By us, qulit stores are few and far between if you can find them and since Walmart does not have fabric any more, Joanne's has the mononoply in our area

Here is a link to great prices on Stonehenge.
http://www.thousandsofbolts.com/inde...ame=Stonehenge Caribbean&mfg_account_id=10

I'll try to put humor in re 'cotton" from one who lives both sides of the border Can/USA
Never saw cotton grown until 1972 -first trip south.

Last week on holidays in north Fl and Al --saw the cotton fields -some were picked. Edges of roads had white fluff
like snow. Had my brother stop the car on roadside and I went picking cotton --little balls that is. Grabbed a few handfuls in the bigger piles so they weren't dirty. Going to clean it then stuff a pin cushion for myself as a souvenir for this trip.
Apparently this flew off the big trucks but saw huge bails
the size of a transport truck ready to ship.

Don't know how I should clean this raw cotton so still in a
plastic bag!!! Help

Go to your local LQS and visit their sale rooms. Mine has a 40% off room and it is well stocked with all kinds of beautiful fabric. Let's see, $7.99 minus 40%, yup...got my vote to get the good stuff at the LQS. Good thing my car has a remote start on it, I can leave before the crowd and get there quick.

I wish you all were here. This is the weekend for Fabric Depot's 35% off all fabric. They run this sale every month or 6 weeks. And they may just have the largest selection of quilting cottons in the country. Anyone planning a trip to the Portland OR area should consider planning it around their calendar. But of course this will only work if you are driving and not flying. They also have lots on sale at their website. fabricdepot.com

I found that I shop the sales at the LQS. I still like their material the best. Or I shop on here for fabric.
I love the classifieds.

I did too. I think the article I read mentioned that the price of cotton, as most commodities, was up 150% from two years ago.

You are right - I definitely had sticker shock when I visited Australia...on everything! However, the friend I was visiting told me that even the kids working at McDonald's were earning over $20.00 an hour, and that he could not hire someone with even minimal skills for less than $25.00 an hour. Compared to the $7.25 per hour required by the federal government (this is the lowest pay) and Washington State's minimum wage of $8.55 (highest in the country), Australian's get paid very well by US standards.

It's absolutely horrible! I am not sure if it is the same elsewhere in England but where I am, nice Batiks are £10-18 a meter and plain fabrics are about £5-8 a meter and other fabrics can start from £8-£15 a meter while silks cost anything form £18 and up! I try to find bargains at sales usually. I agree with you, it is far too expensive. I think that the mark up is about 2-3 times the cost price. Also, there was mention that cotton price was going up.

I think they sneak in the price hike by first putting it on sale. When my kids were growing up they would say, "Mommy, but it is 50% off." I would always say it depends on what the original price is before you know if you are getting a good deal.

It's so easy not to do the math and to just go by 40% off this or that. Now, I have been doing the math prior and figuring out what the price will be at the check out stand. Just like with other things we are going to have to be pickier when purchasing fabric. :-D