I make a quilt for mt DD for a wedding present. It was made with Joann fabric and I had it quilted by a friend and I love this quilt, it was a 2 color log cabin and she quilted roses in it. They loved it and was on their bed every day. I told them when it needed washing I would do it. I wash it and layed it outside to dry when I could and in the basement in the winter over a few lines I have down there.
Well..........the top got bally and was terrible!! This turnd me off of Joanns fabric. I figure I would use the best I can for speical quilts. All the money and time to make a beautiful quilt like that and it got bally!

I go because my LQS is within 7 miles of my house. The closest JoAnn's is 90 miles away and the closest WalMart with fabric is 40 miles away. Also, neither of these stores sells the selection of fabrics, books, rulers, specialty thread, etc that the LQS has. I love all the finished projects that are hanging from the ceiling and on the walls and the people that work there know what is going on in the guilds and the local area. Just a friendly place to stop in and visit even if you don't purchase anything. Ann in TN

I support my LQS for all the reasons listed. If we don't buy from these independent stores they will be gone. Our towns all look alike now. All the "local stores" are almost gone, the big stores come in cut prices and the small locals can't compete. Will the big stores raise prices once there is no competion?
If I can't touch and see the colors in person then I can't be sure they work together. If I'm going to be making a quilt I want to last as long as at least the next generation I buy at my LQS- it is better quality. My Mom made her quilts from Joann and they are worn out. My Grandmother's have been washed and used for years they are still going stong. Maybe the old stores had better quality. I do shop at Joann's but for my quick little charity quilts or to try a new design. Where would those helpful people work if no one bought - we only went for the free advice?

Because it's AWESOME!!! Joanne's fabric is often low quality and feels flimsy,

When there were LQS near by I would support them, gain knowledge from their expertise and just enjoy chatting with good friends. I don't feel comfortable at Jo Ann's or Wal Mart...sorry... but they lack a friendly personality and most don't have a clue as to anything other than where things are, cutting (if necessary) and running the cash register.

I am a firm believer in the saying that "you get what you pay for" and find that holds true with fabric. There is another saying: "Less is more." So if I buy less yardage of a good quality fabric I feel assured that it will hold up longer.

Just me....

We have several quilt shops in our area, and I like to go to them, as they all seem to have a different variety of prints and fabrics as well as BOMs and mystery quilts. JoAnns doesn't seem to have new stock coming in and sometimes I go in and is the same stock I saw the last few times.

The closest LQS we have is about 30 minutes from here and worth going to. They have been in business for 38 years. They have excellent quality fabrics from $5.95 up to $10.95 from what I have seen. They have continously a .98 cent table, 1.98 table and a 2.98 table which houses fabrics they move from the shelves to make room for new fabric.

We have no LQS in our town and only place to buy fabric is Walmart and quality is not that great. Walmarts fabrics are from $4.95 to $8.95 a yard and that $4.95 a yard is so flimsy you can see right though it. I'd just as soon go to the LQS 30 minutes away and pay a dollar more a yard and get a much higher fiber count than that flimsy stuff. Yes Walmart has a handful of $1.50 to $2.50 a yd but it's the flimsy stuff they have at $4.95 yd they could not sell. There fat quarters are also flimsy at our local Walmart however I can go in the same town the LQS is and that Walmart has a much higher quality fat quarters for $1.47 a FQ which I do buy if I find colors I like but there bolt fabrics, what there is left after they renovated, is the same as my local Walmart and not worth buying.

At our LQS if I see new bolts that come in that I just must have I am willing to shell out $5.95 to 7.95 a yard for it and they are nice enough to email me when they load up the 1.98 or 2.98 table which is usually when they get new fabrics in.

For me it is worth the trip and really not a big deal to go 30-35 minutes to find fabric quality I want.

Now going north to Savannah they have hancock's, joann's which for me is about an hour away and I seldom go there not because of it being further but because there fabrics are not much better quality than Walmarts and costs more than what the LQS is 30 minutes away south of me.

As the saying goes you get what you pay for is very true regarding fabrics.

Quality and customer service. In my old shop, ALL of my employees were quilters and were able to help my customers with questions, etc. Wash a 4" square of JoAnn's/Wal-Mart fabric and one from a quilt shop. Measure them when you take them out of the dryer. Also, the JoAnn's/Wal-Mart is more apt to bleed and fade on you. If I am making a quilt for a family member or myself....it is always LQS quality fabric. If I am just crafting, I can justify the other fabrics.

I used to be a Joann shopper. When I started quilting it was at a local quilt store. You don't realize the difference in the fabric until you start using it. I can't shop at anything but now. But - it is expensive and if I was at another time in my life, I am sure I would have had to shop at stores like Joann.

Selection for me ... I don't care much for what my local Joann's has. Notions for another ... the local quilt stores have notions that Joann's doesn't carry. My LQS also LOVES to talk quilting and fabric ... two of my favorite topics :lol: They also have a different selection of books and will order a book or notion you are looking for and if you want a certain bolt of fabric they will get it for you. With Joann's it's what you see is what you get.

Susan