I am sending this link, I found on FOX this am... they seem to be suffering a little and planning to bring some things back. Should we contact them and ask about fabric... ??? Worth a try you think???

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/02/06...bound/#content

Absolutely! They don't realize how much money they would bring in if they did this. I hear that already some stores (although none in my area) are still selling fabric and crafts. They used to be a great source of fabric, but no more. They should seriously consider returning the department to all stores, IMHO.

Explosive blessings, abundance and inspiration to you all!
- The Creative Seamstress

Well i was just in walmart yesterday, went by our new prepackaged fabric dept. and found a lady really dishing it out to the sales lady about how walmart does not care anything about its customers because they took away the fabric dept. in our store. The sales lady said that our walmart manager wanted to keep the fabric but there was nothing they he could do.

I think we have a lot of dissatisfied customers out there. I have also heard that our walmart has lost money since they took the fabric dept. away.

Who knows maybe they will wake up and smell the coffee :) We can only hope.

Speaking of Wal Mart - I was there last week and they were in the process of marking the fabric - up - $1.00 and more a yard. I no longer go to Wal Mart every week. I find better prices at my local market. I did, however, go in at least twice a month to check on the fabrics, but I will no longer do that. I can use my coupons to local fabric shops and get better prices. So long, Wal Mart - it was a nice run while it lasted!

Well, Walmart execs should have considered what they were doing before they made all the big changes. I do still shop there but I try to shop at smaller, hometown stores. There just aren't many left. Buying more and more imported, cheaply made items is insulting to those who are not working here and to those of us who appreciate quality.

I could go on but you've heard it all before......

Well it is about time they saw their down fall. When the renovations started I knew it was a big mistake. My shopping trips to the Dollar tree went from once a month to weekly visits. I just couldn't afford to buy the basic's at WM anymore. As far as the fabric's go we still have ours and some of the new stuff coming in is the same as the LQS fabric but still not priced as high. So I can't complain about the prices.

I hate going into my local Wal-Mart. And I think their decision to take away the choice of what you could buy was one of the stupidest things they could have done. My mom has worked there for 23 years and absolutely hates it. She wants to try and stick it out until 25 but she doesn't know if she can do it.

Our local Walmart is closing their fabric dept as we speak. I will miss it because I always stopped to pick up some trim, interfacing, muslin backing, etc..They will still carry thread, notions, etc.

My local store still has fabric and recently increased the amount but still say they are slated to close the dept in 2012. I bet that will change.
I don't go there near as often as I used to as they keep getting rid of the things I used to buy in the food section!

Don't you know the big name manufacture of good quality quilting fabric would jump for the chance to provide fabric to all Walmarts? I send Walmart emails all the time to please sell quality quilt fabric from good manufacturers! It's a no brainer it will be a big money maker for each.

Our WM never gave up the fabric department, just reduced it. Now it is expanding. Some of the fabrics look good and are in pretty colors, but I will buy a small amount and wash it before buy a large piece. Most of it is not quality fabric, but I don't need the best for everything I do, but I do need it to wash well.

My choices are WM and 2 LQSs that don't have sales. The closest one has a sale the week after Christmas only.

I have not been in Wal-Mart for at least 6 months. If I watch the sales, my grocery store has better prices. Wal-Mart just doesn't have a clue.

I was at our new Walmart on Th. I did get black tone on tone from a bolt for $4.94/yd. A different craft/fabric store wanted $10.99 for a yd of black tone on tone... I did see many a bolt being sold as the whole bolt for LOW prices.. I did not check those out. Also in the clearance aisles were tubs of charm packs for about $7.00 but I don't know what they looked like inside the pack. I did not buy any of those either.. Just my yd of tone on tone(plus groceries).

:thumbup:

I was in one a few weeks ago that had a fabric department. I bought a few FQs, but the fabrics on the bolt are the same ol fabrics that they have carried for years (for the most part), yet the prices have gone up to over $6.00 a yard. When they had fabric for less than $4.00 a yard, I would let the kids pick out fabric for pillow cases, or make doll clothes or craft projects with Wal-Mart fabric, but not at what the prices are now.

I would rather go to JoAnns when their fabric is on sale, or order from Connecting Threads or Thousandsofbolts or wait for a sale at my LQS and spend a few more dollars to get quality fabric.

Local Walmart still has fabric but when I was checking it out for Valentine's material the sales clerk said they had not received any Valentine's material but did get lots of St. Patricks Day fabric! Go figure.

ITA! My local walmart is taking out the fabric at the end of the month. I still have one that is 45 minutes away that has it. But there prices just went up again a week ago. Apparently due to the cotton shortage. I told the lady that it was crazy I could wait for JoAnns to have a sale and get much better quality fabric.

I try to avoid Walmart. I hate shopping in huge stores, I hate waiting in a 20 deep line at the checkout. And I hate having to park in the boonies to just pick up one thing.
So, I go to my local merchants. The kind of places where you are greeted sincerely, your business is valued, and you can park right out front.
I guess I'm going back to the old way of doing things. Maybe shops being closed on Wednesday afternoons and Sundays will come back too!

me too

I buy two things at Walmart...dogfood...and coffee when it is on sale. Otherwise I don't shop there anymore

I think WM put a lot of LQSs out of business with their lower prices (and other types of stores too) but my quilting mentor who i've known for 25 years said there are not as many quilters as there used to be--that's why a lot of stores are having trouble now.

