It maybe because the gov't doesn't want us making PJs due to the flammable treatments now required for sleepwear. Things I have found have the statement "Not suitable for sleepwear" printed on the selvage. People sleep in anything & let their children....oversize T-shirts & for babies onezies. If the PJ police made housecalls, lots of people would go to jail.

You're so right, Mermie. I too am always looking for that type of fabric for sewing grandkid stuff. I have some great sewing books with pictures of children's clothing and I wonder where that fabric comes from. It must be out there somewhere especially in the U.S. where your fabric selection is so much better than here in Canada. If I come across any online sites I'll let you know.

It's not just the kid prints.I see lots of printed t-shirts for adults on the market,but when you go to the fabric stores to look for printed t-shirt fabric,there is none available.Over the years i've found a couple pieces on the flat fold(sale) tables,but not very much.I like printed t's,and all they sell around here are solid colors.
Kathi

we must be really lucky here in england we have a fantastic shop called abakhans were you can get any fabric including the ones you talk about im not sure if they do mail order but you could try their website abakhan fabrics

I had a clerk at a fabric store tell me that there was a shortage of the the machines that make the knit.
I just don't get it. I look everwhere, in fabric shops, on-line. Occasionally I find a bit, but not too often. I have found 2 online stores that have a so-so selection. One is specifically an online sewing shop for babies. I wish cotton knits were more available.
JoanSews4u, if it was because the government didn't want home sewers to use cotton knit to make childrens clothes and pj's, I would think the selection of flannel would be as slim.

I haven't seen flannel used in ready to wear PJs as much as knit & I can't remember if I have seen that disclaimer on any about not using it for sleepwear. I have seen directions for making the solution to treat your own fabrics.

Haven't heard the news about lack of machines to make knit. All I have heard is about shutting down the businesses in the states & sending all the equipment to Mexico. I know that has happened to many who were in operation in the southeastern states especially the Carolinas. We had thread/yarn operations go under here in Alabama & several within less than a 20 mile radius. They were to start up in Mexico. Many knitting mills in other places who used what yarn was made here are now gone too...& those all around the USA. That may be part of the problem.

Crazy weather here in the south has also messed up cotton production/harvesting. The multitude of hurricanes last fall wiped out about all of the 2004 crop in their paths. I saw many photos of cotton blown from the plants into briars, bushes, trees & the muddy ground & etc. The prior years haven't been very good either with droughts during the growing portion of the season. Problem may just be lack of cotton to work with.

Go see www.wazoodle.com. If you're looking for cotton knits for children, they have a selection. These people are in Canada, it's cold, it's north, they have specials way into spring on something we got the "bright" idea to want in the U.S. in"whenever." Keep in mind that prices reflect a real deal for those of us in the U.S. wanting "fibers" made elsewhere. These people are great.

Well northernbelle, unfortunately abakhans does not have a website.
I did try wazoodle as suggested by costumegrl. They have some, so I'll continue to check out wazoodle and e-bay and try to snatch up as much cotton knit as I can find.
Thanks for all the help everyone!

Fashion Fabrics Club has some print cotton knits. They are not specifically patterns for children but some are kinda cute and could be used for that.

Here is a link that might be useful: Fashion Fabric Club

I was having trouble finding these too -- especially in Baton Rouge where we only had Hancock's. Over the summer, I kept my eyes peeled for them any time I went to Joann's. I ended up finding quite a few on the clearance racks and bought all they had. Sometimes I would find a store that had new ones, but usually only two or three different prints at a time. So, now that I know that they are so hard to find, anytime I do see some I stock up! Check those clearance aisles!!

Stephanie

My favorite for this kind of fabric is Sewzanne's. It's a website with a decent selection and good prices. Not really cheap - but quality.

Jeni;
I have purchased from Suzanne's. It is quality fabric. Another site I found is Sew Baby. They have lots of children's fabrics and a good selection of cotton interlock knits. Again, not really cheap but quality.
It just amazes me that at the fabric stores in town, there are NO bolts of any sort of cotton knit prints. Occasionally a piece on the remnant table, but no selection at all. Back when my kids were small, our fabric stores had bolts and bolts of this fabric. I find it strange that it's so scarce now.

I'm guessing that not too many people are sewing their kids' clothes. My goal is to make as much as I can instead of buying from now on. This will be easy for my daughter for a while - she's only 4. It may be a lot harder for all of the boys (I have 5).

Our Joanns In Washington has a pretty good selection ,the problem for me is it is a little expensiveunless you use your coupon. Another place to try is www.sewbaby.com . They do make a flannel that you can purchase it is "Suitable for Sleep wear"
I can not stand to sew on it ,if your hands are dry they stick and it feels like your snagging the fabric. When my mom use to sew p.j. from flannel or knit she had to put on the care label " for lounge wear or not intended for sleep wear.The consumer had to use there own discretion.
My personal feeling is I would rather in the case of a fire would want my cotton p.j.s to burn then you can drop and roll. When they are made from flame resistant fabric it will just melt and when you drop and roll it would melt to you . No thanks but thats my opinion. good luck

Fabric.com has a fairly good selection of cotton knits.
I buy fabric from them all the time. Great prices and service.

Here is a link that might be useful: Fabric.com

I went into our local goodwill yesterday,and there on a table lay 3 rolls of t-shirt knit fabrics.I'm guessing there had to be at least 10 plus yards on each roll.One was lavendar,one soft green,and the othere was blue.they were all the same little flower print,just different color.They were selling them for 9.99 a roll.I think they'll probably be there a long time,as no one i know needs that many yards of one color.
Kathi