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I turned to on-line shopping for some fabric
browsed a particular auction site and found fabric for $3.60 a FQ same fabric is $24.40 a YARD in Australia received an email back that the seller doesn't ship to Australia because the post isn't reliable ??? have never had a problem before any one else ever had problems buying things from another country? |
Sorry, but I don't ship out of the country either. You shouldn't be mad at the seller, as they put their shipping info. in every auction. Vent all you want, but I can understand why people don't ship out of the country they live in. It' a pain! I shipped once to Canada and not my fault at all, but it took forever to get there and the buyer was sending me threatening e-mails about it. Never again!!
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I know there are tons of Australian quilters, so they must be feeding their fabric stashes somehow. Maybe Google "Australian Fabric Shops?" Surely postage would be less expensive within your country. Otherwise, prepare to pay big postage. Especially from the States. The US charges an arm and a leg to ship internationally. It wasn't always like that, but it is now.
Support your local shops. It's good for your economy. Otherwise, look for really good deals and factor in the postage to see if you can afford it. This hobby sure isn't cheap is it?! |
Like Chele said...there are many quilters from Down Under on the board. Don't know where in Aussie Land you are, but when I was in Brisbane AND in Sydney, there were a few quilt shops I got to visit, not to mention the one cute one I found in the Blue Mountains.
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The problem in Australia is that patchwork fabric is about $25 per metre here. That's about $22 US. There are some companies that do ship here, but not many. On a recent trip to Hawaii, I was buying beautiful cotton fabric for $3.99 a yard, same here in Sydney $21!
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Wow, that is expensive!!!!!!!!!!!1
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I mailed 2 Priority packages to Australia last week. I have not heard if they made it yet.
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Originally Posted by SewSydney
The problem in Australia is that patchwork fabric is about $25 per metre here. That's about $22 US. There are some companies that do ship here, but not many. On a recent trip to Hawaii, I was buying beautiful cotton fabric for $3.99 a yard, same here in Sydney $21!
http://www.hancocks-paducah.com http://www.thousandsofbolts.com |
I've seen the prices in Australia and I was amazed at the prices!! Ok, horrified was more like it! One LQS I was in there was charging almost $25/meter for Moda!
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i think www.keepsakequilting.com does.
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Im in Australia, and I buy alot of my fabrics from ebay from the US. Never had a problem.
As everyone is saying, fabric here is very expensive, and sometimes the quality is not that great either. we have a number of patchwork shops here in Victoria, but again are quite expensive. You can actually get the fabric cheaper, even with the postage from the US, something that cost about $25 AUD here, will cost $16 AUD from the States and thats including postage. If you buy sort of big, like 7 yards at atime (thats what fits in a prepaid UPS envolope the US$13 one) then it works out really cheap. |
Thanks for the information and website links - I have some serious surfing to do!!
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As I don't have a credit card (and never want one anyway) I have resorted to fat q squaps with US stitchers. It still costs me $5-8 for each fat q to find something suitable to send overseas, but in return I get some great fatQ's thatI just wouldn't have the opportunity to get any other way.
I agree that the fabric per metre over here is way off the scale. It is also getting harder and harder to find budget bolts of fabric to play with. |
Hi Peyton,
I know we should HELP our fellow countrymen/women but as you say, Fabric is so expensive here. I have bought oodles from overseas, (infact I have a shipment on the way), and I have had no trouble at all. Hancocks of Paducah, Keepsake Quilting, Quilters-biz, Nancy's Notions to name a few. I have also ordered Accuquilt Go! from the States, and even though I had to pay customs because it was over $2000. I still saved hundreds. Have been ordering for years and had no trouble what so ever. It even comes faster than some parcels you can get in Australia. Have a Go and Happy Quilting! |
I am in Australia too and you can't beat free shipping from Hancocks of Paducah with up to 2 batting packs, sign up for their newletter and they will let you know the next time they have a free shipping offer.
http://www.hancocks-paducah.com/ Also Whittles fabrics prices are fantastic and their service is very fast, I had my order in 1 week, http://www.whittlesfabrics.com/ I also have just ordered from wish upon a quilt and they replied very quickly to my emails, I have yet to receive my order but I only orderd it on Wednesday. http://www.wishuponaquilt.com/ happy shopping :-D |
Hi Peyton, I sell on ebay and never have problems with Australia BUT i ship Priority only. I also had problems with First Class. I don't sell fabric but there are many good ebay sellers who do. I hope you find someone :D
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I will be shipping to Australia when the website is finished. Try in two weeks: www.beautifulquiltfabric.com. If you are looking for something specifically, I may have it in inventory. pm me for what you are looking for and I will pm or email you back with samples.
