When was the last time you visited the U.S.? Since 9/11 happened things are much stricker here in the U.S. and we need a passport to go just about anywhere outside the U.S. I remember when we did not need a passport to go to our neighbors, Canada, but now we do let alone any other country.

Wow! That certainly means everyone should go out and stock up....so we don't get like that! For sure!! :thumbup:
That's is just crazy!

[quote=laalaaquilter]
Why would you assume that God only blesses the USA? There are Christians all over the world where God also is and whom he blesses.

What has God to do with the prices of fabric or anything else for that matter? Economics determine prices of anything anywhere in the world!

Unless the places you have lived have restrictions on who they can buy from (like folks in US can't buy Cuban cigars) then companies there are free to buy from the same suppliers that US companies do....

I visited in Ghana in July of 2010 and fabric there is very expensive as well... they do not have the choices that we have nor do they have the number of shops that we have even though the city of Accra has a population of 1.3 million people! We have SO MUCH to be thankful for and so many of us take it for granted. I am so happy that my mother was someone who loved sewing and quilting because it taught me to appreciate so much!

Is that a typo? Gas over $1.00 a gallon! I just paid $3.57 for 87% octane!!

[quote=clsurz]I don't think God chose only to bless the USA. All are His children and He loves everyone, no matter where they are. When I say, "God bless America" it means several things to me: 1) I'm thanking God for the wonderful life we have here; 2) I'm asking Him to continue to bless us with His love and mercy; and 3) I'm praying that the country will return to Him. It has nothing to do with thinking that God is favoring the US over other countries. IMHO

My LQS sells her fabric for mainly $43 (US) per metre I either buy at sales, but form America or buy up large when I do visit America

I do think our wages might be higher than yours our son works in a motorcycle shop he is untrained mechanic and is on $20 per hour

our gas is just over $8.00 per gallon

The "Dutch Reproduction Fabric" is incredible, looks like the authentic gorgeous patterns from ages past. Feels good, looks good, colors are amazing. But....too rich for my blood, I was going to take home a small panel just for the heck of it, but fortunately the one panel they had I didn't like the colors in it!! So, no...I won't need an extra suitcase for my fabric purchases....but for the chocolate, now that's another story!! Even their cheap "grocery store" chocolate here is fabulous.. For the first time in my life I think I've finally had enough chocolate. They spread it on toast for breakfast, then cover it with chocolate sprinkles too! Unbelievable!!

The "Dutch Reproduction Fabric" is incredible, looks like the authentic gorgeous patterns from ages past. Feels good, looks good, colors are amazing. But....too rich for my blood, I was going to take home a small panel just for the heck of it, but fortunately the one panel they had I didn't like the colors in it!! So, no...I won't need an extra suitcase for my fabric purchases....but for the chocolate, now that's another story!! Even their cheap "grocery store" chocolate here is fabulous.. For the first time in my life I think I've finally had enough chocolate. They spread it on toast for breakfast, then cover it with chocolate sprinkles too! Unbelievable!!

I pay on average between $24-27 a metre for fabric and $6 for fat quarters (hence I seldom buy fat quarters) they have to be on a good sale for me to buy em :lol: Some fabrics are even dearer still.

Maybe1day
In sunny hot Oz

Absolutely God Bless the U.S. and the brave men and women who put their lives on the line for us every day.

I think part of the reason fabric is cheaper here is that cotton is a lot more plentiful. Kinda drives the price down. But that's just a guess.

Me too :lol: I'd love a pen pal in the U.S.

Maybe1day

Love this country! We are so blessed!

I'd love to be a pen pal... let me know a little more about yourself, please. I am an avid quilter and I also like to travel (going back to Africa in May of this year). Maybe next trip will be to Australia!!! Haven't been there yet but I would also love to get to know more about you and about your country - especially your quilting passion! I live in Minnesota (northern part - about 120 miles from the Canadian border) so it is very cold here yet but starting to warm up... up to 35 in the daytime now - still freezing 32 degrees and lower at night. Have a great day and enjoy quilting!

