Our quilt store is like that too, I really search around when it comes to buying fabric. I search around on here, at Walmart, I recently was in NH (no state tax) and got everything to make a queen sized quilt for $70 which I thought was pretty good, not including the backing.

Our quilt shop owner told me one of the fabrics I liked came from Japan but after the quake she didn't know if and when they'd get more, she said also with all the bad weather in the States it affected the cotton industry so rates would be going up because of that too. I don't know why we'd be surprised when the prices of everything have gone up.

How can you make a go of it, marking it up only $1 / yard? By the time the credit card company takes their 3% cut, you probably have only 80 cents left in your pocket, if that.

I have seen fabric for $12 a yard at my LQS around here. Many at our Joann's are priced at $9.99/yd. I was poking around in Walmart fabric section yesterday & noticed the new fabric was priced at $5.50/yd.

There are a lot of good online sources for quality fabric & I have had good luck with many of them!

Actually, I think that $6 a yard isn't a bad price. I just bought some fabric (gulp) for $12.50 a yard. Won't be doing that too much, but I just had to have this specific fabric. Probably doesn't help that it was collegiate!

I buy almost all fabric on line, usually on sale.
There have been very good threads on this Board where folks have listed the websites they use and like.
Click on "search" on the top line here and begin looking.

Maybe you should consider $1 over cost. There's also all the taxes, rent, utilities, insurance, delivery, etc.

Wal-Mart has buying power like no other... and they don't carry the same brands that most Quilt Shops do.

Also... when considering the price difference between Wal-Mart and your LQS, you won't get as much advice and help from most Wal-Mart fabric departments as you will from your local store. That "extra staffing" does add into the cost of the fabric.

Plus... remember when Wal-Mart started closing their fabric departments a couple of years back? You know if the fabric department was highly profitable at the prices Wal-Mart was charging, they would never have done away with fabric. That should tell you something, too.

All I can say is be very thankful you do not live in UK, and I think some other countries as well, our fabric is at least 2-3 times the price of yours, though I am talking about quality fabric such as Kaffe Fassett

Fabric has gone up, so many of us are being better on using up stash and purchasing on sale. But there are occasions that deserve a little splurge to get something you really love. This has slowed us down from buying stuff we really don't need and may never use.