The decrease in popularity of quilting as well as rising prices are hurting the LQSs.

I know no one here wants to hear the hobby (lifestyle) is waning, but the heyday was in the 80s and 90s i guess.

If fabric was a profitable line, WM would still carry it.

My local WM still has fabric but it is such poor quality I won't buy it. The only other fabric store nearby is Joann's and their quality also leaves a lot to be desired. I now mainly shop online sales and get much better quality.

I was thinking that you must have been in my store, then I see you are very close! Our store (in Parker) has gone up to $6 a yard, too. For the same fabrics they had a couple of months ago for $3.XX. I, too, can do better at Joann's, Hobby Lobby, or the online shops. Better quality for the same price or less.

It was fun while it lasted....

Interesting article - thanks for the link. Our local one still has fabric, some nice notions and things like batting and interfacing.

Well...I think Walmart is expensive now. My mom used to call it a discount store, but I don't feel I save anything there.

Sorry your Walmarts are going down and dont have quality fabrics..ours was salted to close later this year but with a campaign of emails calls and letters ours is staying and has expaned...and lots of nice new fabrics...so hopefully the Walmart execs see the light of day and realize how many quilters there are in this country

Our Walmart still has fabric and even got some really cute Valentine fabric in. The prices haven't changed yet, still $4.44 a yard.

Our local Walmart closed their fabric dept. years ago.I hated that too. I have to drive 15 miles to JoAn's to pick something up I need.I drive a 15 yr. old truck & take off anyway when I really need something.Can't wait till friday when my son is off. I needed a spool of navy thread, had to wait till friday.I try to remember to stock up on stabilzer I need for my emb. machine.I go to JoAn's fabric sale when I need new fabric.I have a large stash now as my quilt teacher went blind.She gave me her fabrics.And the best part, her Singer 401A sewing machine which she bought new in 1954.I LOVE THAT MACHINE!Her daughter doesn't sew.I only shop Wally world when I need a printer cartridge or make prints.I shop @ BiLo's for my grociers & get the gas points.Blessings to all!

Our Walmarts is remodeling this month and the clerk told me they are keeping the fabric.

I emailed Wal Mart several months ago and received a reply, a generic one, but a reply. Perhaps if we all sent emails reminding them that when we BOUGHT their fabric we also shopped for other items and now that our store does not have fabric, we shop elsewhere, they might begin to see the light. I will do to Wal Mar.com and go to the contact us site and send an email today. How about you. If we all do that, they might open their eyes. They said it themselves, when people go in for one thing they usually end up buying other items as well. They cannot sell you anything if you don't go into the store.

I mostly shop online as well. Have not had any problems until my last order. Bought a Hoffman Batik FQ 20 pack. All were cut wonky and one FQ even had stitches where someone had sewn on the fat quarter. I am really shocked. I've spent a lot of money at this online quilt shop and am really surprised by the sloppiness of this order. I feel sorry for the shop owner if she does not know. She/he will lose a lot of business if this continues.

The trouble all started when poor old Sam Walton died.

Like others on here I found that 1. things I liked were no longer carried by WM 2. the prices have gone up.
I have switched back to the groceries. Oh if we had known way back when. We would have stayed going to the local stores.

I was in our Walmart last week and bought some fabric. I asked about the fabric department; they decided a month ago with all the people complaining about trying to get rid of the fabric department, they are going to keep it! Let's hope it is true! The store is slated to be redesigned - to me it doesn't need it as it was done several years ago - but they are going to keep the fabric department - we'll see how true it is!

I seldom go to walmart anymore. We still have fabric in ours,but the clerks are always testy, probably because we are fussing at them insted of the people up top. I wrote a letter to headquarters telling them how I feel about this move. The mileage to a quilt store is the same as it is to Walmart. The shop is in a very small town, and the prices are very good.

I don't believe they will carry any more notions than my Walmart does now that they have done away with fabrics. They have about 5 packages of needles, few rulers and mats, a few spools of thread and that is it!!! No elastic, no bias tape, no ribbon, no no no....I have been writing to Walmart for over 5 years about the loss of our fabric department and I haven't even gotten a form letter.

Wal-mart doesn't seem to understand that the fabric/craft section in their stores was usually near the center to back and therefore I, and many others, would stop to look- and buy!!!- other items on our way in to get fabric. "Gee, I have to pay for this fabric, so I might as well get the light bulb and milk I need rather than making two more stops on the way home...." Not to mention how much DH spent while he was waiting for me to look at fabrics!

I think we all need to speak up and let Wal-mart know they are not giving us what we want as consumers and that we'll continue to abandon them until they get the message!

So they decide to cut out the very reasons we all shopped Walmart. Really bright people wouldn't you say.

I just sent an email to wal mart suggesting they return fabric dept. Using the article sent earlier today. I mentioned that THEY recognize that when people go in the store for one thing, they usually end up buying other items. If we all send an email..... they MIGHT get the message. I told them that I no longer shop at wal mart.