet that many FQ patterns can use long quarters, which typically cost less than fats.

If the FQ are all OLDER fabrics, then yes it sounds like they're taking good advantage of price increases ... if they are from brand new lines, then I'd say No :roll:

I've seen some on ebay for $5.25. Don't guess I need to mention I didn't buy any.

Around here if they are older fabrics the FQ are around 125 to 150; you get a discount the more you buy. The latest FQ are normally 250.

The "labor" to cut FQs is really NO different than having any fabric cut at the cutting table ... It just takes 2 cuts vs 1. Big deal. Oops I forgot about the folding, or rolling ... whew ... now THAT'S labor intensive !!
When I worked at 2 LQS before, we cut FQs when we weren't BUSY, and we also cut them for customers ... and we didn't get Gatorade or get to put our feet up afterwards !! LOL :roll:

at our LQS FQ's are $3.00 also. You have to consider that it is a 18x22 piece of fabric and that it has been cut for you. Most of the new cottons are now priced at nearly $12.00 to $13.00 a yard - and it a quarter yard would only be 9 inches x WOF.
I know that fabric is getting more expensive and the cost of making quilts is going up. Guess my thinking is that IF I am going to make a special quilt....put all my time and work in it....I want to make sure it is quality fabric and thread that I am using. Please don't think I am a fabric snob....LOL.... because I use fabric from other stores too....just depends on what I am making and how it will be used and saved.
I have to save up to buy quilt shop quality fabrics and I treasure those fabrics.
Happy Quilting.

I only buy FQs bundles. If I really love a fabric line and cannot afford to buy several yards of each, this fits the bill for me. It's like I really love an expensive, delicious red wine. Cannot afford the whole bottle but when my wine shop has tastings I jump on a glass for $10. Kind of the same situation for me.