Annaquilts

US has US customary system while pretty much the rest of the world uses metric.

jayelee

That is exactly whast I was getting at My friend bought a meter of fabric in Canada for 16 dollars because she hadnt seen it here I found it in Watertown NY for 4.99 a yard

wanderingcreek

I remember when Canada switched to the metric system. My kids learned metric in school but I learned the other system. It was really hard for me at first as I had to convert everything into yards and pounds instead of metres and kilograms. And gas used to be sold by the gallon here too. Unless you had a new car, you had this sticker you put on your speedometer to convert the speed. Those were the days! LOL

e4

I think the customs duty on fabric to the US is about 15% so that part is almost as high as Canada since most of our fabric comes from overseas as well.

quiltmaker

This is true. After living in other countries and also vacationing in other countries... I probably never would be a quilter with the prices they have to pay for fabrics. Why it's so high is beyond me but I surely agree with Irish NY and find that the basically 3 inches difference is no matter at all to me....but the prices certainly are. We get a lot more for our money here in the US in regards to fabrics, notions and many other things. It's just one of those "it is what it is and nothing will change the facts" things. It's also the same way with the customs and postal fees the overseas and Canadian people have to pay...no amount of griping will change the facts that their particular country will do what it does. We all just have to live with what whatever it is.

quilter on the eastern edge

There are three countries in the world that do not use the metric system -- Liberia, Myanmar, and the United States. Canada went metric in 1970.

Even way back when fabric was sold by the yard here in Canada, it was still more expensive than in the US, mostly due to exchange rates, import duties, and taxes. That will never change. Thank heaven for on-line stores!

If I buy good quality 100% cotton quilting fabric locally, it costs me anywhere from $12.00/m (solids) - $24.00/m (for hand-dyed imported batiks). On top of that, I have to pay a 13% sales tax.

And I say again, thank heaven for on-line stores!

Newaddict

In Newcastle in Australia I just paid $27 a metre for a backing for my grand daughter's quilt. This is quite normal, although we hate it!

polly13

Our son was in an experimental class way back when the US thought they would convert. He was not exposed to any US measurements of yd, inches, oz. etc. When he went to college he went into nursing so was at a great advantage. However, he needed help to learn the traditional way when he needed to purchase supplies for a project. He felt silly as an adult being taught standard measurements.

bearisgray

I think it is practical to know both metric and US measurement systems.

It isn't all that difficult - - - -

If one balks at the idea, our (USA) money system is "metric"

Think of 1.00 as the basic unit

0.01 is the centi- prefix (1/100th)
0.10 is the deci- prefix (1/10th)
0.001 is the milli- prefix (1/1000th)

10.00 is the deca- prefix (*10)
100.00 is the hecto- prefix (*100)
1000.00 is the kilo- prefix (*1000)

There are, of course, more prefixes. But it isn't all that hard.

A meter is approximately a yard.
A liter is approximately a US quart

I'm looking at the Measurement page in my Encarta dictionary - interesting reading. It has also made me more aware of differences and that there is more than one kind of "ounce", for example.

majormom

This very subject came up between customers at JoAnns the other day. I stated that I think all products that are sold by measurement should have 'yds', 'inches' etc clearly marked on them if they are being sold in the United States. Another customer said, "Well, meters and centimeters are used because we're the only ones using our system". I replied, "Well, since the United Stated is probably the largest English speaking consumer nation in the world, the least the companies can to is accommodate us by putting our system on their packages as well. Personally, I see no reason why we should be like, think like, or do like everyone else. Those who are in trade with other countries and 'have' to deal with the metric system can learn it. But the rest of us are just as happy with our own system.