Prices of fabric

Will the price of fabric mean the end of the quilting industry or just
the local quilt shop. Fabric purchasing is my one vise. I don't buy
designer clothes or drink or gamble. I buy lots of fabric. But at
$12.00 to $15.00 a yard I am thinking twice before purchasing.
Recently our local quilt store had a 50% off sale on much of the
inventory. Normally I would have bought yards and yards knowing that I
would eventually find a use for it. But that was when half price meant
$3 a yard. This sale was $6 to $7 a yard for half price. It made me
stop and think before I bought.

Scrap quilts are becoming increasingly popular. With a scrap quilt at
the most you should only have to purchase the sashing or borders. I
prefer to make scrap quilts without borders when possible. Of course
last week I started a Red, White and Blue scrap quilt but didn't feel
I had quite enough scraps in those colors so bought fat quarters at
two shops. Spent $95 for additional "scraps"! Must rethink that
attitude.

My bee has started a scrap quilt using the Snowball block. Anything
works. To each bee meeting we are to bring our finished light and dark
Snowballs and swap. If you bring 12 blocks you take home 12 blocks of
12 different colors. There is no pressure to make a certain number of
blocks. No one is to purchase new fabric. Just use what is on hand of
quilt shop quality. At least this should make a dent in the stash. We
did this last year with a different pattern and I had enough blocks
for two twin size charity quilts.

The fabric price increase was blamed on a failed crop last year. When
the price of raw cotton goes down will the fabric companies drop their
prices? There are additional reasons for the increase. Countries where
many people are moving from the farm to the city are using more
cotton. Those moving to the city want several pairs of blue jeans and
more t-shirts than they wore on the farm thus using more cotton.
American farmers are switching from growing cotton to a more lucrative
corn crop. Our world is changing. Maybe the quilting industry will
have to change with it.

I could sew the rest of my life without purchasing any fabric but
could my nerves stand it? The withdrawal would be difficult. Our local
quilt shop has a new owner. Hope she is able to make it. Gone are the
days when customers purchase at least a fat quarter of any new fabric
available from their favorite designer. Think I will go sew on a few
UFO's.

Susan

And, to my dismay, cotton clothing has become thinner and thinner. Much of
the time, my costume of choice is a nice t-shirt and knit pants. The last 3
that I ordered on line are so thin you can read the brand name on my
bloomers. There are beautiful cotton fields less than 10 miles from here.
We just may have to learn to gin. Gin? Yes. That sounds good. Polly


"Susan Laity Price" wrote in message
...
Will the price of fabric mean the end of the quilting industry or just
the local quilt shop. Fabric purchasing is my one vise. I don't buy
designer clothes or drink or gamble. I buy lots of fabric. But at
$12.00 to $15.00 a yard I am thinking twice before purchasing.
Recently our local quilt store had a 50% off sale on much of the
inventory. Normally I would have bought yards and yards knowing that I
would eventually find a use for it. But that was when half price meant
$3 a yard. This sale was $6 to $7 a yard for half price. It made me
stop and think before I bought.

Scrap quilts are becoming increasingly popular. With a scrap quilt at
the most you should only have to purchase the sashing or borders. I
prefer to make scrap quilts without borders when possible. Of course
last week I started a Red, White and Blue scrap quilt but didn't feel
I had quite enough scraps in those colors so bought fat quarters at
two shops. Spent $95 for additional "scraps"! Must rethink that
attitude.

My bee has started a scrap quilt using the Snowball block. Anything
works. To each bee meeting we are to bring our finished light and dark
Snowballs and swap. If you bring 12 blocks you take home 12 blocks of
12 different colors. There is no pressure to make a certain number of
blocks. No one is to purchase new fabric. Just use what is on hand of
quilt shop quality. At least this should make a dent in the stash. We
did this last year with a different pattern and I had enough blocks
for two twin size charity quilts.