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http://stores.ebay.com/CROWSNESTQUILTINGFABRICS on eBay will ship to Australia. I contacted them about postage for a jelly roll and they offered to undo the jelly roll so it would fit into an envelope and reduce the postage cost. Now that's what I call service.
I recently bought a half square triangle ruler from http://stores.ebay.com.au/Gotta-Notion It arrived in just over a week. I couldn't believe it. Don't think they do fabric, but wanted to get the word out as I was very happy with my purchase. Good luck and let us know how you go. |
I do believe that Quilt in a Day ships international. Just e-mail customer service and they will get back to you.
Also here is Fat Quarter Shops shipping policy link: http://www.fatquartershop.com/shippi...Page_Id=15&T=1 Here is a store that is in Hawaii and they ship international: http://store.nexternal.com/shared/St...unt2=253867745 I have ordered from all 3 stores and find their products top of the line, great sale prices and great customer service. |
We have a lot of customers in Australia, and ship a lot of orders there.
I was astounded when I got a note from a customer in Victoria a couple days ago, that her order only took 5 days to arrive. It usually takes 6 or 7 days, Aussie customs is very fast. That was 1st class, which takes about 15 minutes longer than priority mail. :thumbup: |
I wanted to make a Bargello quilt with 20 different fabric's, then found it was going to cost almost $500, for the fabric alone with buying in Australia...........now of course, we all want to support our own country....but if that being the case I wouldn't be able to continue with my hobby of quilting.
Long story short I bought from 'Thousands of Bolts' for a fraction of the price, service was wonderful, took 7 days from ordering to receiving, one happy customer here, and I get to continue doing the thing I love. |
Some great ideas here, will definitely be looking into buying international at these prices!
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Try Thousands of Bolts, they ship to Australia. Takes about 7-10 days to here in SE Qld, but I can put up with that when I can buy fabric for $US4.95 per yard instead of $A24.95 per metre.
Think the last lot I got, the postage was about $US 11.95 for 6 yards. Still better than what we pay per metre. |
I buy all the time from the states, particularly Keepsake Quilting, Hancocks of Paducah, Fatquarter shop, The Old Country Store Fabrics. One of my favourites is Be Creative Quilting Fabric. They are fantastic, the postage is well priced, fabric choices huge of over 8000. I live in remote NW Qld and we have one local shop, which I do support very well, however to stock up for later, its expensive at $28.00 per metre. With buying from the states, have never have had an issue, much quicker that sending something from Western Australia to here!!
Good luck and happy shopping! Also remember ladies, the more money we spend on quilting, the more are helping the economy!! |
Originally Posted by joculbertson
With buying from the states, have never have had an issue, much quicker than sending something from Western Australia to here!!
Have to agree with that. Last time I ordered from WA it took 14 days! - from one side of the country to the other. I could have trained a carrier pigeon quicker. Then again, it once took 6 WEEKS to come from Sydney! And they wonder why we buy from overseas. |
I am also from Aussie, it is not only the price of fabric in the US that is good, but also the ranges of fabrics available that we dont seem to get here. I have ordered from equilter and Fat quarter shop without any problems with delivery.
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In one of our local LQSs a few years back I ran into a woman from Australia. She was buying TONS of fabric at 8,9 and 10 dollars a yard and talking about how inexpensive it was. I said that shipping it home was going to cost her a fortune! She said, "Shipping it home? I'm taking it with me in my suitcases. The friend I'm visiting is letting me have a dresser in her home for my clothes so I'm leaving them here. In a year or two when I come back I'll bring my empty suitcases and refill them with fabric." So maybe you need a friend in the states to come visit.
