Hard to find items across the pond?
 

Hello all of you over in the European continent... I have a request.

Would you mind enlightening me what quilting things you desire that are not easily found across the pond as they are here in the USA?

I agree Anastasia. I have bartered across thge pond and what I have found out is that that have very few quilting magazines available over there and I have sent a few to ones who sent me Beatrix Potter fabic (Peter Rabbit) when I was in need. I have sent one magazines in Coventry area and one I send selvages and I would like to do more, but I never know what they are looking for or what they NEED! It's better in Aussieland ( we spend a few months there in Adelaide and Williamstown back in '02 and I loved it there...learned to do silk ribbon embroidery.

I will be watching this post to see what's needed where.....

Thanks and Hugs, Drue

I would like to know, too. Many of us in the USA - even in the boonies - are able to acquire a lot of thing via the internet, even if we can't get to a brick and mortar store.

I think we take a lot for granted!

I live in Germany, were military so I have two options on and off base. We do have 1 quilt store on a base an hour away, in March it's moving closer to us....my DH is soooo excited! lol There are some on the economy. Problem isn't so much selection as price. The dollar is down here so to give an idea on the economy 1 yard= 36in. 1 meter=39 inches 1$=.86-.70 (depending on the exchange rate) so lets go shopping.....
Stof is a fabric company not sold in the states and it's fantastic so say you fall in love with one like I did and have to have it.
Fabric on average is priced 12-18 euro a meter. So $15-22 a meter in dollars. Being military we can use a vat form but they cost $7 a piece so not worth it if your not saving $7 or more. All prices here include a 19% tax rate a vat form takes that 19% off the price.
So say you want 5 yards priced at 16 euro a meter, so 80 euro -15 euro with a vat =65 euro in dollars around $91
Even the shop on post is priced like a LQS and it's not a discount type store like say Joanns. I shop there when I can to support them plus they carry old Moda lines which I love and I actually get to touch fabric!
Shopping online is cheaper, I buy charm packs to sample fabric, batting at joanns when on sale but all Joanns packages take 6 weeks.
If coming to Europe to live I would buy batting in bulk to last you through a years worth of projects to start, buy an extra cutting mat because I have never seen a sale on cutting mats anywhere here, extra favorite ruler and thread is hard to find in a variety because 90% of thread here is poly.
We love it here and you adjust and look for deals. Our guild this past weekend went on a trip 40 mins from my village and a quilt shop there opened exclusively for us and sold us all cotton fabric including flannel for 5 euro a meter.....was fantastic!!!
We have an APO as well so we pay US shipping rates not international.

a few years ago I went on a quilting trip to Lancaster PA and was amazed by the choice in flannel fabric - we (not that I can find) have much choice in this fabric which I absolutely love the feel of - great for our winter quilts!!!

Thank you QuiltingCrazie, that was an amazingly informative post. It seems a general consensus I've found is FABRIC.. hehe. But you've given me some ideas.

Over in US your choice is so much wider. I tend to do Internet shopping from the other side of the pond. The problem is the postage and customs. I have had parcels refused at airports and had to pay very large extra tax as well. Parcels ripped and no idea when they will arrive and consequently borrowed from neighbours to pay when arrived. The one area at present not happy with is eBay. Some of the US companies are selling featherweight on UK EBAY shipping cost doubles item eg £50 upwards. Why not a depot in this country which holds these items.

I love new gadgets and follow you here and other shops in US TO BUY
FABRIC. I love specific designs .
Somebody mentioned magazines. I have no problem as we have excellent shops locally which. Stock American. Australia New Zealand , Ireland as well asUK. THEY will also order for you. I also purchase from the Internet copies o patchwork quilting mags from over the world.
This is getting too long and wordy. I also have friends who visit US and post items to me. One friend has a brother over there who will shop for us on gadgets.
Bye for now

Stof is a fabric company not sold in the states and it's fantastic so say you fall in love with one like I did and have to have it.

We are now starting to sell Stof in the LQS where I work...Caroline's Cottage Cottons in Rome City, IN.

It's better in Aussieland ( we spend a few months there in Adelaide and Williamstown back in '02 and I loved it there...learned to do silk ribbon embroidery.
Hey Drue, Willianstown is not far from where I live. If you ever come back to visit let me know, would love to meet up.
I think here in Aussieland we are very well off for quilting supplies and fabric though it is fairly expensive $18 - $25 a metre.I spent this afternoon at the Australian Machine Quilting Festival where many Machines including long arms were on display and available for people to try. There were many other stalls showing every ruler and quilting gadget available I think. Also Ricky Tims, Renae Haddadin and several other American quilters were here to teach classes. So yes we are very spoiled for supplies for our craft.

I lived in Italy for three years and that is where I learned to quilt. The lady who taught me was Croatian who moved there from Cyprus. She had a decent stash but I wanted to buy my own. Being Canadian and used to LQS I was looking for one in Italy. I found one, an hour away and it was more of an expensive boutique for us quilting foreigners. Everything was very expensive. So my friend and I hit small shops that sell fabrics to locals and when we found cotton or a blen we bought it. We also went to big outdoor markets where you can haggle for the price. We made due with fabric just fine but all other things were problematic - rotary cutters, mats, and freezer paper. Freezer paper for appliqué was worth it's weight in gold.