What is the scoop with Joannes fabric vs QSQ?
10-03-2013, 12:43 PM
#51
Super Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Port Charlotte, Fl
Posts: 2,569
I don't like the way Joanne's sends you 60% coupons and when you get there everything is on sale for 30% off. The fabric seems to have gone up quite a bit this past year and not as nice as before. Even some of the fabric at Wal Mart since they came back with fabric feel better and much cheaper. I haven't been able to get to a quilt shop for a while but Joanne's prices seem to be the same price the quilt shop used to be but I don't know if the LQS has increased their prices. I also find some nice fabric online and decent prices. Sue
10-03-2013, 12:45 PM
#52
Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: MD
Posts: 235
not sure where you live..but find a good quality quilt store and shop the sales ... I only quilt kids quilts with fabrics from walmart and joanns fabrics... I put alot of effort into my quilts and do not want them to fall apart....
hugs
quiltinmama
hugs
quiltinmama
10-03-2013, 12:51 PM
#54
Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Michigan
Posts: 94
JoAnn's fabric, in general, is of inferior quality, and a lot of it is priced almost as much as Quilt Store-quality fabric. A woman once told me, "If you're a serious quilter, you won't shop for fabric at JoAnn's" when I first started. Her words were true. I took a class a couple years ago, and one of the students was having a heck of a time with her block. When I walked past her, you could almost SEE through the fabric, it was so thin! At some point, the instructor just came out and told her that she might consider buying a better quality of fabric next time. (Oh, my!)
Let me tell you how bad is is: I attended something called "Fabric Bingo," and everybody had to bring fat quarters to put in the "kitty" for each game. In our room, there were nine women, so if you won a hand of Bingo, you'd win nine fat quarters. Well, I cut fat quarters from my quilt store-quality stash, and decided to play it by ear. When I arrived, EVERYBODY had those cheap JoAnn fat quarters, and I ducked out and worked in the kitchen! There was NO WAY I was going to give out quality fabric and take home a load of JoAnn fabric in return. NOT HAPPENING!
Let me tell you how bad is is: I attended something called "Fabric Bingo," and everybody had to bring fat quarters to put in the "kitty" for each game. In our room, there were nine women, so if you won a hand of Bingo, you'd win nine fat quarters. Well, I cut fat quarters from my quilt store-quality stash, and decided to play it by ear. When I arrived, EVERYBODY had those cheap JoAnn fat quarters, and I ducked out and worked in the kitchen! There was NO WAY I was going to give out quality fabric and take home a load of JoAnn fabric in return. NOT HAPPENING!
10-03-2013, 12:56 PM
#55
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Sonoma County, CA
Posts: 4,299
I have 2 Joann's within 5 miles of my house (literally, no exaggeration) and one is awful and the other (smaller, older) store is great. The ladies there know me, keep up on what I'm working on, and always cut an inch or two extra - more if the last cut was obviously wonky.
Quality wise...yes, I've learned to avoid the "calico" wall and head straight to the premium quilting fabric most of the time (though sometimes there is decent stuff over there on the calico wall; you just have to hunt for it). It can be bought on sale or with a coupon for what I consider to be quite reasonable prices. This is a pricey area; the few LQS in my area sell fabric for $12-$14 a yard and there's almost never a sale on anything I want! So by comparison, Joann's is a deal, even if you have to watch the sales vs. coupon prices.
Quality wise...yes, I've learned to avoid the "calico" wall and head straight to the premium quilting fabric most of the time (though sometimes there is decent stuff over there on the calico wall; you just have to hunt for it). It can be bought on sale or with a coupon for what I consider to be quite reasonable prices. This is a pricey area; the few LQS in my area sell fabric for $12-$14 a yard and there's almost never a sale on anything I want! So by comparison, Joann's is a deal, even if you have to watch the sales vs. coupon prices.
10-03-2013, 02:21 PM
#56
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Winchester, VA
Posts: 1,552
I personally do not buy much quilting fabric @ Joann's...I find majority of the fabric to be of a much lower quality than my LQS - and if I watch sales there, and @ Hancocks of Paducah - I can get top notch fabric for less than Joann's.....I have been told over and over - buy the BEST QUALITY fabric that you can afford.....the cheaper fabrics ( for the most part) do not wear as well nor hold up as well........
10-03-2013, 02:23 PM
#57
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Winchester, VA
Posts: 1,552
JoAnn's fabric, in general, is of inferior quality, and a lot of it is priced almost as much as Quilt Store-quality fabric. A woman once told me, "If you're a serious quilter, you won't shop for fabric at JoAnn's" when I first started. Her words were true. I took a class a couple years ago, and one of the students was having a heck of a time with her block. When I walked past her, you could almost SEE through the fabric, it was so thin! At some point, the instructor just came out and told her that she might consider buying a better quality of fabric next time. (Oh, my!)
Let me tell you how bad is is: I attended something called "Fabric Bingo," and everybody had to bring fat quarters to put in the "kitty" for each game. In our room, there were nine women, so if you won a hand of Bingo, you'd win nine fat quarters. Well, I cut fat quarters from my quilt store-quality stash, and decided to play it by ear. When I arrived, EVERYBODY had those cheap JoAnn fat quarters, and I ducked out and worked in the kitchen! There was NO WAY I was going to give out quality fabric and take home a load of JoAnn fabric in return. NOT HAPPENING!
Let me tell you how bad is is: I attended something called "Fabric Bingo," and everybody had to bring fat quarters to put in the "kitty" for each game. In our room, there were nine women, so if you won a hand of Bingo, you'd win nine fat quarters. Well, I cut fat quarters from my quilt store-quality stash, and decided to play it by ear. When I arrived, EVERYBODY had those cheap JoAnn fat quarters, and I ducked out and worked in the kitchen! There was NO WAY I was going to give out quality fabric and take home a load of JoAnn fabric in return. NOT HAPPENING!
10-03-2013, 08:03 PM
#58
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: SW Missouri
Posts: 2,988
Originally Posted by [email protected]
I didn't know that Hancocks would honor Joanne's coupons. Thanks for the info!
10-03-2013, 09:57 PM
#59
Super Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Jozefow, Poland
Posts: 4,474
Hancock's of Paducah is my go to place. They are having free shipping today and tomorrow. enter 32459812 in the promotional box at the bottom of the order page. Their Web sale prices can't be beat. Much better than in store sale prices. Their website is hancocks-paducah.com
10-03-2013, 10:27 PM
#60
Member
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Eastern Oregon
Posts: 14
Here are my favorite on line fabric stores. Fabric.com is terrific. Their yards are a generous 37", they offer deal of the day, have great sales especially on around holidays, sell designer fabric, NO shipping charges over a mere $35 order. I often look for Fabric.com coupons on line for an additional percentage off. If you are unhappy with something you purchased, they will either tell you to donate the piece or pieces to a local quilt club and refund the cost of the fabric or email you a free return shipping label. Everyone on the phone is so helpful and they ship fast. Next, I really like Hancock's of Paducah as you can shop by price, brand, theme, etc. Often they offer free shipping. Their fabric is definitely quilt shop quality, and, of course the last best place is Connecting Threads....Enjoy!
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