Crafters:Where do you get your fabrics?

Moesten

I am shocked at how much fabric costs! Sewing is supposed to be economical - hardly. Material for a baby blanket cost me $45. And let's not talk about how much the home decor fabric cost when I made our curtains.

Am I shopping at the wrong places? (Jo Ann and Hancock?) Where do you buy your fabrics? I prefer a brick and mortar store to online so that I get a true impression of the colors and texture. Anyone have any great secrets I don't know about? 

ahnichols

I have found the cutest prints are really that expensive. I shop mostly Joann's and use the coupons. If you sign up for the circulars, you get a 40 or 50% coupon for one cut of fabric. I also use Hobby Lobby and their coupons. They don't have a huge fabric selection, but they have some really cute coordinating prints. They rotate their stock fairly often, so you can get some good deals on their clearance.

getitdone

Ugh so tired of expensive fabric! I agree with the previous poster - I shop Joann's and use the coupons or just shop the sale fabric. There are some fabric stores online too that offer free shipping and you can buy it by the yard. I have never used any of the sites, but my mom uses a bunch of different ones all of the time.

hannah&ben

I've found Joann's to be sorely lacking in quality.

I buy fabric at Cabin Arts, the Quilt Box and Hancock in Newport.  CA & TQB aren't exactly cheap I get fancy 'name brand' prints there to use as accents.

However most of what I use I get at Hancock b/c they almost always have a 40% coupon for full price fabrics.  And, they have great sales, 40% & 50% regularly.  All of their Kona solids were $3.99/yard last week!!

In fact, I was just there this morning.  The ad right now has a 40% a single cut of fabric, 40% a sewing notion and a $10 off $75 purchase.  They have a stack of them sitting on the counter too.  If you get a 'preferred member' card it puts you on their mailing list for coupons at home and if you sign up for emails on their site, they email printable coupons too.

smjauch22

I'm not sure how far a drive it would be for you, but there is a huge fabric store in Waynesville,OH called the Fabric Shack that is great for finding anything you need.  They have a great website as well. 

Their regular prices generally run $7-9, but they always have tons of sale choices as well.  My favorite part is that they always have a table of remnants from their online orders that they sell for 3.99 a yard.  I have been able to find some really great fabrics that way. 

Moesten

Thanks ladies. I am sad there isn't some awesome secret I don't know about that is hiding all the inexpensive fabrics. I do have the JoAnn and Hancock coupons and rewards programs but it's still spendy, kwim? I like Hancock's big selection but JoAnn is more convenient for me so that is always my first stop. 

I think I might try some online options if I can see the fabric in a store first and then order online.