Fabric prices
 

Lately I've been looking at more and more websites that are advertising "Sale" prices on jelly rolls and layer cakes. Mind you these are fabric lines from last year or maybe two years ago that they still have laying around. Suddenly what we use to pay $39.95 for regular full price, they are now saying original price was $59 and the sale price is $39.95. Why are they marking up the original price to try to fool us into buying what they can't get rid of? Anyone else notice this?

Noticed several years ago. I can remember rolls normally being $15 to $18. Then they went way up. A year ago I refused to pay more than $20. I have paid $22‐24 recently. The price of fabric is ridiculous. I always take the asking price and divide by 2.77, that gives you the yardage price of a roll. At 39.99, the yardage price is $14.44 per yard....59.99 is $21.66 per yard! I'm not paying that.
Quilt in a day has a decent sale now....some rolls are $17. I noticed some of her rolls are from three years ago.

Most stores do this. They raise their prices thinking you won't remember what they had been, then put out a sale with the lower price thinking you're getting a deal when you're not. My sister and I when we shop groceries compare prices and between us we can remember what we paid just the past month. Talk about Folger's Coffee in the tall container. We bought it at Sam's for $9.99 just a couple 2-3 years ago when it contained 53.5oz of coffee. Now they have the same size container but it only contains 43.5 oz of coffee and it's going for $13.99. What a crock. Other items are in the same size container but less inside. Check your recipes when they call for "oz" packages of something such as graham crackers and when you look at the present oz size, it's less but the box is still the same size. They think we don't notice but we do.

I remember when I first started making quilts and clothes, the prices for cotton at JoAnne's was around $2.99/yd, fat quarters were $.99 each. Now the price of fabric is so high and I can't say the quality is as good. Some have complained about how thin it seems to be now. I'm just so glad I have a stash of fabric that I won't need to buy in this lifetime. Same for clothing fabrics, I still have a large stash of it also. I have been buying draperies and drapery fabrics at the thrift shop to make clothes though when I find large enough pieces. A simple skirt doesn't take much or a smaller piece for a short jacket or vest. Even clothes are getting too pricey these days and I can't say they're made any better.

Anyway, folks think I'm nuts to buy in bulk when I do find a good deal such as paper products as I figure the prices will only go up.

Yes...right there with you! It is one of the things that makes me REALLY mad, especially when I really need something to finish a project.

Years ago, I de-stashed my entire FQ collection of Paris Flea Market (3 Sisters)I, Bonnie & Camille Ruby Jelly Roll, 3 charm packs of Scrumptious, and Marmalade. I priced them at what I paid for them (in case someone really needed them), only to find them listed again at 4 times the price.

Last year I made three Christmas Quilts with 'Swell Christmas' by Urban Chiks (Potluck pattern from a Quilting Life, to which I added a row to even it out), and a Wintersweet quilt (free pattern) quilt with Figtree's Christmas Figs II. When I needed some addition yardage of the red Swell Christmas Santa Print, I had to pay $26 for 1/2 yard, and Christmas Figs II was priced so high that I purchased a complete 1/2 bundle of the Red and Green prints of Christmas Stitched.

This year I made four more of the 'Swell Christmas/Deer Christmas' Potluck quilts (very lg. family). Luckily, I found a gal who sold me 4 yards at $25/yd.; still priced higher but not a complete rip off like the other gal.

Although I wanted to purchase more of the Red Santa fabric, I could only find 3 yards of it priced at $65/yd., which is just too pricey for me); however, it sold out on Etsy at that price.

FYI, I will sometimes take the time (spend hours/days) to search the Internet for OOP fabric, and I can usually find odd Quilt shops all over the country that have the fabrics that I need at the 'original' prices, and cut and paste the links w/photos into a PowerPoint file in case I need more of something.

I am not buying much new fabric as I really do have a good stash. I have calculated how much I would pay a yard for the pre-cuts. Yikes. So I just sometimes cut strips from my left over yardage when I make something and have a "curated jelly roll" designed by me.

