I went to Fabric Land (I dispise this store) to buy some things to start making a bow tuck tote. So after first trying to find someone to help me for a good 10 minutes I stood at the cash when a sales lady finally approached me asking if I needed help. I asked her where the pellon was and she showed me. I would never have found it because it was hidded under their cutting tables. She finds the one I need and is just about to cut when I asked how much it was meter. She then replied it is $15 a meter. I think my jaw hit the ground. I was like forget that I can get it cheaper in the states and walked out. Is pellon usually that expensive? When you make a bow tuck tote how much do all your supplies usually cost? Sorry this is so long I just can't believe the cost some things at some stores compaired to the cost at others.

I think it is around $7 - $8 here.

I don't know what that is in US dollars, but it sure sounds expensive!
Let me know if I can send you some.

Pellon here in Mississippi is about $8 per yard/or metre. I find that to be expensive. All-in-all, a purse costs me about $20 to make, not including labor. I have to really like the purse to make it now.

I don't know much about pellon, and I've never made a bowtuck, but I've been experimenting with making tote bags and recently a messenger bag using either jean material (heat n' bonded to the fabric and then sewn over) or for the messenger bag I used an old skirt I had and it worked great. You do have to sew over it even after you use the heat n' bond (at least with lite), but it doesn't cost much and it gives your bag a quilted look. Just thought I'd throw that out there.

Aww thanks shequilts thats really sweet of you. I'm on a mission now lol I will find pellon for cheap. Actually I get Joann coupons in the mail maybe ill head over to the states cuz I'm there A LOT hehe and see what I can find shopping is so much better there too.

We must live in the same city!! I think it is very expensive - you have to add on the 13% Ontario tax too. I hardly ever find anything at Fabricland. I was looking for the aluminu ironing board fabric and it was $20 and not very nice (was really rough and had defects).

The border is very close to me so I go to Joann's with coupons and it is a nice outing for the day. Even with the border crossing fees and the the 6% MI tax it is much cheaper.

What is Pellon?

Just out of curiosity I called Fabricville here (it's the same company). They had no pellon in stock but she said it would usually be about $5.00/metre.

I dislike Fabricland/Fabricville as well. The worst one I was ever in is at the Pickering Town Centre. Ick!

I used regular cotton batting and 505 spray adhesive for mine. Worked very well. And as the batting was left overs, it didn't cost me anything.

Same here... If you want it thicker you can alway's double it.

use left over batting. or left over fannel, any thig will make linning the bottom should be stiff but you can cover cardboard and in sert so you can take outfor washing

If your Walmart still has fabric, RUN and get some Pellon. At my Walmart, the fusible fleece is only $3.97 yd and the non-fusible is $2.77.

PLUS - the bow tuck bag's instructions tell you that you'll need 2 yds of fusible fleece. That's way too much. I think I use about a yard for each bag.

I hate Fabricland too but sometimes it is the only option for me. I used to live in Victoria, and was able to get to the US quite often but now that I am outside of Edmonton it is just too far but I keep telling my DD that we should save some money and go on a road trip. At least in Alberta we don't have a provincial sales tax so all we pay is the 5% GST on our purchases but the fabric costs are still waaaaaay to costly in Canada.

Unfortunately Walmart here turned stupid and decided it was a good idea to get rid of their fabric department and have been selling things at clearence prices that aren't even clearnance prices. I know of one Walmart in the states that still sells the bolt fabric I'll have to check their next time I'm over. Good to know that I don't need so much pellon for the bow tuck bag I just got the pattern and haven't tried making one yet. New to quilting and sewing.

I do think that seems a little steep. To be honest, I really do not know what fusible fleece runs at the LQS. I generally buy 5-10 yards at a time (I like to keep it on hand) and have other fabric cuts done as well. I have never taken the time to look at my receipt. I do figure that on a Bow-Tucks purse, I probably have about $30 in fabrics/fusible fleece. It depends on if I am using fabric from the LQS or fabric that I have just accumulated from here and there over the years.

I bought fusible fleece at my LQS for $8.99 and some more in Markdale, Ontario for $9.99 a metre. I made some of my purses with this and some with batting and basting spray and there was very little difference. When I ran out of spray I used some of that tape that melts and sticks (Wonder Under?) to hold the batting in place a little better. That worked too. I also used some old stiff pellon that had been prestamped for Artex liquid embroidery (now that's old!)and it was great for bags too. Experiment a little and see whats kicking around your sewing room.

