most economical way/place to get your fabric?
 

I didn't realize that I had picked such an expensive hobby! I was wondering if you all could tell me the most economical way to purchase fabrics, and/or the best places to get them? Your help is so appreciated! Thank you!!!

Joann's with coupons, Hobby Lobby - most fabric is 30% off every week, Hancock's with coupons, LQS when on sale, on-line shops.
http://www.fabric.com/
http://www.thousandsofbolts.com/
http://fabricdepot.com/
http://www.keepsakequilting.com/default.aspx
http://www.connectingthreads.com/Quilting.cfm

just to mention a few!!

I check Craigslist...and yard sales

connecting threads, missouri quilt daily deals, thousands of bolts

...and estate sales. at http://www.5bucksayard.com/ or ebay.com some are lucky to find fabric at their local thrift stores. good luck on your fabric quest.:)

Get on the mailing lists of the online stores mentioned above, then watch for great sales.

I always look for specials on fabric which is quality, but maybe just not as popular. Sometimes these are 50 or 60% off and work great for backings. Lots of quilt stores have tables of marked down fabric.

Thank you all so much for your suggestions! :)

Check with your local Salvation army too . Ours has a fabric sale in the park the first Saturday in April. They give you shopping bags at the door and you can buy any and all kinds of fabric, scraps, even notions and yarn for a fraction of what you would pay elsewhere.

I do like Thousands of Bolts. They carry most of the top manufactures. Granted a good deal of their fabrics are not the latest , but the prices are some of the best I have seen for good manufactures.

You might check out ebay, I am embarresed by all the fabric I have gotten from ebay. Especially fat quarters and quilt backings.

Sign up for Connecting Threads weekly email specials..... they have great deals. Also Fabric.Com sometimes has 50% off online sales. I go to garage sales all season and buy the majority of my fabric.

In addition to the others, I like:

http://www.quiltfabriccloseouts.com/...tore/store.cgi

http://www.stitch-n-frame.net/cgi-bin/Store/store.cgi

http://www.desperatequilters.com/cgi...tore/store.cgi

http://www.overrainbow.com/cgi-bin/Store/store.cgi

I have shopped at all of these, plus the others listed above and have always been pleased. Sometimes you can get good deals on bundles and jelly rolls on ebay, but I've found that I get better deals in some of these places. You can sign up for email newsletters and get notified of new items or special sales too.

This is how I purchase most of the fabric I buy
Hancock of Paducah always has sale fabric at $3.98/yard, and alot more at about $5. The sales are never in their catalogue; the minimum purchase is 2 half yards (they list all the fabric prices by half yard units).

I use coupons whenever I can at JoAnn's or the $5.00 yd at my LQS, shop the bigger online sales & shop on e-bay for the stashbuilder boxes that so far (knock on wood) I've been very pleased with. Of course most of my projects are scrappy, but the combinations of colors/patterns have been well received by the recipients & envied by other family members, so it's worked out for me. Also friends have given me a lot of fabric when they found out I am quilting. I've even gone to GoodWill you can take apart old clothing to make quilts & line them with blankets cheaply from there. (Just wash it all real good first). Good luck!

Connecting Threads clearance has great prices and good service. Their regular priced fabrics are good too. All the others mentioned are some I also use.

Quilt guilds are a good source. They have fabric exchanges and in-house sales amongst themselves. Members always seem to be willing to help out when someone needs something in particular. And that group seems to be first to be contacted when a serious quilter has passed away or is dramatically downsizing.

The more local contacts you have, the better. Charity quilting with a group is a good way to meet people and make connections.

Dayle

I use 2nd hand stores, we also have a free clothing store here in my town. The ladies that work there go through and see what can be handed out for people to use. But then if they get material or clothes that have holes or small stains, they call me then and see if I want it. I then go there go through it and get what I want and they handle the rest. This little place hands out free clothes, dishes, odds and ends, etc. I guess I have made friends in the right areas. (lol)

I buy almost everything online.

I have found very few
"quilting type" fabrics at recent yard sales - nor at the thrift/second hand stores.

Maybe I don't get there at the right time?

