As some of you know, I can not afford to shop at LQS. I mostly shop at Joann for my fabirc needs.
I have been to a few LQS and bought less then 10.00 worth maybe FQ or 1/2 yard of clearance things.


Well
That all ends the weekend maybe lol
My husband has said I can spend 40-50$ at a LQS in Hershey when we go this weekend. I am all excited.
That is untill I did the math and if there is nothing good in the clearance (or low selcection) I can only buy around 4-5 yards if they are priced around 10$ a yard.

The thought of taking my 40$ and running to the nearst Joann has crossed my mind several times lol. (Picture disabled woman with a fist full of dollars waddleing down the street searching for Joann :mrgreen: )

Okay but I am GOING to spend that money in a local shop, thats what I keep telling myself anyways lol.
Now I just need to know what can I do with so little yardage.
I dont want to get there and not have a plan and spend unwisely.
I am counting on 4 yards of material anything extra will be bonus.

Can you guys think of any quilt pattern for that amount?
I know I can always do a small quilt for that much but the smallest I like to do is 50x50 or bed size or they dont get used.

So any help? (before I find Joann's hehe)

edit: forgot to add I plan on buying the backing later at my LQS

If I were in your situation I would first fook at the sale fabrics to see if there is anything there that I liked. If nothing, I would carefully select a fabric or two that I really liked from the regular priced fabric. I think you will fall in love with LQS fabric compared to JF's. Even if I had to wait awhile to get enough to do my project, I would wait. I love going to the LQS to see the lovely fabric but I too have to be careful of prices. Have a wonderful tme choosing your fabric.

Being on a thight budget, I would make sure to have a pattern with you when you go to Hershey. That way, you can get exactly the amount of each fabric needed - no waste. I don't buy anything unless it is on sale. So, hopefully you won't be spending $10.00/yd. - maybe just a must have fat qtr. I also incorporate any left over pieces into the backing.

While it is great if you can afford to support your LQS, in your situation I would check the Internet. Several stores have sales right now at $5 per yard or less. Some also offer free shipping with purchases of $50. You might even find a kit you like on sale.

Whichever way you decide to go, good luck in finding some fabric you really like and have fun spending your money :-)

I'm excited for you to get to spend that much at a LQS. My thought would be to buy maybe one or two "must haves" or maybe some charm packs and a pattern for those. I have one for a small tote to be made from the charm packs. My sister liked it so much, I bought her the pattern and gave her my charm pack I had. Now I'm waiting to find another charm pack for me that I like. But all together, those two items were only about $20-$25. How about a notion or two that you can't find at JoAnn's?

Personally, I buy fabric from where ever I can get it. Lately it's been Wal-mart. If I like the feel, then I buy it. Only one time have I spent over $50 at a quilt shop and that was at a tent sale. I purchased fabric that averaged about $5 a yard. They were end of bolts and I got probably 8 yards, some older magazines for $1 each, and a pattern. I had a great time even though I didn't shop from the "latest and greatest"!

Have a great time! I have always wanted to go to Hershey

I think the whole point is to spend the money at the LQS, not joann's, not online...it's a treat...definately check the clearance first...i love to shop at our LQS's but what I do is buy FQ's or reg. quarters and that way you can get between 15 and 20 different fabrics for your fifty dollars...that is enough to do a yellow brick road lap size or a crazy eight lapsize...you can also do a wall hanging or table runners...whatever you decide, have FUN :)

I read a lot about LQS on here and have a couple here by me, but I just can't bring myself to spend a lot there, yes they have beautiful fabric and maybe it is better than Walmart and JoAnn's but if I buy all my fabric at the LQS then I don't get to make much as I can't afford to spend 3to 4 hundred on a quilt. I do buy some charm packs and once in a while a yard or 2 but not often. So I understand your excitement and hope you find a great sale. Good Luck

When I shop at my LQS I never spend more than $30 at a time. I usually pick up sale stuff. I love fat quarters and charm packs. I find some that I love and then go to Joann's to buy the other fabrics to go with them. Some stores have deals where you buy so many fat quarters and get one free. I usually have a handful of printed out patterns with me and try to find things that will work with these patterns.

I'm envious of you! My husband would never tell me to go buy fabric. He complains that I don't use up what I already have!! He just doesn't understand...