The fabric price increase was blamed on a failed crop last year. When
the price of raw cotton goes down will the fabric companies drop their
prices? There are additional reasons for the increase. Countries where
many people are moving from the farm to the city are using more
cotton. Those moving to the city want several pairs of blue jeans and
more t-shirts than they wore on the farm thus using more cotton.
American farmers are switching from growing cotton to a more lucrative
corn crop. Our world is changing. Maybe the quilting industry will
have to change with it.

I could sew the rest of my life without purchasing any fabric but
could my nerves stand it? The withdrawal would be difficult. Our local
quilt shop has a new owner. Hope she is able to make it. Gone are the
days when customers purchase at least a fat quarter of any new fabric
available from their favorite designer. Think I will go sew on a few
UFO's.

Susan

Just looked up LQS's prices for Moda - between $17.5 and $19 a metre
(approx 3" more than a yard). No impulse buys for me, use stash and only
really buy for borders (tone on tones so can use up in other projects)
unless the quilt is really special - like new grandson's - and of course
I use the 'Sale' boxes! It always surprises me how much just one focus
fabric makes a difference, and how little you actually need of a special
fabric.

Backings are either pieced, often with a 'special' pieced strip echoing
the front, and I have a little stash of fabric from friends who have
changed their bedroom colour and have replaced their perfectly good
bedding with new. Recycling is good if the fabric is nearly new. (I
don't hand quilt, only machine since my hands went on strike!)

DSisinL usually gives me fat 1/4s for birthday/Christmas. At the moment
she is visiting the US - solves her present problems and my purse, and
even the pieces that aren't my colours always fit in somewhere and look
good!

Quilting has had to be put on one side at the moment though, as I have a
piece of blackwork to for our WI's entry in the County Show - no
possible quilt category this year, just one I could do and that's 'a
Tudor craft'. Just right for a cold winter's evening in front of the
fire. I haven't done any embroidery for about 12 years, and my last
blackwork was almost 50 years ago, so I am really enjoying it. I have
embroidery ufo's beneath the quilt ufo's in my big oak chest, and my New
Year's resolution was to finish some ufo's .... so you never know....!

Sally at the Seaside ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~uk
http://picasaweb.google.com/SallySeaside

On 22/01/2013 15:29, Susan Laity Price wrote:
Will the price of fabric mean the end of the quilting industry or just
the local quilt shop. Fabric purchasing is my one vise. I don't buy
designer clothes or drink or gamble. I buy lots of fabric. But at
$12.00 to $15.00 a yard I am thinking twice before purchasing.
Recently our local quilt store had a 50% off sale on much of the
inventory. Normally I would have bought yards and yards knowing that I
would eventually find a use for it. But that was when half price meant
$3 a yard. This sale was $6 to $7 a yard for half price. It made me
stop and think before I bought.

Scrap quilts are becoming increasingly popular. With a scrap quilt at
the most you should only have to purchase the sashing or borders. I
prefer to make scrap quilts without borders when possible. Of course
last week I started a Red, White and Blue scrap quilt but didn't feel
I had quite enough scraps in those colors so bought fat quarters at
two shops. Spent $95 for additional "scraps"! Must rethink that
attitude.

My bee has started a scrap quilt using the Snowball block. Anything
works. To each bee meeting we are to bring our finished light and dark
Snowballs and swap. If you bring 12 blocks you take home 12 blocks of
12 different colors. There is no pressure to make a certain number of
blocks. No one is to purchase new fabric. Just use what is on hand of
quilt shop quality. At least this should make a dent in the stash. We
did this last year with a different pattern and I had enough blocks
for two twin size charity quilts.

The fabric price increase was blamed on a failed crop last year. When
the price of raw cotton goes down will the fabric companies drop their
prices? There are additional reasons for the increase. Countries where
many people are moving from the farm to the city are using more
cotton. Those moving to the city want several pairs of blue jeans and
more t-shirts than they wore on the farm thus using more cotton.
American farmers are switching from growing cotton to a more lucrative
corn crop. Our world is changing. Maybe the quilting industry will
have to change with it.

