im thinking i better stock up a bit on thread and batting pretty fabrc i have enough to sew for about 2 yearsor maybee three if im not to picky. im planning a garden this year as well food has already gon up might have to toilet train the kids soon to save on dipers.

stevendebbie25 I completely agree with you. We are putting money into Red wheat berries for bread, 100lb's sugar, flour, beans, etc. packed in mylar bags and stored in 5 gal. pails. My son and I are already canning as we go. I have a pressure canner for my meats and stews and chicken is absolutely delicious after it is canned. White solid tuna goes on sale 10 for $10.00, we bought 100 cans. Watch all sales on #10 cans of everything. My DH does consulting work for the govt. and has brought home papers suggesting everyone should have a 6 month food supply. I guess if the govt. is telling their people to do it so should we.

There is no end in sight yet as to price increases on fabric. Nor will there be, at least until the 2011 crop is harvested so we know how much cotton (supply) is available.

The longer the manufacturer - or retail store - or customer - waits, before placing their order, the higher the price will be. There is only so much 2010 fabric left to be sold at the wholesale level, and after that supply is exhausted all shops will have to buy new goods at the current higher prices.

That said... I don't see prices doubling. My best (semi-educated) guess is that unless something new and awful happens, wholesale prices are likely to go up another 50 cent - $1 by the end of the year. Which would translate into (USA) retail prices for new prints being about $13 / yard in those stores which charge full-price.

It's not the end of the world, and we will still sew, but we will make our choices more carefully and probably will not do so much buying "on a whim".

If you do not have sufficient backing or batting to finish all the projects that you HONESTLY think you will complete in the next year-and-a-half or so, then it probably would be wise to stock up on those items if you have the funds (and storage space) to do so.

If cotton prices do come down again, it will take a while before that will be reflected in the retail price of fabrics. And the prices will probably never come all the way back down again. (Gasoline never did...)

Interesting discussion (again). I have heard that fabric is going up about 30% That means that $9.00 fabric will cost $12.00 I was at my LQS today and they said that they have not seen a price increase as yet. Stay tunes---------.

I will definitely be using the JoAnn's coupons to stock up on batting and will be checking into backing materials. Getting thread is also a good idea. Luckily, I have a couple of gift certificates to use at a couple of different qult shops so I'd better get those out and use them.
I don't really believe we will see $27 a yard for fabric, but it will surely go higher than it is now.
I hope, hope, hope we have decent weather for the garden this year. The last two years haven't been too good around here and we didn't get as much from our garden as in years past. May even have to turn one of flower beds into another veggie garden. Now if it would just warm up around here!!