I second comments about buying online. I especially like fabric depot and desperate quilters. Great quality and sale prices in the $4 to $5 per yard range. I've gotten great stuff from both of them. Mail costs aren't too bad, either.

Joann's ALWAYS with coupons - and be sure to look at their red tag area. You never know what you'll find there and when they have it marked down 50% - WOW! I've actually gotten batiks for $2.50/yd.

Walmart. The last time I went there I was just looking for black fabric for a project. My darling husband was wandering around looking at prices on bolts and came up with quite a few that were only $1/yd. They were nice tiny floral prints and not at all thin. I took it all.

Estate sales and yard sales. I can't tell you how much fabric I've gotten at estate sales. At one I filled my car until I could barely fit in for $120 - and that included long bolts too. That was at a fabric designer's home. At a quilter's home (who was a fabric hoarder galore) the prices were a little higher, but I still got a ton of fabric and notions. Don't forget these sales as a source for thread. I now have 5 16qt bins plus two working boxes full of thread in every color under the sun. I've had to toss very few spools over the years because they were brittle. The going price around here for thread is between $1-$5 for a grocery bag full.

I buy fabric from http://www.connectingthreads.com/Quilting.cfm. If you go to their sale fabric you can get I can buy nice fabric from $3.50-$4.50 a yard. If you buy $50 worth the shipping is free. I recently bought three- 5 yard lengths of feed sack type prints for quilt backs and a few other pieces for my $50.

That is how I buy my fabric also; sales and coupons. I use craigslist and we also have a local yard sale website. Our is call Biloxiyardsale dot com. You may want to check and see if your local area have one.

I just ordered wide backing fabric from Marshall's although their shipping is higher it was still cheaper. The print looked exactly like one on another site for $4 more just different color same maker too. If I need something I look around . I am no longer just buying for my stash so I am always looking for something special.

our hobby lobby has 40% off every week. They also have a coupon in the paper, but I have been in there without a coupon and you get the discocunt anyways. This is in Minot, ND

Look at Beverly's on line, they often have sales and they have brand name, good quality fabric

connecting threads for sure

If you have thrift stores nearby you could look there, don't forget our grandparents used clothing, they make great scrappy quilts and its good when your starting out. mens flannel shirts, cotton dresses/skirts are good. I use my rotary cutter to cut seams off. a lot quicker. I love a scrappy quilt to snuggle under.

I have bought a great deal of fabric over the years and the best place is at Hobby Lobby at their sales. I also like to buy at Joann's when they have a good sale or use coupons. Some of Joann's fabrics are not as good as others, but I have generally been happy with their line. The LQS in my area start at $9.00 a yard and yes, it is good quality fabric. But honestly, I don't need to pay that much all the time. I have never used Hancocks much but my friend likes their fabric and says it's quite good. Also check out eBay, I have bought a lot of fabric there too. Especially specially FQ's.

HI, One way is to check the Second hand shops, goodwill, Ete... Or as I call them "Goodie stores" LOL And some even use old clothing and cut fabric from them! just buy 100% cotton

estate sales do better than yard sales most of the time but I also like thrift stores. I got 6yds of bright blue covered with bright frogs for $3.99. Awesome deal and I've already made 1 toddler quilt with it as the backing. Happy hunting!

Keep track of your local quilt shop's clearance corner, quality fabric at a discount.

Thrift stores, estate sales and:
www.marshalldrygoods.com

www.cutefabric.com Good prices
www.quiltfabriccloseout.com Especially after the 1st of every month

I almost always buy my fabric on sale. Usually locally like JoAnns but I will buy on line if the price is good.

I do quilt shows country stores for bargains as well

Ditto Connectingthreads.com, and Ebay...I have never had a bad experience from either place...except for making sure I get over $50.00 to get my free shipping from CT...lol...Also, here, of course, have found some great fabrics here...One more thing, on Ebay there is a lady who has a store, she also sells wide backing fabrics that are very high quality, and the price is amazing! Great selection, too...I have ordered several times from her...
Regards,
Kif

There is a yahoo group called - Sew Its for Sale. Lots of sewers/quilters selling fabric there (as well as notions, books, sewing machines - you name it!!). Many post "in search of" posts as well.