Finding inexpensive fabric . . .

[hayleysmama]

I thought I would appeal to all the sewers out there and ask where do you find the best deals for fabrics? I want to start stocking up on fabrics, since I beginning to get more and more ideas and I'd rather pick out of my stock of fabric than have to drive 20-30 minutes to go get some from Joann's at a spur of the moment. I know that Joann's apparently has good deals, but does anyone know of any on-line stores that have good deals? I've also been looking on ebay . . .

Thanks for any ideas/suggestions!

[hayleysmama]

ooops, I just noticed that there was a post similar to this already on here. But I'm still open to ideas/suggestions, thanks!

[Clarinet]

Don't forget to add shipping to your cost per yard. Personally, now that it's warm and the yardsales are out, that's where I go. I found a great deal the other day and got a bunch of fabric that ended up being about $0.10 a yard.

[SugrMagMama]

your local wal-mart has clearance fabric for $1 a yard. Jo-Ann's also has clearance fabs dirt cheap when they do their clearance sweep sale..I got awesome flannel for .25 yd. You can also try your local thrift or goodwill stores..great deals there too

hth...

[Patchy Dragon]

besides what other sewing mamas have said, www.fabric.com has some good deals too.

[Harry's Mom]

Saving $ is great, but be careful - sometimes you get what you pay for. Thrift stores can be great for vintage fabric, but some of the cottons in chain stores isn't the best quality. Sometimes I buy in Joanne's or Ben Franklin's, but I really prefer to shop independent quilt stores when they're having sales if I'm just looking to build up my stash. The quality of the fabric is sooo much better when you spring for the good stuff, and sometimes you want the quilt to last or be a special gift. Quilters will often swap too, you could see if there's a guild in your area. I don't mean to be a fabric snob, especially since I can't afford $12/yard fabric right now, but the good stuff is easier to work with and serious quilters don't settle for anything less. (I'm totally adicted to quilting and just wish I had more time for it.)

Betzi

[elanorh]

Yes, garage sales! Lots of people just sell their fabric (or their relatives' fabric) because they don't know what to do with it anymore. Estate sales are nice too sometimes for the same reason ....

I found good deals on *some* fabric at Denver Fabrics (online) -- a cute dragon print on cotton, which I'd seen elsewhere for 8.98 but which they had for 5.98. If you consider that a good deal.

I buy at Walmart sometimes (that and two high-priced quilt stores are my only options within a 2 hour drive) -- but honestly the quality of the fabric can be really questionable, I'm very choosy and often don't find what I'm looking for. Watch for printing errors, fabric hopelessly stretched off the grain, loose weaves, etc. etc. when shopping there. Sometimes you'll find the same at other places too ....

Another option is to get on mailing lists for places like JoAnn's and the local quilt shops -- when they have a Big Sale, then you go in and shop those days and don't go shopping there otherwise. You might want to "scout" a day ahead though to make your shopping trip quicker. Personally, when possible I do prefer to shop in-person and in locally owned stores. They're more likely to have high quality fabrics, staff who actually sew/quilt, and I'm supporting a local business instead of a franchise. But it is more expensive to go that route.

[ma23qtz@home]

If you don't mind spending a tad more for the quilters prints, there is a website www.fabricdepot.com that has some good sales. Plus one weekend a month, they have 40% off all their fabric. I think that is actually this weekend. Ebay can be a good place to find fabirc also. Fashion Fabrics Club has some great deals but I have found them lacking in customer service. So if you dont' mind the wait, their great Of course Sewzannesfabrics.com has some great sales on knit prints.

[kkar]

I second fabric.com - but sign up for their newsletter and wait for their deals. Also, their clearance section can have some great fabric for amazing prices.

[three beads]

I do a lot of sewing and yard sales and second hand stores are definitely the best. I have gotten a lot of very good deals on fabric from people who have quit or are unable to sew and are selling all of their stockpile of fabric. I also use old clothing for fabric and buy remnants (my kids are still small enough to sew for from remnants and I make a lot of patchwork stuff)
You really do have to be careful about cheap fabric, I make an effort to never shop at walmart, but the fabric I have gotten from there, given to me by some friends was not the best quality- odd shrinkage, etc.

[kyndmamaof4]

just a thought, prewash cheap walmart fabric, then you won't be suprised

[elanorh]

Originally Posted by kyndmamaof4

just a thought, prewash cheap walmart fabric, then you won't be suprised

And the 4-H seamstress pipes in - "Prewash all washable fabric, regardless of where you got it - and always allow for shrinkage too!"

I've had some pretty expensive quilt shop fabrics which also shrank quite a bit. I'd rather have extra leftovers (quilts anyone?) than come up short .... and one of the perils of not prewashing is ending up with garments which look "odd" and homemade as opposed to home sewn, KWIM?

[Ravin]

SAS, if you have it in your area, has really good prices on good quality fabrics. They sell factory ends/discontinued stuff, so it can be hit or miss, but I've gotten some really good stuff from them.