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...

At most LQS's there are "bundles" of fabrics or look at a layer cake or charm pack. You get a variety of fabrics. Lot's of fun patterns out there for Charm Pacs.

I wouldn't spend my $'s on backing at a LQS unless it was for a very special quilt and I definetly wanted it to match something on the front.

Have fun. Hershey is on my "bucket" list to do before I hit one of "those" birthday that end in "0".

You can get a Jelly Roll or a Layer cake at a Quilt shop for $35 and then another yard of accent fabric, this would definately make a good size quilt.

Check out this website for lots of great patterns for precuts!

http://www.modabakeshop.com/

Well thanks everyone!
I just called the quilt shop and they do not have a special or a sale running (it starts Tuesday after I leave wouldn't you know)

However I think I may have come up with a quilt 60x60 that I can make for 5 yards. At least that is what quilt wizzard says
So everyone pray hubby figures we have 50$ in the budget instead of 40$ hehehehe

Here it is

(man Christmas fabric would have been really nice for this one and on sale but no such luck)

I have been to Hershey 3 times and have never done anything Hershey lolol. We did go to Chocolate world one year right before they were closing and I got my picture on a candy bar wrapper. That way one day I have proof I went
:lol:

My Husband has to go every year for work. They have a grooming convention at the Hershey lodge. I do love the smell of that city

Spend it on hundreds of things in your mind--then get down to reality. What is it that you truly need? Fabric? Blades? an new mat? Batting? Backing? (personally unless a quilt is something OUTSTANDING I hate spending much on the backing) Patterns? Books? Rulers? Thread? new Scissors? Make a list of the Could Buys, then cross off everything but the Want To Buys. From that list cross off everything but the Need to Buys and then go from there. This is what I do and it works for me. I take my list and my money, keep the list in my purse and get what I want when I get there. LOL

May I make a suggestion...
If you are going to Hershey..drive the extra 22 miles and go to Martins Fabrics in Meyerstown. They have the most beautiful Marcus Brothers fabrics on their flat fold table for 3.25 a yard. I was there on two occassions in the past month and you would not believe the fabric that I got for a scrap quilt I am making. You can purchase 1/2 yards.
Hope this helps..I have a pattern that would be great. I made it in 4 days! Scraps quilts have never been my love..but..I started to like them more and more.
Peace and Blessings

Forget the LQS, if you can't afford it there's no reason to sacrifice quality for quantity, Thousands of Bolts to the rescue!
http://www.thousandsofbolts.com/inde...TOKEN=67015648

If it was me, I would have a pattern first. That way if you only need 2/3 yard you know it and you arent wasting money. Then I would buy the focus fabric at the quilt shop, making sure a basic would match it (black, navy, red) that I could purchase at Joann's. If I had enough money left over, I would get a coordinating fabric to the focus for either borders or bindings.

If it was me, I would have a pattern first. That way if you only need 2/3 yard you know it and you arent wasting money. Then I would buy the focus fabric at the quilt shop, making sure a basic would match it (black, navy, red) that I could purchase at Joann's. If I had enough money left over, I would get a coordinating fabric to the focus for either borders or bindings.

If you find something you adore, buy that for a center block. You can choose less costly fabric for surrounds. Have fun!

Ohh that sounds like my kind of place!
But I am unable to drive. and Hubby has to work at the convention :(
Maybe another time when he doesn't have to work and we are going through there.



I dont really need anything but fabric.
I have some blades, 1 cutter a few rulers and 2 mats. I have a bolt of batting my husband got me for my anniversary.

So fabric it is.
I shop where I can. Although I could take my money that I spend at Joann and save it up to shop at a LQS then I would be doing a few quilts a year.
Nothing wrong with that but I like making things and when you are stuck at home it is important to have things to do.

So with this lqs fabric I want to make a nice quilt. so I am just going to have to see what their prices are and if I can find anything for a bargain.

I am afraid to admit this but if I were in Hershey,PA. I would be spending my money on CHOCOLATE and more CHOCOLATE and maybe a facial with CHOCOLATE.