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Originally Posted by raptureready
In one of our local LQSs a few years back I ran into a woman from Australia. She was buying TONS of fabric at 8,9 and 10 dollars a yard and talking about how inexpensive it was. I said that shipping it home was going to cost her a fortune! She said, "Shipping it home? I'm taking it with me in my suitcases. The friend I'm visiting is letting me have a dresser in her home for my clothes so I'm leaving them here. In a year or two when I come back I'll bring my empty suitcases and refill them with fabric." So maybe you need a friend in the states to come visit.
Mine all comes from the UK or occasionally the USA. I would buy locally if I could afford it....or even if I could find what I need. Buying online is okay, but impossible if you are trying to gauge colours, and sometimes print scale. I have a couple of very helpful UK online suppliers who I can send samples to for matches. |
Originally Posted by Lesleyba
Hi Peyton,
I know we should HELP our fellow countrymen/women but as you say, Fabric is so expensive here. I have bought oodles from overseas, (infact I have a shipment on the way), and I have had no trouble at all. Hancocks of Paducah, Keepsake Quilting, Quilters-biz, Nancy's Notions to name a few. I have also ordered Accuquilt Go! from the States, and even though I had to pay customs because it was over $2000. I still saved hundreds. Have been ordering for years and had no trouble what so ever. It even comes faster than some parcels you can get in Australia. Have a Go and Happy Quilting! |
Try www.overrainbow.com
She has lots of international customers. You can always email her for more details on shipping to you. |
Try www.overrainbow.com
She has lots of international customers. You can always email her for more details on shipping to you. |
You can buy pure cotton fabrics at Spotlight at reasonable prices
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My husband makes wood thread stands and I was going to ship one to my friend in Linton, Victoria plus a few other things. The package weighed 8 pounds and would have cost $68.00 to send, more than what the items were worth!! USA postal rates have gone up in this last year. So I am sending smaller packages and no thread stands!
We are still so lucky here stateside to have the options we have. |
Gee thanks gang, all I need is more sources for good prices on fabric. If I had to pay the prices you Ausies have to pay my stash would be less than half the size. Glad you can find some sources that make it more affordable.
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Originally Posted by peyton
I turned to on-line shopping for some fabric
browsed a particular auction site and found fabric for $3.60 a FQ same fabric is $24.40 a YARD in Australia received an email back that the seller doesn't ship to Australia because the post isn't reliable ??? have never had a problem before Sounds like a crock to me. It may be a hassle for the shipper to fill out the paperwork for the two posts - maybe that's what's the real problem. Your best bet is to have the items shipped to a friend in the US and have the friend send it over to Australia - as a "gift" - They (the Aussies) may charge you excise duties if it is sent to you any other way. That may be the consideration. any one else ever had problems buying things from another country? |
I have a friend (online) in Brisbane. She and I have traded fabrics. Doesn't cost that much, you can send it in a flat rate box. The USPS has a flat rate international shipping box. Takes about a week to get there, but there shouldn't be that much of a problem. You can also insure it.
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I have one more idea - how about a buying trip to Bangkok? This site http://bkkquilt.wordpress.com/ has suggestions on where to buy cotton fabric in Bangkok and it looks both cheap and like a really fun adventure. Maybe we could organise a trip ;-)
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Originally Posted by peyton
I turned to on-line shopping for some fabric
browsed a particular auction site and found fabric for $3.60 a FQ same fabric is $24.40 a YARD in Australia received an email back that the seller doesn't ship to Australia because the post isn't reliable ??? have never had a problem before any one else ever had problems buying things from another country? Even at that price I just couldn't resist buying Aborigional (spelling??) FQ's and a pattern. I will be making a wall hanging. When I got in the mu sister said I'll bet the pattern is from USA. LOL she was right. Made in Arizona. HA HA I live about 5 hours from there. |
e-quilter.com ships to Australia and I have had a lot of sucses on e-bay. Think you just got a bad seller. Okay, postage is somewhat slower at times, but usually worth the wait.
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Hi Susan from Perth WA.
As mentioned Hancocks ship to Australlia and have received numerous parcels and very satisfied. Others who ship include: Keepsake, Big Horn, Fat Quarter Shop. Explore other sites and best of luck.... |
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