Krystyna

I never shop at a quilt shop. My fabrics come from Joann, Walmart, estate sales and occasionally online.

KyKat

I don't buy at my LQS. The fabric is dusty and old. She has about 6 layers of price stickers on the bolts raising the prices. The woman who runs it is a grump. ( I asked her once if she had hand-quilting stencils and she just harrumphed and said "nobody does that any more". Well, I do!, that's why I want stencils!) She doesn't carry anything but white or off-white thread. Why waste my time even going in! Hobby Lobby or Wal-mart are the only places in my small town where I can get fabric. Working 8-6 every day, I don't really have time to travel long distances searching for fabric. And I NEVER buy anything on line.

Snorky Lvs2Quilt

I don't tend to buy much fabric on line. I like to see and match colors and textures etc. I buy most of my fabrics locally mostly from two different quilt shops......and if I am desperate, JoAnn's. lol. I do, however, buy a lot of patterns on line if my LQS's don't have what I am looking for.

Mary Bird

You know, if you quit buying 80% of your fabrics from your local quilt shop, they're going to go out of business. You have to make the decision if you'll miss them or not. I, for one, shop at a LQS 40 miles from my home. Yes, there are two or three closer to me, but they aren't friendly so don't deserve my business. I go where they remember my name, greet me like a friend, and always - ALWAYS - have something nice to say! I quilt because I love it. I shop because I want to - shopping for quilt fabrics is a happy experience, and I'll continue to patronize the shops that make me feel happy. Threads of Time in Danville IL gets all my business, as well as my students' business and my friends' business. Their Retreat Center is a place we stay for 5 or 6 days every month for some 'me' time with our quilting peeps! Try it, ladies. You'll love the atmosphere. Merry Christmas to All!

paulina

If they had the fabrics I wanted, I would happily buy from my LQS 100% of the time. But unfortunately they just don't.

traumaRN

There is no beating the prices of online stores. I try to support my lqs by taking a class or 2 but like many of you, I find that if I am not spending hundreds of dollars in there on a weekly basis, I am not a member of the "club" and thus am pretty much ignored when I go in.

KimS

The closest fabric store of any type is 80 miles northeast of me. We did have a small quilt shop but he didn't stay in business long at all. I do all of my shopping/buying online any more because I can shop around and find the best deals. The internet is a fabulous invention but it's going to be the downfall of many small, individual owned business of all types.

BettyGee

Jo-Ann's Fabrics is the only place other than online that I purchase fabric. The small quilt shops are lovely and I enjoy roaming among the fabric, but the prices are ridiculous compared with what I can get online. I'd love to have a shop where I know the name of the people that work there, be able to go in two or three times a month and find new things. There is one clerk at Jo-Ann's that has given me some terrific tips and always goes out of her way to help. We have a craft store which is about a 45 minute drive from my house that has everything you could ever need for a project. I know the folks by their first names, can have a chat while I shop and they make me feel special whenever I come in. I'd like that in a local quilt shop, but so far it hasn't happened. With equilter.com right up the road in Boulder it is hard to not shop online, they have everything and are super customer care conscious.

jmoore

I used to shop at big fabric stores but find the quality is not nearly as good as my LQS. I have not shopped online for fabric as I am afraid of what I might get. Sometimes good deals are too good to be true. At my LQS I can touch, see and match the fabric I need and I appreciate the input and hands-on assistance I get at my local shop.

As a small business owner, I feel that customer service is important and I believe that though you might pay a tad more at a small shop, I would be sad if they were not there when I needed them.

sulyle

I always check LQS first and usually only order online if it's something I can't get there. I want to support the LQS as much as possible so it will continue to stay open. We already had one local shop close so now my LQS is actually a half hour away.