Agreed!!! No one said a quilt had to be ALL from LQS. You can find lots of less expensive fabrics that can go with a "must have" fabric from LQS. Enjoy yourself!!!

You could always check to see if they have a website. They might have sales listed and some of them show what they have on sale,that way you could kind of get an idea in advance.

Abby,
If I were you, I would be pretty tempted to drive 40 minutes from Hershey to Lancaster and hit a few Amish fabric stores where the average price is around $6.00 a yard and many fabrics are even lower priced for LQS quality fabric. Your money would go a lot farther.

could you save this money and add onto it,? and wait for a really big sale, i know it will be hard!!!!!

could you save this money and add onto it,? and wait for a really big sale, i know it will be hard!!!!!

Have a great time.There's more than one fabric store in Hershey.Ask for the sale area when you go in.Myself, I look & admire, but seldom spend unless there's a sale area.

Been there, done that! I have bought my focal or main fabric at LQS and then the supporting fabrics at JoAnn, Hancocks or even WalMart. Works for me and saves me a LOT!

Just wondering if the Hershey area has a local bus ? I'd ask at the motel/hotel.Also, look up the Chamber of Commerce or tourist
office & ask if they have transportation to a store you want to visit? Most
places will try to help.

I collect 30s patterns, and recently I got to visit a new shop....BF gave me 60.00 just to splurge! I went in and found the 30's a bought a BUNCH of 1/3 yards. Lots of pretty special little pieces, lol!

I like your pattern. Whatever you end up splurging on...enjoy yourself. Sounds like a fun trip to me!

There are several lqs in and near hershey. There is one in blue bell and one up at the smorgesboard ( not buffet ) in the area. The one near the restaurant had good prices. The one near blue bell was called a outlet and had other items as well. Also look for stores called dry goods stores. That is where they have the fabric up there.

Buy something of quality even if you only buy one or two fabrics. This is your time for something special. There will plenty of other times for Joanns etc.
Go online and find a free quilt pattern you like. There are gazillions of them. You can type is free quilt block patterns or anything like that and you will be spending hours looking at them all!

Don't look a gift horse in the mouth. :lol:
Shopping at your LQS allows you to get some great fabric.
Hopefully they will have some fabric on sale. The quality can't be beat, sure to produce a wonderful quilt. One of the fabrics I always pick up is the tone on tone/off white fabric. This fabric can be used as background on any quilt. You don't have to worry if you have something in your stash to coordinate.
Have fun and enjoy the opportunity. :thumbup:

Thanks everyone for the tips!
I am leaving for Hershey now. I will post pics when I get back of my splurge!!!

Before I run to the LQS, I would check out the fabrics on sale at Hancocks of Paducah, they have a great selection of quilt quality fabrics from $2.95 per yard up to $5.95 per yard. You would have to pay postage, but I feel you would get more for your money buying online. Especially if you are on a tight budget. I hardly ever buy fabric at regular price. Just does not fit into my budget either. Try ebay and others - fabric.com has nice fabrics and if you spend $35, you get free shipping! Such a Deal!

If you get a chance and can drive further east on turnpike(exit 286) check out Sauders fabrics. It is short drive from exit less than mile. They have good prices such as $6.50 for good quality fabric but also have deals for lot less. It is run by amish so not open on Sunday. Also have huge selection of fabrics. lots of backing choices at best prices .

Joanne's current flyer haslots of 40% off cupons....maybe they will help you spread it around. Best wishes on your trip to Lancaster...lovey time of year too. Used to live in Bethlehem and worked in a large fabric store - now defunct. Great people,good food and incredible quilts made by the locals.

Why not buy fat quarters or half yards of several fabrics, rather than a yard of just a few. I have finally learned that buying a yard of a fabric means I will have more than I need for a project and will need to decide what to use the leftovers for. I have found that a fat quarter bundle gives a nice selection and can result in a lovely quilt or wall hanging.