|
|
|
By Jeannie44 from Buhl, ID
My mother-in-law is "cleaning" out YEARS of quilting fabric--some by the yard that never got used--some pieces. I am helping her to do this. We can surely work out a deal of some kind. Contact me.
My WalMart still has fabric. However, the newer one on the other side of town doesn't. They don't have near as large a supply of fabric as they did several years ago, but they still have a good selection. They have also downsized their craft department, which doesn't sit real well with me or several other people I know. It seems like they are downsizing departments of interest to women and expanding things like electronics and things that are of more interest to men.
I have heard of people that have called or emailed them and mentioned the rumors about eliminating the fabric departments, etc. What they do is tell how they regularly get prescriptions filled at their pharmacy department and that they will take their prescriptions someplace else if they don't continue having fabric, etc. They say so far it has worked.
Ask your local sewing or quilting group and if there is an area quilting organization that puts out a newsletter, ask if you can put a notice in it asking for unwanted fabric. Quilts sometimes don't use up all the fabric bought for them or the fabric turns out to be not what was wanted ( in the store it's beautiful, at home it's ugly). Good luck
You can always call 1-800-wal-mart and leave a comment regarding your dissatisfaction with dropping their fabric. I have heard that for 2 years now and call ever so often to praise the staff in that department. So far, no changes at our stores!
Try www.fabric.com. I have gotten very good material there, and they have both clearance and some at under $5. I know what you mean. I make charity quilts also and since I am a widow and on Social Security, I have to be very careful. I make quilts for children at the abused women's shelter and for local nursing homes. Good luck.
How about using fabric from old, unused clothing? It might be a bit more challenging, but big old skirts have huge amounts of fabric. Thrift stores and garage sales would be excellent places to acquire such quantities of fabric with very little cost.
Go to your local Goodwill or Salvation Army stores. They often sell craft items and even if they have none available at the moment you can check the section where they sell linens like table cloths and sheets. They are priced so reasonably and the money spent there gives others help, too :-) Good luck and I hope this helps :-)
Anyone who sews has lots and lots of fabric stuck back and probably would be glad to clean their closets out. Begin with area churches and ask them to spread the word about what you're doing.
You can post your need for fabric on freecycle.org. Someone may want to donate their unused fabric to you.
Sell your idea to businesses in town and see if they will donate money for the cause, so you can buy the fabric to make quilts for children in hospitals.
On the internet there are websites you can order cheap cotton quilting fabric on the bolt when they have their sales and get it reasonably. Check that out too.
I'm sorry I don't have any information about where you can purchase inexpensive fabric. But I'm also very upset with the new Walmart Super Centers. Not so long ago I emailed the Walmart Corporation and told them that I didn't like the new super centers because the store didn't have a fabric department. I received the typical generated response that they send out to everyone who writes them. When Walmart first opened they were interested in satisfying their customers. Now Walmart is just interested in money and greed and they could care less if they satisfy their customers.
I will not shed a tear when Walmart some day bites the dust and goes out of business.
Put a Want ad on Craiglist and mention the good deeds you all are doing. Or, you can talk Fabric stores and maybe they will donate fabric thats going out of style. Also, thrift stores and garage sales! Buy sheets and use the fabric as you normally would.
I'm trying to get fabric to make quilts to be able to sell them and make a little extra money on the side.