It's no secret...I love fabric. It inspires and motivates me. I often spend late nights cruising etsy, ebay and my favorite online stores oogling fabric. This is some of my favorite fabric and I was surprised today to see some of this fabric being offered for $45 for a fat quarter on etsy. Let's do a little math $90 for a half a yard....$180 a yard. Who charges that? Also on my mind, who pays that?
I know that the fabric is hard to find. I know that folks can charge whatever they want. I know about the free market, and scarcity. I also know that I can't support it. First, I simply can't afford to....$10 a yard for quilt shop quality fabric stretches my budget. But, in my mind, it's pretty over the top...bordering on sleazy. I'd rather use mine up and be happy with it than support this kind of retailing.
What do you think?
I have lots of new projects in the works and lots to show you...I'm off enjoying Chicago and spending some time with my hubby...so, it'll have to wait. Thanks for all the love and advice for Ben. We embarrassed him, but he was flattered too. Especially appreciated the bargain laundry offer...thanks Julie!
90 comments:
I agree, I think it is taking supply and demand waaayyyy too far. I don't blame anyone for trying to make a dollar especially in this economy, but there are limits...
I love these fabrics, but i discovered them too late, when it is very difficult to find, so i have never been near such beautiful fabrics ... but that price is so crazy! and that makes me think that things with these fabrics are a bit out of control...
have a great weekend!
The best thing to do is DO NOT BUY a fabric or anything else with a price that is coming out of the reality. Here in Brazil the fabrics are expansive, but not that much!
Loved your fabrics, by the way!
Ü
Jacquie, I was on etsy this morning too, and saw this! I am shocked! Also, on ebay this morning 1/3rd a yard of blue bouquet fabric went for $51!!! I too love this fabric, but not enough to pay this much! Sleazy is a great word to describe this!!! You have read my mind! (I had just emailed Penny at sewtakeahike this exact thing just a little bit ago!)
Yes, I too will use up what I have and be glad that I had some to use!
I agree. I mean, if people are dumb enough to pay that then of course there are going to be people who change it, but wow - that's some insane pricing.
I totally agree. I understand these fabrics are rare but to hike the price up like that is just preying on people.
As someone new to quilting (and fairly new to sewing in general), I'm not really sure what to expect to pay for reasonably decent fabric, so sometimes I don't know if I'm being overcharged or not. However - I'm pretty sure I would never pay $45 for a fat quarter...
$45 for a fat quarter? outrageous! i am all for people making money and i am all for doing my part in supporting our economy...BUT...i am totally against ridiculousness like this! it is similar to the outrageous interest rates on credit cards or even loan sharking! if everyone did this?...no one could afford to be creative anymore and that's what it really should be about, don't you think?
I agree, it's crazy. However, I do think the buyers shoulder the blame. If I had a fat quarter of this "rare" fabric and put it up on eBay to see what it would get I would be shocked to receive $50. On the other hand, if I bought up a bunch of fabric that I knew to be short run, or that I found in quilt shops that hadn't raised the prices, for the sole purpose of selling high when it ran out, that's unfair and creating an artificial shortage. (That's what ticket scalpers do to tweens who want to see Hannah Montana, right?) I really think people need to stop paying those prices! Having said that, manufacturers really should reprint those fabrics. What's their point? They're not gaining anything by this! (of course, the Heather Ross fabrics are a different story ...)
This just makes me shake my head. I agree it is nice fabric but that is just over the top.
I hope you have a wonderful time with your hubby. ENJOY!
i would agree that $45 for a fat quarter is borderline sleezy as well. when i see things like that, my first thought is "who charges that?!" but then my next thought is, "what crazy person would BUY that?!"
like you, i have a hard time spending $10/yard. there is no way you're going to get me to pay $45 for a fat quarter!
If people don't buy it, the sellers won't sell it at this price. I agree with Melanie - the buyers are partially to blame here.
That said, the mark up on fabric like this is insane...and personally, I would think twice before giving my business to a seller who prices this way. Beautiful or not, I'd never spend this kind of money on fabric.