I have 2 friends who are from the Netherlands, they go back for a visit every year and they each take an extra suitcase full of fabric for family members. Then they fill the suitcase with crackers, cookies and things they want for cooking that they can't get here. They have told us that prices are very high overseas. That is if they can even get fabric.

Yikes. That is expensive and I hope it never becomes that expensive here.

In Australia we pay, on average, about $26/metre with some up as high as $45/metre. Our dollar is often the same value as the US dollarso that will give you some comparison!!

Sadly yes, fabric is a lot more expensive, but I think we can't forget that there are many other aspects that need to be considered and a straight comparison isn't very useful. I live in Australia and pay about 20$ per metre, and so love when there is cheap shipping from America because it's a great deal!!!

But, our income is a lot higher than in the U.S. I don't know the specifics but I know when I compare a decent Australian income to what my American friends think is decent, ours is about 20% higher.
This can also be seen when you look at food prices. If you compare a decent meal in America to a meal in Australia, ours seems much more expensive. But you have to take into account our incomes and cost of living match this.

Just thought I'd put my opinion out as I've lived in Africa, Europe and Australia and whenever I exchange the currency I would always be amazed at the differences in prices when converted, but after living there would realise that the incomes and other factors definitely equal it out. Still think I'd leap at the chance to stock up if I vist the u.s :D

Same in France, around equivalent of US $34 a metre - and it is not only the price, quilt shops are very few and far between. My nearest (and only) is a 70kms trip each way.
Some online but prices only very marginally less.
Very small choice and I have never seen a "range", only isolated prints from a range. Solids and tonals are about $19.
Even with shipping it is much more economical to buy from the US. Fabric is cheaper in UK than here but most of them now charge more for shipping to France than the US retailers.
I buy threads/notions from the UK, and rely on friends travelling from the UK by car to bring wadding back for me.
If it meant having to buy here, I could not afford to continue with quilting.

I second, third, fourth, fiveth and sixth that. GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!!!!!

LOL

debra

cny-sewer39

I remember when I lived in Japan, I use to pay $13 to 18 dollars a yard and that was in the 90's my friend that still lives there said that now is beteween 20 to 25 a yard, most of the time I shop for her here in the US. fat quaters run between 8 and 10 dollars.
gloria

Amen, for the men and women

you might want to visit Arizona in the winter the coldes that it gets here is in the 60 and at night is in the 40

$22-$28.00 plus per metre in Western Australia!! We do have some discount fabric stores that sell quilt fabric cheaper than that, but they don't have the same range that quilt stores do. Fat quarters are about $6.00 plus. The exchange rate is about dollar for dollar at the moment, so you can see its not a cheap hobby! I buy quite a bit on line from Favourite Fabrics and Old Country Store in the US, and even with the postage it works out about half the price of buying in Australia.

I think most of us quilters in the U.S. have far more then we need. Whenever I watch the House Hunters International shows on HGTV, I am amazed at how small the living accomodations are in other countries. Smaller rooms, many times no closets, little to nothing for storage. I think sometimes we need to sit back and access how much we really need. If I moved overseas, there is no way I could take all of the sewing supplies, threads, fabrics etc I have accumulated over the years. I don't have a sewing stash per se. Purchases I have made in the past were usually for quilt kits. And now I have enough of those to sew up, in reality, it is years before I will need to buy any fabric.Since becoming disabled, with the price of my health insurance and medication charges, I have really started watching how much and what I buy, whether it is truly a need or an impluse on my part.It is amazing what I have begun to walk away from. I would love to have a couple more vintage machines, but you know, I can only sew on 1 at a time and when I see women in impoverished countries and how happy they are when they get an old treadle machine to sew on or fabric that a missionary has given them, I'm truly ashamed at how much I have (that I don't need). The way things are going in the U.S. the next few years are going to be hard for a lot of us. 1 of my arthritis treatments costs $12,000.00 every time I go and that is up $3,000.00 per treatment from last year. If we have food on our tables,an old beater to get us to and fro and a loving family, thats more then a lot of people. I'm more grateful every day that my husband had never complained when I wanted to spend $$ on something for my sewing. Okay, I'll get off my soap box, but I am grateful for what I have. Blessings to all, Nancy