Fabric Buying Tips

Let's be honest. We love fabric. We hoard fabric. We buy fabric. A lot.
So why not be smart about it?

May be you already know these tips and tricks. Here is what I have learned in my three years of obsessive compulsive fabric disorder.

1. Never pay full price for fabric - I know it is yummy and it is so enticing when the new fabric line first comes out.  Designers are showcasing it and it is hard to escape the allure. Remember, this is not a sprint. It is a marathon.  We are in it for the long haul.  Wait till it goes on sale.

Spectrum by Camelot Fabrics

See picture above. I bought most of those fabrics at $5.69/yard, after it went on sale.
Three of them bought from Etsy at $9/yard. I now have the full (almost) line at a fraction of the cost.

What if it gets sold out?
Rest assured there will be a new line even more alluring and enticing just around the corner.
Trust me, I did not buy fabric for the first 40 years of my life and I am just fine.

2. Shop around - Brand loyalty is important. But my loyalty lies first and foremost with my wallet.
I check first at my favorite stores.  But there have been times when I have found wonderful deals on Etsy.  It also feels good to support small business owners. Prices vary from one site to another. It does not hurt to shop around.

3. Yardage - I buy yardage for basic solids such as charcoal grey, black and white. My favorite store for buying solid yardage is Connecting Threads. Great quality, affordable prices and excellent customer service.  The best part is this - you can buy as little as a fat quarter (at full price) or half-yard (at sale prices).  Free shipping at $50 and they have several sales. The only caveat - limited variety.
Fabric.com is another favorite store of mine to buy yardage. They have a LOT of variety. If I must have something and cannot find it anywhere else, they are likely to have it.  Free shipping starts at just $35.  They will give you the end of the bolt for free.  Although you may be able to buy half-yard, it is priced higher. For sale items, you have to buy at least one yard.

4. Precuts - My favorite precut is a fat quarter. I feel that FQs give me the maximum flexibility. I can cut them up into 5" squares, 10" squares or anything in between. Missouri Star Quilt Company has the best variety of precuts. Green Fairy Quilts has the best prices (very limited variety). You can also find a few of the popular fabric lines (in precuts) on Connecting Threads, but it is rarely the full line. For example, you can buy Hazel (by Allison Harris) FQ bundle at Connecting Threads but it has only 14 FQs. The full FQ bundle has 23.  Make sure you check.

5. Prices - Good quality fabric starts at about $10 a yard (Connecting Threads is the only exception). With that in mind, a FQ will cost you about $2.50. When the new lines arrive in stores, a FQ is priced at $3, sometimes even more. Check the math. Divide the cost of the FQ bundle by the number of FQs in the bundle. For example, if there are 22 FQs in the bundle and it is priced at $74, you will be paying $3.36 per fat quarter or $13.45/yard. That is STEEP (for me).  I make sure that I never pay more than $2.50 for a FQ.  When it gets down to $2/FQ, that is is great time to buy. And when it is under $2 per FQ (under $8/yard), that is when I must have it.  This also ensures two things - my stash is manageable and I am not overspending on fabric.

6. Kits - Saving the best for the last. Kits are pre-assembled, color-coordinated fabrics for making a specific quilt pattern (which is included).  There are times when the fabric line is sold out but the kits may still be available. You don't have to make the pattern in the kit. But if you like the fabrics, and the math works out to under $8/yard then it is great deal. You still get the pattern which you can save for later. I would not buy a kit, unless it is on sale. The best part about a kit on sale is the color coordinated fabric line available at an unbeatable price.

And here are some of my absolute favorite kits ON SALE at Craftsy!!!

1. Malam Batiks Aurora Borealis

Why should you consider buying this kit?

At just $53.97, it includes 6.625 yards of batik fabric at $8.15/yard. It is exclusive to Craftsy.

Exclusive and Batiks at $8.15/yard. It does not get any better.













2. Free Spirit Simply Eden by Tula Pink

This is 50% off!!!

This is so cool. For $67.47, you get 10.42 yards of gorgeous Tula Pink fabric at $6.47/yard. That is a steal.

Even if you do not care for this pattern, it is impossible to buy Tula Pink line at that price.











3. Octagon Shimmer by Jennifer Sampou

Very chic and very modern and 50% off. Now, this pattern may not be of your liking, but in this kit you get 14.625 yards of fabric from the Shimmer line at $7.38/yard, for just under $108.

Isn't that worth another look?










4. Kona Cotton Amy's Stars

How can you go wrong with this kit?
Get it if you love the pattern.
Get it if you love the fabrics.

10.5 yards of multicolored, very versatile solids at $5.42/yard for just under $57.
This one won't last long, I am sure.












Hey, this is just a small sample of the offerings/deals/steals at Craftsy right now. There is so much more.

I am not affiliated with Fabric.com or Connecting Threads. I am affiliated with Craftsy. It means that I will get a small commission when you click and buy from this blogpost, but that is not the reason for this post.
The reason is this - If you are going to buy fabric and you love pretty fabric, make sure you are getting a good deal!!!
I certainly do.

I'd love to hear from you if you have a favorite tip or a favorite store. And your comments make me happy :-D

Linking with Tips and Tutorials Tuesday.

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