We have many LQS around us, all of which have great customer service. I don't buy fabric at JoAnns because they don't carry brands I like to use.

I've been telling people for 5 years that you can get good fabrics at Walmart....but you can also get junk. The same goes for JoAnn's and LQS. I saw a great collection at Walmart the other day, nice fabric at $5.94/yd. I had to keep walking as the budget wouldn't allow for another fabric purchase right now, but I will go back. When I need basics for the stash, I wait for my JoAnn's 50% coupon and fill up on solids and blenders. LQS gets my business when I need something special or need quilting questions answered. I simply cannot make quilts with fabric that is $10/yd and up.

Thanks for the info. It's interesting to see what the chains are doing my WalMart nearby shows no sign of getting the fabric back in. There are a couple of quilting shops nearby and Joanne's prices have gone way up the coupons puts us on a fair playing field if things aren't so expensive people would be able to buy more but the prices keep us dying to spend but you can only spend so much money on fabric I hate their high prices. Sue

I shop at Walmart, I don't but to much there, and I usually have to ring a bell for service, but I am a patient person. I also shop at JoAnns, and when I walk in I am usually referred to by name, great service, well for a little while any way, the company has decided to close my local JoAnns down in April. I also go to the LQS and I have to say, I feel like a outsider, no one approaches me unless I take fabric to be cut I would not even be spoken to. I have had this experience at one shop at least 3 times in the last year. But I guess I am not looking for friends, just fabric.

I really like to shop anywhere but Walmart for fabric. JoAnn's here has great women working now and they are very helpful. Also Hobby Lobby - always nice and during the day, usually helpful. LQS in Rockledge is beyond helpful -- they are the very best of the best!!

The LQS's are snooty around here unless your a big spender, then, they become your best friend....

I shop Joannes for notions, minky and flannel but I always have a coupon... Ive picked up fleece at Walmart and some buttons and notions if they are on sale but my Wally World has icky fabric still- stiff and thin.. Hobby Lobby has cute kid fabrics that ive been pleased with.. Not LQS high end stuff but still nice enough to use.. Cant say I've gotten anything at Michael's.. I dont think they even carry fabric...

I do local shop hops 3 or 4 times a year and that's only because I can get 25% off my purchase otherwise I dont ever step foot in our local LQS..

There is a fabric store that's not a lqs nor a box store but he gets last years bolts for a steal and passes on the savings to his customers.. I usually shop there if im looking for something specific.. He always says hello and stops what hes doing and makes conversation...

I agree. I've spent a lot of time and money at JoAnns and have always been treated with the utmost respect. The employees at my JoAnns treat all the customers as if they are the most important people in the world. Some of the lqs, on the other hand, treat the customers as if they are doing a favor to you when they wait on you.

Thanks for sharing that article. I didn't realize Fabric.com had been purchased by Amazon! I wondered why when I was searching for fabrics, Amazon would come up in the search and it was always being sold by Fabric.com. Aha!!

I love the selection that Jo-Ann's has, but I perfer Hobby Lobby because of the customer service. The guy (yes guy) that cuts my fabric always talks to me and is very friendly. He even takes me around the dept. and shows me the new fabric.

I love my Joann's-I regularly shop at two of them, and occasionally will go to the superstore about 1 1/2 hrs away (which I did last weekend!). The people are always courteous, friendly, and while not always knowledgable about quilting, I don't go there for advise-just fabric and notions-and spend the time with the sales flyers and coupons (plus my extra 10% off from QCA) to get the best prices. There are good quality brands of quilting fabric that are $9.99-$12.99/yard, but I always wait until the best sales and manage to get at least 50% off. I also scour the clearance/Red Tag table-especially when they offer an additional 50% off the clearance/red tag price. I have bought fabrics normally 9.99/yd for $3.00-and then they take the additional 10% off! So, yes, I love my Joann's. I am now into making purses to sell to help use up some of these fabrics!!