I could sew the rest of my life without purchasing any fabric but
could my nerves stand it? The withdrawal would be difficult. Our local
quilt shop has a new owner. Hope she is able to make it. Gone are the
days when customers purchase at least a fat quarter of any new fabric
available from their favorite designer. Think I will go sew on a few
UFO's.

Susan

Went to the Flea Market last Thursday and my favorite vender has a bundle of
100% cotton pillow cases about 14 X 24", 13 in a bundle for $2. There
were 2 different designs and I got a bundle of both. I figure 2
pillowcases will made my DGD a pair of shorts or a top. One design is rose
buds and the other has a small blue flower. And I am remembering that she
might want to learn to sew next summer while school is out. That means $4
for 2 short sets and 2 sets for next summer. I talked with another lady who
was going to use them to make aprons for gifts.
Barbara in cold Florida

Neither.
Kay Ahr in Indianapolis, Indiana USA

"Susan Laity Price" wrote in message
...
Will the price of fabric mean the end of the quilting industry or just
the local quilt shop.

Howdy!
I agree, Kay.
Those of us who want to buy fabric, will.
When the price of milk went up, how many stopped drinking it?
The price of petrol has not taken many people off the road.
(I use diesel in my VW, it costs more than the gas I buy for the Cruiser,
and I get almost double the mileage per gallon in the VW.)
We adjust, we find a way.

Susan, if you need more reds, give me a holler. Or any of us here
who will gladly add to a stash, by swap or gift.
Every few years, our guild, or a bee within it, calls for a swap.
It may be 5" squares (Nickel Swap) or some other size, just one or 2 of
each charm; we all fill a baggie or 5 and add it to the pile on the table
as we enter, noting how many we're swapping. The Swappers do their work
during the meeting, then we pick up our new baggies on the way out.
It works fine, and where do these quilters find this fabric? Amidst the
local quilters, we all have fabric in our stashes that others don't have.
Love it!

Meanwhile, I'm watching the sales. Gotta' have a fabric fix....

Cheers!
Ragmop/Sandy

On 1/22/13 12:22 PM, in article , "Kay
Ahr" wrote:

Neither.
Kay Ahr in Indianapolis, Indiana USA

"Susan Laity Price" wrote in message
...
Will the price of fabric mean the end of the quilting industry or just
the local quilt shop.

Everything is going to cost you more for good reasons or no reasons.
Just the way things are going. The new normal is going to change how
we all spend the lesser amounts of money we make or are allowed to
keep.

We were fussing about something at my sewing group not long ago and
it was noted that women pieced with very little fabric to work with in
pretty bad situations. We will make do as we need to. Maybe the process
will become more of a joy again than just hurrying through to be done.

If things get really bad come on out to so cal and we will take you to
M&L and get their fun discounted stuff. I used to be able to get bags
of fabric at the thrift store. Some was some really nice quality quilting
stuff. Some not so much but it was like a treasure hunt. There was a
guy that used to sell cut offs from medical scrubs makers. It was really
nice and good for patchwork. He hasn’t been in this area in years but
I just saw a quilt in his fabric show up in a quilt being quilted this
morning.
We will find a way. They can't stop us!

Taria



"Susan Laity Price" wrote in message
...

Will the price of fabric mean the end of the quilting industry or just
the local quilt shop. Fabric purchasing is my one vise. I don't buy
designer clothes or drink or gamble. I buy lots of fabric. But at
$12.00 to $15.00 a yard I am thinking twice before purchasing.
Recently our local quilt store had a 50% off sale on much of the
inventory. Normally I would have bought yards and yards knowing that I
would eventually find a use for it. But that was when half price meant
$3 a yard. This sale was $6 to $7 a yard for half price. It made me
stop and think before I bought.

Scrap quilts are becoming increasingly popular. With a scrap quilt at
the most you should only have to purchase the sashing or borders. I
prefer to make scrap quilts without borders when possible. Of course
last week I started a Red, White and Blue scrap quilt but didn't feel
I had quite enough scraps in those colors so bought fat quarters at
two shops. Spent $95 for additional "scraps"! Must rethink that
attitude.

