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I'm trying to wrap my mind around how quilters overseas afford supplies. Have you sold your kidneys?????? :shock:
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I buy sale fabrics from the UK, usually in January - and from 1 or 2 suppliers having liquidation sales - and only from those who will mail at a reasonable cost. I have only twice bought "must have" for a specific quilt for ourselves. The sale fabrics I look for are those which will marry similar prints or colours easily, or they are tonals etc. I buy natural calico (muslin in US) from UK for backing in various widths. Only very occasionally will I look for a print backing and once or twice have found a 60" print in the childrens fabric section at lower cost.
Threads and notions are necessary from UK for whatever they cost as it's metric here and I work in imperial. I think we pay double US prices for batting. Books not too bad, this Co. cheaper than Amazon and ship worldwide free http//:www.bookdepository.co.uk Our partners are very understanding - we are lucky!! We're a dedicated lot!! |
Originally Posted by Katrine
Okay hope you're sitting down...
In France the fabric is between 18 and 24 Euros/metre - at current rates that's $25 to $34. So I buy mine over the internet from UK where average is about 10 to 12 GBP, (about $16-$19), but then we have to add the postage as well. I buy when I can in (UK) sales and can find some for about equiv of about $11. I have bought from the US, but with postage, and the french customs charges, and TVA (which is charged also on the postage rates) there is no saving. The worst thing is having to select matches on a monitor, which as you know isn't ideal. I also have to buy threads, batting and notions from the UK. Wow. That shows how much you like quilting! Kudos to you. Quilt stores in France are very few and far between. |
Originally Posted by oksewglad
Wow you non American quilters really have a disadvantage! With a Dutch SIL I can't imagine a quilter in Holland having any more fabric than what he/she needed for the quilt being made at the time. Prices here run $9 at closest LQS and $10 at the shop 20 miles away. Was in a shop a little further away Thursday and she had $8.75 per yard. A lot depends on overhead-rent, inventory, salaries, etc.
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Originally Posted by hokieappmom
We in the US must count our blessings.
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Originally Posted by Lockeb
Mamagus,
I am origianl from Newfoundland I want to go back... Our Walmarts here in Quebec have all but stopped carrying...almost nothing out - I went to Fabricville here on Sunday - FQ's are $4.99....there was a selection of fabrics at $10.00 - but not must you would want to bring home...the better cottons were all $15-18.00....the local quilt stores are all within that price and higher.... With prices like that I won't be shopping there this summer.! |
Originally Posted by rdem
Originally Posted by Darlene
This is a dumb question but how big is a metre? We never had metrics in school.
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Originally Posted by Favorite Fabrics
Now, Brazil... that's even worse, in terms of shipping. There was one reader from Brazil who posted on this thread and I'd love to hear what her experiences have been. the only option there is to send via USPS Express Mail (EMI), because you *can* insure EMI shipments. However... they cost more than twice as much as the PMI. Years ago I lost my first 4 orders. Merchandise+shipping over 50,00 are held for taxation. At this point it goes to a warehouse where they sit for 2 or 3 days. Dishonest people know that those are not trackable. Since I learnt that Flat Rate Envelopes up to 50,00 goes through untaxed no one was lost . When the order is more than 6yds. or include high priced items I split in 2 envelopes. My friends and I have been buying a lot online and following those rules have not counted a single loss. |
Our prices here in Oregon seem to be about the sames as other states. Guiterman thread is supposed to be a very good quality thread. I have also heard that thread with deteriorate after a few years. I am wondering if this is true or if they just want to sell more thread!
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When I lived in Taiwan, we went to a special fabric area near old downtown Taipei to buy fabric. The vendors gave us a choice of yards, meters, or some Chinese unit of measure-all for the same price per unit. I used to laugh to myself when other Americans insisted that they would only buy yards, effectively cheating themselves out of several extra inches of fabric per unit purchased. Inches or centimeters- it doesn't matter if you have a good ruler and know how to use it!
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