With prices being so high, where do you ladies shop for fabric? Seems it would make sense to purchase from the online shops in the USA, unless there is some prohibitive reason not to.
What is the response of your local shops when you tell them the same fabric is available online for less that half their costs.
I must be missing something, why do quilters pay those high prices?

I have just started ordering online :)

I am a very slow quilter and I hand quilt so don't buy fabric as often as I would like to. Up till now I have bought on sale. I went looking for ideas today and saw FQs priced at $7.50 and $10. I am still recovering from the shock!!!

(I am in New Zealand)

I'm not sure if I would have been able to pick my jaw up off the floor at 10.00 a fat qtr. I do wonder how you can handle those prices it would definitely put a bind on my pocketbook.

OMG! I don't know the exchange rate between New Zealand and USA but $7.50 -$10 for a FQ can't be good anywhere. I guess I'll stop complaining.

Although I have bought fabric online and will continue to do so for price, I really like to see and feel the fabric before purchasing. I buy from my LQS in order to support them. One where I shop has a plan where you pay $20.00 upfront for a 20% discount on anything in the store for a year. It's well worth the $20 investment! I don't buy yardage without a project in mind, but I will pick up remnants on sale or FQ's on sale if I like them. Someday I'll make a scrappie quilt with them.

In the Netherlands they make smaller quilts and more detailed. If the prices were that high I would seriously only look at recycling used clothing and buying stuff from the USA with others so I could safe on shipping.

I've been buying from USA for several years now. I know the LQS owners would be unhappy with me but as I make the majority of my quilts for charity I just can't afford their prices. Soooo, I don't tell them.
I have had the quilt police try to tell me off a couple of times but I ask if they give any of their quilts away. That usually shuts them up.
If I buy from USA I can make 3 kids quilts for the same price as one using local purchased fabric. Postage is normally $12.00 - $14.00 for 7 -8 yards

I buy from Spotlight (a chain that sells fabric, party supplies, homewares etc) when they have quilting fabrics on sale. Have set myself an upper limit of $8/metre for 100% cotton quilting fabric. If its more than that I don't *need* it.

For batting I wait for a free shipping promo from Hanckocks of Paducah. You have to spend $100 to qualify for the free shipping and I generally spend up on jelly rolls and backing fabric to get to that (you can only get 2 batts per order without paying an extra handling charge). I've had great service form Hancocks so far.

I'm in Country South Australia and sometimes buy from my local QS she has FQ's from $4.00 or buy 4 and get the cheapest 1 free. If I am going to our nearest major town I shop there for specials. We have a fantastic QS 45 mins away, a few of us get together and go shopping, because we usually buy up big we get discount! They have fabrics from $8.00 per metre. Sometimes I buy online. I have such a big stash now I need to stop buying and start sewing! If only I had more time.

spotlight is the only store near me so I mainly buy from them. When I am in Victoria/melbourne I sometimes shop in LQS. I bought material for my grandson's quilt from my sister's LQS for civil war type RK prints Prices ranged from 17.50 per metre on special to 28-00 per metre. Good quality. I do usually look for specials when I shop. I find most Tasmanian LQS out of my price bracket as they are usually dearer than the mainland. Guess it is to do with living on an island.