I use the fusible fleece from walmart, it is 3.97 a yard. We are down to only 2 stores with fabric tho

It seems like Fabricland has raised their prices enormously lately, and I'm guessing it's so they make more money when they have their half price sales. I emailed them about it and never got a reply. Obviously they're not too concerned. Perhaps they will be when they price themselves out of the market. It's probably cheaper to buy the pellon at a quilt shop or order online.

costumegirl wrote: The border is very close to me so I go to Joann's with coupons and it is a nice outing for the day. Even with the border crossing fees and the the 6% MI tax it is much cheaper.[/quote]

You have to pay a Border crossing fee????? Wow. Never knew that. Is that to come INTO the US?

Wow, seems expensive to me!

You might just be starting a mailorder business there. I'd order some! It's wwaaaayy to expensive here. I pay $22/metre for the very stiff fusible Pellon - and it's only 22" wide!

They charge you to cross the border?!!!!!! To get out or to come in?

I buy mine at Hancock's and it's usually 4.99 or 5.99 yd

Sounds expensive to me and that's someone who has to pay premium dollar living in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Would Heat and Bond (sewable type) work and be cheaper???

I made one tote out of upholstery fabric and did not need any pellon or fusible fleece and it has very nice body to it.

Wonderunder - a brand like Pellon - is $2.60 a yard at my little local quilt shop. Sounds like they were really price gouging there!

Just bought 3 yards at Joann's today. 50% off so only $2.00 a yard. Pellon 809 Decor Bond firm iron-on backing with extra crispness. It 45 inchs wide.

You have to pay a Border crossing fee????? Wow. Never knew that. Is that to come INTO the US?[/quote]

It's usually when you come back over to Canada. I think when I came back over 2 weeks ago it was about $3.25 but it all depends if your driving a car thats what you pay if you are driving a truck it's more or a camper as well I think it cost per axle. And if you live in the states you pay before entering Canada. There are also tolls on some of the highways on the American side and I also pay $1.10 to cross the Grand Island bridge if I go to Amherst.

[You have to pay a Border crossing fee????? Wow. Never knew that. Is that to come INTO the US?[/quote]

It's usually when you come back over to Canada. I think when I came back over 2 weeks ago it was about $3.25 but it all depends if your driving a car thats what you pay if you are driving a truck it's more or a camper as well I think it cost per axle. And if you live in the states you pay before entering Canada. There are also tolls on some of the highways on the American side and I also pay $1.10 to cross the Grand Island bridge if I go to Amherst.[/quote]


Seems like they get you coming and going.
Sales tax here in the San Francisco Bay Area is 9 1/4%. Paying almost 10% on top of the purchase for sales tax is more than crossing the bridges and countries. :(

I use the fusible fleece by Pellon and it is 3.97 a yard.

I live near the border as well and we pay $3 each way!! They say it is to help with bridge upkeep! My LQS has the fusible fleece for about $13.99 a meter!!! It is crazy how much cheaper things are in the States! But then I feel bad not supporting local business!

We sell it pretty cheap, $6.49/yd for the 987F Fusible Pellon 45 inch wide.

The border crossing fee, each way here for a car, at the Windsor/Detroit Tunnel is $4.25 and at the Ambassador Bridge it is $4.75.

I don't know if Pellon is the same as wonder under but i bought a bolt of it at Joann's the last time I had a 50% off coupon. I think I paid $30.

It's very soft, thin batting/wadding that is generally used if you don't want something to be too thick when finished. It is generally heat bonded on at least one side, sometimes with little dots and sometimes in a grid pattern.It is a good stabiliser for machine embroidery.

One of the fusible ones that I got here two weeks ago was $26 a metre....don't think I will be using it in too many projects at that price!It might be worth a trip to the 'States' to stock - up.

Hi Cindle, I find it's quite often the case, that things in the States are way cheaper than in Canada. They say buy local but I don't appreciate being ripped off. I was looking for a sewing machine table and here at Sears it was $589.00 and for exactly the same thing, same brand at Walmart in the States it was $99.00. Now you can't tell me Walmart is taking a loss on anything they sell and I would have paid $150.00 to $180.00 here for the same thing but 5 times the same price is just foolish. I think with the net now, and net sales people are becoming way more savvy about their buying dollars.

what bothers me about fabricland is you have to buy a membership to get the sale prices I bought some seam 2 seam cuz I wanted to try applique and it was $ 13.00 a metre and it was 12 inches wide. I am seriously going to try buyibg my fabric on line I have no fabric stores wher I live so I have to drive to another town anyway and there is only Fabricland there too.

I am different, I guess, but I don't feel responsible for supporting any shop. I buy all my quilting fabric on-line now and don't give a whit that the LQS charges over $10 US/yd. I don't need the lastest fabrics to make my quilting projects. I'm not paying that much for fabric. I try to shoot for $3/yd. I do have a big stash to pull from. I might change my mind in 20 yrs after I use all that up. I get my notions with Joann's coupons.