I hard about this! I can't believe JoAnn of all places is selling fabric for that much! Even the imported batiks at one of our LQSs only charges $9.99!!

Wow! I've seen some "Quilter's Premium" for $9+ a yard, but last time I was in there, most of my JoAnns fabrics were still $3 to $5 a yard.

But I really have become so discouraged by the quality of some of it that I've stopped going there and started looking for deals online.

Unless they've also really upgraded the quality of fabric they carry, that's SUPER expensive. $14.99 a YARD? I won't pay that much for WOOL.

There was a discussion about this on another forum I visit.

Consensus was pretty much that Joann's has attempted to push out the competition (our LQS) and then raises their prices. In other words, they're being jerks.

I don't think I'll be shopping there anymore, because the fabric quality is less than what I get at my LQS for more money.

~ Kit

I was in Joann's today for my usual 5-6 quarter yds of fabric.Some of haven't much choice about where to shop.Our nearest "LQS" is 80 miles rd trip.....so that brings in the price of fuel.Walmart is pretty hopeless for much in the way of good fabric.On line ordering is a last resort.I prefer to see the color before I buy.Keeping a list of needed fabric,then shopping the LQS sales works for me. Pat

I have to say that Joanns has not been my favorite place anymore..I do have a new WalMArt around that when they have their quilt of the month on the end cap I usually pick up some of that fabric for 2.00 a yard...its wonderful heavier fabric and colors I can use in my stash...I went this morning and got some nice tans, and light blue....the last time I went I got the red/white and blue colors....I will have to check where I put the website for Walmart quilt of the month pattern site...tons of patterns from years back....Judy

I'm getting fed up with the way they coordinate their on-line sales with their on-line coupons. I'm waiting for a 50% coupon to purchase the 20-1/2" square ruler, but every time they post either 40% or 50% coupons on regular-priced items, that darn ruler is on sale. Right now it's marked down a whole 2 dollars.

There are the reasons I refuse to give Joann's Fabrics any of my business. It especially irks me that they put everything "on sale" at the same time they issue a 40-50% off coupon, not good on sale items.

I know some members are stuck with JoAnn's or Walmart for their fabrics, but I must say, there are wonderful internet vendors out there!! Seriously, check them out! My personal favorite is Hancock's of Paducah, simply because they carry my preferred batting, and I could (when I was in business) get poly fiberfill for the needlepoint pillows I made. But there are many more internet vendors.

I have never hesitated to order from HofP. They have wonderful customer service, an easy website, a great catalog (and the photo colors are accurate). Connecting Threads is another good site with high quality fabrics, but frankly, their catalogue colors can be WAY off. The fabric is still very high quality, and I'm not trying to run them down.

Those of you with just Joann's or Walmart might want to search the forum for recommendations. I won't go to either J or W ever again.

My LQS is small, and I always check them first for any fabrics I need (usually the $8-10 range), but if they don't have what I need, the internet is next.

Mary

I agree with Mary - and I'd like to add www.equilter.com to the list. The site is very easy to navigate, they have great fabrics for comparable prices to our LQSs, the picture colors are accurate, and the customer service is good.

On Friday I visited a JoAnn in another part of the city. I found the manager and asked if she was having complaints about the mailed sale circular not arriving in time for the sale? She said "yes" many complaints that they are not arriving on time. I said I have heard that many women are disappointed that they either do not get the coupons OR no longer get the 50% off coupons.
The result of our conversation was that she planned to call their corporate office and discuss the mailer situation and also the coupon changes. We shall see if there will be any results.
Feel free to express your disappointment with the store through the managers. Let them know we are the people who buy from them. Without us they will not survive. I read somnewhere that Hancock is closing more stores.

OK Ladies,
I hesitate to post this with the "fabric diet" thread still up, but since folk are talking about alternatives to JoAnns --

I think it's only right I should mention that Elanor Burns is having a sale on her SALE fabric --

all the sale stuff is $3 a yard right now, and I have ordered from her (and other places) and it's true that online can't replace the experience of touching it first, but I must say HER STUFF JUST OOZES QUALITY.

Here is a link that might be useful: Quilt in a day sale

Our JoAnns got taken out by Katrina and the only thing I miss is getting my W&N batting with a sale coupon. Otherwise it was a very poor store to shop. I was in our Hancock's the other day and the shelves and many fabric racks are almost half empty. I asked one of the sales clerks if they were going out of business too and she said not that she knew they weren't. I don't know what's up with that but it also leaves a lot to be desired and it used to be halfway decent on some things.

I posted not long ago about a new (to me) internet shop that I ordered from recently and not only do they have great everyday sale prices, they have excellent service too. And the one feature I love about their internet store is that they list how many yards of fabric they have in stock of each one. And all the fabric is quality quilt shop fabric. I am so happy to do business with this shop. I don't know if many of you caught that thread but I'm reposting for those that didn't.

Kay

Here is a link that might be useful: Thousands of Bolts

My problem is the line between LQS & megastore is getting harder to determine.
We have Fabric Depot (or BFD-big fabric depot as I call it)
they have quality fabrics & great sales. The store is a product of a "Fabricland" owner being driven out by the "BigBoys", so in many respects he was the little guy.
But now he's affecting the other LQS's with his lower prices!
Also we have really nice quilt shops located inside our Craft Warehouses. They provide everything a QS does, support, classes, quality fabrics etc. Their prices are right up there with the LQS's
But, I see us losing many small shops lately. Most are due to retirement, but I don't see them being purchased or replaced, which makes me thing they aren't making enough profit for the effort.
So what's a girl to do? I try to spread the wealth & support them all. I do try to stay away from WalMart & JoAnn's, using JoAnn's mostly for things other than fabric.
Jill

Kay,

I've bought from Thousands of Bolts a few times and always been thrilled. If you like them you'll probably also like www.quiltersquarter.com.

I've also had very good luck online with color. If the colors match online, they've always matched in real life.

I'm on a fabric diet. What I will do if I need to order and have a coupon with an item on sale is take the coupon percentage and compare it to the original price to see if I come out the better with the coupon...many times I do even if the item is reduced a few dollars...they will honor the coupon using the original price and you still save money...

I get the flyer each week through the local newspaper plus on-line notices. There have been several articles in the Plain Dealer about the corporate changes going on at JoAnns you all might be interested in reading about.

Oh boy, amd I in trouble. I was just drooling over that Thousands of Bolts website.

I have never seen anything fit to be more thant a few bucks at Joanns ours is defeinately not LQS quality. I shop the internet or my LQS. I used (over the rainbow) and (quilters quarters) excellant customer service and prices.

Nanci