My bee has started a scrap quilt using the Snowball block. Anything
works. To each bee meeting we are to bring our finished light and dark
Snowballs and swap. If you bring 12 blocks you take home 12 blocks of
12 different colors. There is no pressure to make a certain number of
blocks. No one is to purchase new fabric. Just use what is on hand of
quilt shop quality. At least this should make a dent in the stash. We
did this last year with a different pattern and I had enough blocks
for two twin size charity quilts.

The fabric price increase was blamed on a failed crop last year. When
the price of raw cotton goes down will the fabric companies drop their
prices? There are additional reasons for the increase. Countries where
many people are moving from the farm to the city are using more
cotton. Those moving to the city want several pairs of blue jeans and
more t-shirts than they wore on the farm thus using more cotton.
American farmers are switching from growing cotton to a more lucrative
corn crop. Our world is changing. Maybe the quilting industry will
have to change with it.

I could sew the rest of my life without purchasing any fabric but
could my nerves stand it? The withdrawal would be difficult. Our local
quilt shop has a new owner. Hope she is able to make it. Gone are the
days when customers purchase at least a fat quarter of any new fabric
available from their favorite designer. Think I will go sew on a few
UFO's.

Susan

I agree with so many of the others. Prices of fabric have absolutely sky-rocketed.
My stash is large enough to never "have to" buy again. Sometimes I will wander through a local shop just to get a color fix, but the fabrics are rarely something that jumps out and yells "Ya gotta have a half yard [at least!] of me!"
My projects are now more scrappy. Recently I saw an article that spoke about using colors in the same color group if you don't have enough of a given choice.

We are members of the quilt resistance - ya can't keep us from sewing/creating!
Ginger in CA

On Tuesday, January 22, 2013 5:22:46 PM UTC-8, Taria wrote:
Everything is going to cost you more for good reasons or no reasons.

Just the way things are going. The new normal is going to change how

we all spend the lesser amounts of money we make or are allowed to

keep.



We were fussing about something at my sewing group not long ago and

it was noted that women pieced with very little fabric to work with in

pretty bad situations. We will make do as we need to. Maybe the process

will become more of a joy again than just hurrying through to be done.



If things get really bad come on out to so cal and we will take you to

M&L and get their fun discounted stuff. I used to be able to get bags

of fabric at the thrift store. Some was some really nice quality quilting

stuff. Some not so much but it was like a treasure hunt. There was a

guy that used to sell cut offs from medical scrubs makers. It was really

nice and good for patchwork. He hasn’t been in this area in years but

I just saw a quilt in his fabric show up in a quilt being quilted this

morning.

We will find a way. They can't stop us!



Taria

Y'all should come to sunny Australia where fabric can cost up to $32 a
yard (remembering that our dollar is near as d@mmit to the US dollar ATM)!

I thought it was the last word in irony when I had to buy my 'Under the
Australian Sun' fabrics from an American vendor. If I'd bought it from
my LQS, I'd've had to spend a couple of hundred dollars on it.

--
Trish Brown {|:-}

Newcastle, NSW, Australia

Ditto to what she says.

I now spend a lot of time going through pillowcases, tablecloths, old
dresses and sheets -only looking for cotton - at op shops (thrift shops) and
have been reasonably successful.

I also look at what's available in the USA when browsing quilty websites
'cos it is much cheaper to buy from there.

Di
Vic Aus


"Trish Brown" wrote in message
eb.com...
Y'all should come to sunny Australia where fabric can cost up to $32 a
yard (remembering that our dollar is near as d@mmit to the US dollar ATM)!

I thought it was the last word in irony when I had to buy my 'Under the
Australian Sun' fabrics from an American vendor. If I'd bought it from my
LQS, I'd've had to spend a couple of hundred dollars on it.

--
Trish Brown {|:-}

Newcastle, NSW, Australia