Anyone notice that Joann's fabrics are better quality than LQS?
 

I have been noticing that Joann's fabrics are higher quality than they were a year ago and the brand names are going downhill.

Recently I was shopping at a LQS and some of the 12.50 per yard fabric was pretty think.

I went to Joann's and found better quality for about 7.99 a yarn and used by 50% off coupons.

There were, however, fabrics at Joann's now that are $12.99 per yard. I could not believe my eyes. The clerk said that they are really stuggling as they mark prices up.

I've also seen some cottons at LQS for $16.50 but it is imported.

I was very pleasantly surprised at Joann's quality. Never thought I would say that. They still have the really cheap stuff - but there is great quality now too.

Am I crazy or has anyone else noticed this???

I haven't been to Joann's lately. But, I did go look at fabric at Walmart. Didn't need anything...just looking. I found a bolt I really liked. I looked at the price and just about fainted. $12.99!!!! I don't think so. LOL.

It will only get worse. As Gas prices go up and so does everything else.
I say stock up now.

I was at Joanns yesterday and some of their less expensive brand fabric is a better quality then their more expensive ones! Even the lady cutting the fabric said she has noticed a big difference in some the fabrics. Yesterday their lower priced fabrics were 50% off. I bought six yards of one for the backing on a quilt I am currently working on. Plus I bought a few yards of two other fabrics that coordinate well with some I got a month ago. I'm happy!!

maybe they got the message that the poor quality was sending people away. I have to get some backing for a little boys race car quilt that i'm working on. I'll have to check it out this week.

Wish I was close enough to a JoAnns to be able to stop by periodically to see what they have. Unfortunately, the closest one is about an hour away--too far to just drop in and look.

I have to say that some of the fabrics from the big name companies have seemed pretty flimsy to me - sadly Benartex and Moda to name a couple. I remember chats here a year or more ago about the moda marbles having gotten pretty thin and that they were supposedly in the process of improving the quality. It's like a double whammy - the price skyrockets and the quality plummets!!! They need to pick ONE!

Not my Joann's vs. my LQS! LQS still has the best fabrics - but you pay for what you get.

I'm finding the best quality, for the money, is Hobby Lobby. It's every bit as good as the LQS, for less $$. WalMart seems to be hit or miss, lately. The nicer stuff is getting more and more expensive. I always check the sales bins, though. I've found quite a few nice Cranston VIP prints, for dirt cheap, there.

Joanne has had nicer things lately! They carry some of the kona solids, and their "premium" lines tend to be much better quality than I've seen there previously. They also regularly have 50% off sales on the premimum fabrics, so if you go when they're on sale, and add in coupons, the prices are much more reasonable than my LQS!

My only gripe is that they never put the "regular" and "premium" fabrics on sale at the same time, and I always end up with a mix of both, so I pay top dollar for some and not others. I wish they'd just have "all quilt fabric on sale" sometimes!!