I know many of you love to use Robert Kaufman's Kona Cotton Solids.

We just received an e-mail today notifying us that their price is going up again in early May. That makes, over the past year, total price increases at the wholesale level of a bit over $1. Which translates into a $2 price increase at the retail level. (For those of you who relate best to percentages, it's about a 36% increase.)

Simple question for you: is it worth it? Or will you look for a more economical solid?

I would still buy it but I've also been looking at the Moda solids (I got a color card recently). So if I needed to buy a solid for a certain project, I'd shop around to find the best price. I mostly keep solids on hand though so I would wait for good sales and stock up.

I would still buy Kona because its good quality and consistant in color. In other words if I run short and there is a new bolt out then I'm pretty much assured that the colors will match even if they were from different bolts.

I'll stick with Kona.

I'll stick with Kona, too, as long as they don't start using thinner fibers than they are now...which is thinner than they used to use. :roll:

In my experience they have not been consistant in color from bolt to bolt at all, but I don't expect them to be so I don't mind that. I just don't mix die lots in the same piece.

Even having it shipped from the US and paying customs duty, it is STILL a lot cheaper than buying it in our LQS.

No need to leave Kona due to price increase when all the others will be/have been increasing theirs as well.

Jan in VA

I think she means leave Kona for a cheaper brand though. As Kona goes up the cheaper ones will too but they'll still be cheaper in the long run. Still, I'm a self professed fabric snob so I won't be changing (although like I said, I do like bella solids too-I've only bought them once and haven't sewn with them yet though).

Yes, I would still buy them.

I bought some Kona on Saturday. It feels a little thin to me, not as thick as before. If prices go up, I will look for something less expensive for sure.