And estate sales that say plus-size clothing! I walked out of an estate sale with almost 20 yards of clothing for $15.00.

I've often thought how aghast our ancestors would be that we purchase brand new fabric, cut it up and sew it back together to make quilts. And now the price we are paying for that fabric!! Remember what pretty quilts those ladies made with only what they had from scraps and salvaged from clothes that were no longer usable. Nothing was thrown out. How spoiled we have become--and that's not just with fabrics. Many usable items are taking up space in our landfills. "People are praying for the very things we take for granted."

I also find it hard to pay so much for fabric but I'm using that as a challenge to use what I have in my stash and I also find some good quality cotton in dresses, etc at thrift stores. The hunt is fun. I know cotton prices have gone up but not that much. I've lived all my life on a farm and when prices go up for farmers, everyone gets on that profit wagon but when the prices go down and expenses stay high - farmers are alone on the wagon. Not right but what do you do.
I love scrappy so using what I have works for me.

I guess I'll be buying more off the internet than I have done in the past. Those prices seem to be a little less and I do love free shipping.

Oh. That is pricey! I think I would've done what you did! I wouldn't even be able to 'look' at the more expensive fabric. You KNOW that I'd find something I hadn't seen before and just HAD to have! Clearly by my stash, I'd purchase it anyway.

I'm lucky, Beverly's is a local store for me. They carry most of the same lines as a typical LQS would, but their prices are generally a tiny bit lower (by about $1 per yard, but it adds up!), they will accept Joann's coupons for up to 30% off fabric (one coupon per purchase), they give 10% discount to guild members, and they usually have 2 discount tables set up; one for half-off fabric and one for 3.97 fabrics. The 3.97 fabrics are hit or miss and mostly miss for me (looks like stuff they buy in bulk; some of it doesn't even have contents listed so could be made of anything, lots of it is apparel fabric; rarely I will find nice cotton) but that half-off table is awesome. I find all kinds of good stuff on that table. Great table to shop for charity quilts; they often have lots of cheery kid's prints & panels on there.

Plus their staff are generally speaking pretty knowledgeable & helpful. One day while I was there, a young man (early 20's I'd guess) was asking about what he'd need to buy to sew the cuff back on his hoodie. He had the hoodie there and was showing it to the lady at the cut counter and asking what he should do; the seam had come undone a few inches. She just grabbed a needle and thread off the back counter and fixed it for him on the spot, no fuss, no muss, no charge. It was very sweet. I really like stuff like that; I feel like companies that support their employees doing that sort of thing for their customers are GOOD companies that have their mind set on more than just raking in the profits. It seems to work; they have several locations and there are always customers in there.

It makes me want to work there when I am in a position to go into semi-retirement. I would love to be the nice old lady at the cutting counter, stitching cuffs on hoodies for youngsters! Plus I'll need a fabric discount, who knows how much fabric will cost in 20 years!?

Shopping for anything from fabric to food will give you a 'heart attack' these days. Living on a limited income is far from easy.

Love M&L! I always take an empty suitcase when visiting DD.

The past year I haven't bought much fabric, I have been really firm with myself and opted to finish some UFOs and to shop my stash. I have discovered that I have some really nice fabric LOL

LOL! Same here. :)