Price of fabric

[Jean Sewing Machine]

I just came home from a shopping trip for, what else, FABRIC. I was in the south part of town with time to kill, and I knew that Joanns had closed one of their older smaller stores last summer and moved to a bigger place. I went to check out the new store. We had been discussing on the forum the quality of fabrics you can find at Joanns, and this is what I found. They had a very large selection of what they refer to as premium quilters cottons! You might say they were premium, because the regular price per yard was $12.99. I don't believe I've seen cotton fabric that expensive anywhere, not even at the high end quilt shops.

So, they've responded to requests for better fabrics, but at a price to the consumer. At least, we can use their coupons and get a discount on the stuff. I didn't look at the solids or the regular less expensive fabrics. Very little was offered for sale prices, but I did get some patriotic and licensed fabrics at a nice discount.

I've heard that the U.S. domestic cotton market has been affected by the drought conditions, especially in Texas, and this will have a direct effect on fabric prices. Is that true?

[K. McEuen]

I'm sure that the drought is already raising our prices on fabric and cotton batting. Warm & White/Natural has gone up $4.00 in the past 4 years. $1.00 a year may not seem like much, but it adds up. I mostly get seasonal or basic fabrics at Joann's and always use coupons or hit the sales. I shop online for other quilting fabrics. I've purchased some from my LQS, but am not real happy with their selection.

[Divine Daisy]

Fabric prices in the UK, always higher than the US because we can't grow our own cotten, are horrible now. VAT increases hurt a lot, general price rises also effected us. I can rarely come out of the shop without spending £50 these days. Nasty

[Alana]

We get most of our fabrics from the US here in Canada too. The prices are terrible....12.99 and up. Premium is $14.95 a meter. It's really terrible. I mostly order on line and pay almost half for what I could get here. We have a Fabric land here in town and another small shop that does mostly draperies and alterations but sells some yardage. I would have to travel at least an hour and a half to two hours to find another fabric store. Then their prices would be through the roof.

Last year's drought has already affected the cotton prices from the US and even Egypt and other Middle Eastern countries. So with this continuing dry seasons, it will be even worse. Hold on quilters...it's gonna get wicked!!!

[alicaz]

Last year's drought has already affected the cotton prices from the US and even Egypt and other Middle Eastern countries. So with this continuing dry seasons, it will be even worse. Hold on quilters...it's gonna get wicked!!!

maybe we should stock up now, while we still can

[Jean Sewing Machine]

maybe we should stock up now, while we still can

Good excuse to increase the stash! I think I have enough to last me until I'm 100!

[Janet J]

Joanns has a free app available for iPhone called Jo-Ann. You can download coupons easily. I have gotten 40 to 50% off a single non sale item. I use those coupons to buy yardage of their nicer fabric. Also the manager in the store told me Joann's has 50% off sale every quarter. If this is true then another sale is due in July, will have to wait and see. Makes the better fabric more affordable.

[alicaz]

well, prices in Canada are higher than in US too - our LQS doesn't have anything cheaper than $10 and most fabrics go for around $15. Good thing I live in a border town and can hop to the US side - I always feel like I'm getting a great deal at Joanns, even without coupon.

[SuzyQue]

I have noticed some prices going up on the newest precuts here, too. I know they are just responding to what they have to pay. What isn't going up? Oh, this weekend gas......it is still dropping in price in our area!

[Winniesfriend]

Material in Australia is unfortunately a lot more expensive I bought some "Plume" fabric from USA for $10.75 a yard, I found the same fabric in a store here for $22.00 a metre so even paying for postage from America it is still cheaper to buy overseas, we do have our cheaper fabric stores - Spotlight and Lincraft but you have to watch the quality some times it is just not there, so I do what every one else does and watch for special and stock up when I can.