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Our Walmart re-arranged itself. At first I was worried they were going to do away with the fabric department, but they just moved it. It looked as though they were going to downsize it, at they tried, but now it's just as big as it was. They don't carry as many patterns and notions as they did before.

I don't buy much fabric at WalMart, but today I was there for something else and got some nice superwide white muslin and heavy pellon to use in craft projects. The woman in the department said they are going to rearrange things soon, but are keeping their fabrics, maybe adding more. She is wishing she could retire, but she loves working with the fabrics. She's always helpful and chatty when I go there. She's been with them many years and has health insurance though she works less than full time hours. Apparently management there is pretty good. It's a tough job being on your feet all the time like that, and I appreciate her good service. She's older than I am, and I feel bad for her situation.

So sorry to hear about your LQS. Our Hobby Lobby has a smallish fabric department and the yardage is rather expensive. Did not hear that about Joann's, but have noticed there have been new faces over the past year. Just found out this PM, from a friend's daughter who is an employee of WalMart near me, that the store is expecting to get their fabric department back in March. It has been in the works for at least 2 years, but kept getting pushed back. Also the other WalMart on the other end of town will be getting their's back also but have to wait, keeps getting pushed back. I am just so thankful to have some good options now for purchasing fabrics.

I have noticed in our local Wal-marts that the fabric section has been expanded. I hadn't paid much attention to it before, but it caught my eye the other day. Some of the fabric didn't feel as nice, but there were a lot of choices that I would buy if I needed it. Same as anywhere. I have had fabric from a LQS before that I was disappointed in, thought was thin, etc., though usually the fabric is more substantial. Ditto with Joann's. With prices the way they are, I definitely do not say "never" about buying at any of the stores. I look for sales, look for things I like, and feel my way through the fabrics. I was pleasantly surprised last week to find several bolts of fabric I really liked in the red tag section at Joann's. Marked at $6 a yard - and I really liked it - I was a happy camper!!

Awesome, I like to breathe in the fabrics also. I sometimes just get some of fabric out to feel it also. Thought I was the only one that did things like that. Love to live in my sewing room!!!!

Some people work only cause they have too. I mentioned to one of the Wal Mart staff that was considered part time that they hire that way cause they don't have to give the benifits like they do to full time workers. She told me that not only did she love working for Wal Mart but that even the part time workers get full and great benifits. So I guess that not all of them "hate" their jobs.

walmart, joann and hobby lobby carries fabric that is inferior to that of lqs. i would rather pay for quality so that my quilts might last 50 years or more. you get what you pay for. i only purchase from my 2 lqs. we can always say that it is too bad that a lqs closed; but, quilters help to keep them in business, and if those quilters prefer to purchase lower quality fabrics from the big box stores, lqs might close.

I would love to be able to go back to operating the fabric Department in our Wal Mart again. There would be no complaints from my mouth. The closest place for us to buy fabric now is about 34 miles from our town. Very inconvenient. However, Home Office makes decisions based on the grand scope of things and we tend to see things on our local level. We don't always agree with the way things run but we don't make the decisions. As far as prices not being as low as they were? Have you compared prices on groceries to what they were 1 year ago? Everything is becoming so expensive, us poor folks are going to really struggle.
As far as Wal Mart, Joann and hobby lobby carrying lower quality fabrics, I have to disagree. Some of the quality is lower but so are their prices. Most people think lower prices, lower quality. Did you ever think that the large "big box" stores purchase much larger quantities that the LQS can. That makes a difference in price. We had an LQS purchase fabric on sale at a "big box" store and resell it in her shop. If it weren't for the lower price stores, I for one could not continue to quilt.