Smart! I'm sticking to my stash, too. Not only are the prices through the roof, but the fabric (including the designer fabrics) are definitely NOT the same quality, with the exception of the lines being mfg. in Japan and Korea. A lot of the fabrics I have purchased recently (Moda, Fig Tree, etc.) do not have the same smooth hand feel to them...so sad.

I watched a quilt shop do an unboxing of new fabric on youtube. They talked about why prices are suddenly gone higher. To ship five bolts of fabric to their store was now over $100 in shipping. The credit card fee is now added in to the bill when it didn't use to be.. They said they have not raised the price on the older fabric in the store before the increase as some shops may have. I don't think it's the shop's fault for the price increases, most are doing the best they can for the customers after all they have to have customers.

Prices for everything especially food has gotten out of hand. Seems like everyone involved thinks hey it's fine to raise the price on my end because everyone will pay it. It's the customer that gets hit with the end results.

well, my buying habits have definitely changed. I am wearing my 20 even 30-year-old clothing out. Two reasons, the clothes are simply not comfortable and made of cheap materials. I love the feel of my old clothes with decent fabric in them, and the second of course is the current price for an item that really will not last and for some reason, the sizes are strange. I have never been one who had to have the latest's styles nor did I have a job that required dress clothing so the stuff I have is just fine for my retirement activities.

Most of my "new" clothes come from Thrift stores or estate sales. Good clothing for cheap. Fabric is a little harder to find, but sometimes I do. Recently found two of those suction handles for quilt rulers, too!

I've always thought the price of precuts not worth the expense. The fabrics in jelly rolls rarely work out for any pattern I choose - never having enough of any one color or pattern. Then there is the problem of inaccuracy in measurements of the precuts. I am a pre-washer to pre-shrink and test colorfastness of the fabrics, and it can cause problems to even handwash precuts. I prefer to buy yardage and cut my own anyway, but when I see the prices of precuts, my head spins! It makes quilting out of reach for many folks, unless they find solutions to buying new.
I'm with sewingpup!

Unfortunately I find the rising fabric prices right in line with the rising prices of everything else, it's the quality that is bothering me the most. It too seems right on line with the example explained in this thread, on packaging shrinkage
Ice cream has not been a half gallon for a long time, canned goods ounces continuously shrink. Why wouldn't thread count shrink too with some brands? 😔 It's corporations meeting their bottom line. I feel fortunate that I can afford the groceries and a fulfilling hobby, as long as I'm careful with the budget for both, and have to except that I just get less for my money compared to the good old days.

We went from fabric to groceries! I am way too picky to purchase jelly rolls. I carefully choose each piece of fabric that I pay, usually, more than $12/yard. Raising prices to discount has been around a long time. Kohl's is what comes to mind, but HL is also famous. "Sale" doesn't motivate me anymore. I look at the bottom line.

ok, one grocery store gripe:
Kraft cheddar cheese went from 2/$5 to $3 each! Wish I had stocked up last week.

I agree with you completely! That is why I purchased yardage for my 2nd Wintersweet quilt. Those points on the precuts NEVER line up true to anything unless you trim them; easier to cut your own 2-1/2" strips. I actually purchased a jelly roll or white fabric (Moda) and the strips were ALL crooked and wonky, not straight. Lately, I have been using a zig-zag rotary cutting blade to ever so slightly trim my sewn pieces to keep the from fraying; no more loose threads. It actually cuts a slightly round scallop, not points; however, you have to be really careful to just barely trim the edges. Since I make really large quilts, I get tired of trimming frayed threads.

Oh...what I just posted might be confusing...I trim the seam allowance edges after I sew pieces together; I do not use the pinking blade to cut the quilt pieces before I quilt.

I do splurge on fabric when I want it. I love Tilda fabric. I always buy Tilda quilt kits when the quilt shop has one.

Thank you; I had actually never heard of the 'Tilda' line; there are no quilt shops in my area other than one about 20+ miles away (bad collections of fabric). I just viewed Tilda's web site and really liked it (downloaded some free patterns, too). Can's wait to try some of their fabrics!

All Tilda patterns are free. The price is so expensive for the fabric I'm glad something is free. LOL
https://www.tildafabricusa.com/freetildapatterns

Pricey, but not too pricey. Most of the other quilting fabrics by other designers are running $13.99/yd. However, I am pretty certain that the Tilda line will have a better 'hand feel' to the fabric, than other fabric lines. As I stated before, I have found that only the fabrics being made in Japan or Korea have that smooth 'hand feel' now. Love Tilda's prints; I am wanting to make another more modern quilt. The last one I made was with Tula Pink's Zuma line.

I can't imagine paying 13.99/yd for fabric. My previous quilts were made with fabric from Marshall Dry Goods. Very nice fabric as far as I'm concerned. Lots of lines under $6/yd. Named designers for $8/yd. I'm happy with their fabric and service. I've recently discovered Fabric Wholesale Direct. I bought canvas for a spaecial project, but they also have some quilting fabrics. I LOVE their African Prints (most 5.99/yd). I will probably get some soon for my next quilt. I have several LQS's in my area, but I just can't see paying "quilt store" prices for the fabrics. Don't get me wrong, I am glad they are there, and I support them when I need notions or if they have a really good sale (not common), but their designer fabrics don't turn me on any more than the nice ones I can find online.

I live a couple hours away from Marshall's Dry Goods. I buy a lot of fabric there. They don't have the newest but have great prices on all the name brand fabrics. All fabric manufacture lines are there except Moda. Marshall's is a fabric distributor and has a retail side for customers. You can buy all MDG brand of fabric by the bolt at wholesale price but not other manufactures unless you have a tax number. I can say I have never had a MDG fabric bleed even the deepest reds, blues or purples.

$$$$$...I hear you, which is why I am really trying to use up my stash fabric before purchasing any 'new' fabric. Most of what I purchase is to add to my stash collections (purchased over the years) for certain projects (sometimes I need an extra 1/4 to 1/2 yd). My go-to background is American Made Brand Fabrics from Clothworks - lite cream), which I purchase by the 15-yd. bolt at a low price per yd.
However, I have found no fabric recently that feels nice to the hand the way fabrics used to feel. There are no quilt stores near me, so it's really hard for me to purchase when I cannot feel it and/or see the 'actual' fabric and what the true colors are. I hope to be making memory quilts from of my family members old clothing. Most of my stash (other than my new Fig Tree Christmas fabric) was purchased years ago, that's why it OOP and hard to find. However, blue/white quilts are my fave and I have a lot of prints in those colors (all Northcott, same blues). I was able to purchase 10 yds. of fabric for the back of my current quilt (needs 9-1/2 yds) from Michael's online for only $5.99/yd (also Northcott matches some of my fabrics).

My latest quilt - all MDG's Quilters Blenders (similar to "Grunge") at 4.99/yd. (blocks are 12" x 9" - finished size 68.5 x 71.5)

No bleeding on the fabric. Backing is on-sale flannel from JoAnns's that I traded some MDG wide-back for with my partner.

sloscotty, that's a nice looking quilt.

I too live about 2 hours away from Marshall's. Great fabric, great prices. Their off brand batting, not so much. It is so thin I have had to double it up to use in a quilt.

A lot of my clothes are thrifted but the selection is not as it was. I think more people are buying thrifted clothes or possibly people are just wearing their clothes longer.

We buy a lot of JoAnn Fabric for church donation quilts so I’m very familiar with their product and the variation of it. Recently I went to a LQS and bought everything I needed for a quilt for myself. When working on it, I honestly couldn’t see or feel the difference from that compared to JoAnns at roughly double the price.

Beautiful quilt!

? Has anyone ever printed their own fabric?
My daughter and I wanted to make some 'Comfort of the Psalms' quilts; however, the fabric panels are small and pricey. Have any of you ever printed fabric through your ink jet printer before? I was thinking I could print the Scriptures we wanted to use and then trace over them with permanent black ink???

Just found this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddMZd4p-IRw
Anyone tried it before?

The new Brother fabric printer is very nice. The quilt shop here will print anything you want on fabric for a fair price. She prints a lot old fabric designs to repair vintage quilts. All you need it a few inches of the fabric to scan to get a reprint that looks like it. The pictures that are printed look amazing and of course text can be printed in any font and color. Prints are washable.