$45 dollars? C-R-A-Z-Y! I sure wouldn't pay that much. The challenge is making a beautiful quilt without spending a lot!
Apparently FMF has turned into the Gucci of fabric! It is just fabric right, not laced with gold??
clearly that is ABSURD!
thing is, it's beautiful fabric, but there is a TON of great fabric out there to be had for so much less.
I guess I'll never understand the lure of designer stuff.
Well...I'M FLOORED!!!....no really
....I'm laying here on the floor!!
I agree with Melanie that it is really the buyer's fault. In that respect, I prefer the competitive bidding of ebay. Lots of times I see fabrics listed at "reasonable" price, and they get bid up beyond belief! I don't think you can really blame the sellers in this case. When I see the high "fixed" price on etsy, I kind of figure that the seller is saying they will give up their fabric if someone is willing to pay this. But buying to resell at higher prices is really a different story-I'd call it beyond sleazy!
I agree, $10 a yard can stretch a budget. Didn't making your own clothes used to be cheap??? I always pine after Amy Butler as well and just dream, that maybe one day...
But $45 is absurd. Unfortunately, someone will buy it and the world will think nothing of it. Sigh... Last week on Project Runway one of the designers was looking at fabric that was (gasp!) $200 a yard. Right...
That is outrageous. I cannot imagine a project that I would be willing to pay that much for the fabric. I actually would probably not purchase more reasonable priced fabric from these vendors. But, as was mentioned, if noone pays that much, the prices will come down. Hopefully, the fabric will be reprinted!
i completely agree with you. i saw on etsy yesterday someone selling HR's gnomes for $45 a fat quarter. my jaw literally dropped. as much as i keep trying to get more of that adorable fabric, i refuse to pay that price. i've paid a little more than i should for some, only because i've got a project in mind, but it was nowhere near that robbery.
it's almost like a credit card company charging 30% apr. financial suicide...only, this time you get fabric for it.
I love fabric as well but I don't love expensive fabric. I also have to live within a budget. I would much rather a yard of fabric instead of an over priced fat eight. Great question!
I wish people would just keep in mind that new things come out all the time before they buy a 15 dollar (or 45 dollar) fq. Wait a month, and there's sure to be something out there that's adorable.
As lovely as those FMF fabrics are, I find the textile manufacturers come out with beautiful things every year so I am never at a loss when looking for something new and appealing. Besides, my stash could use a lot of paring down anyway.
I love fabric too but I would not pay that for it. I did find a great deal on ebay last year. A woman was getting rid of 27 yards of designer fabric and I got it all for $90.
I'm thinking I should start selling my old stocks of Flea Market Fancy and Heather Ross. I love my gnomes and all, but I could get a lot of other great fabric with that $45.
I just saw some fabric that was 10.25 at my lqs and I thought that was too much. I've noticed how it creeps upward slowly and now we are at $10 a yard. Okay - what I want to know is who exactly buys fabric that's $45 a fat quarter? Any ideas?
Quilting used to be using scraps, making do with what you had, using feed sacks, old clothes. I love fabric and todays artistry in quilting. But think of the quilts of Gee's Bend - They are renown worldwide for their quilts and you can bet they never used $100 a yard fabric. Whew - I'm steamed now.
I've seen older Amy Butler fabric listed for ridiculous prices too. It is sleazy. I did read somewhere on a blog recently that someone found Flea Market Fancy fabric and purchased it and when I clicked on the link the seller was asking a ridiculous price for it. Shame on them.
I think that price is crazy and it makes me sad that people do stuff like that.
I do love the material. Have fun in Chicago.
I only started getting into the online quilting/blogging scene about six months ago, so there are a lot of fabrics like FMF that I see and am bummed that I can't get anymore. Personally I would go as far as $15-20 per yard if it is something hard to get that I really want... but $180 is insane. Maybe they were in the middle of a project and ran out of fabric. A very very special project. Either that or they just have too much money for their own good.
You know, for several years I've been a member of a sewing website that has a lot of people buying and selling hart-to-find (HTF) fabric for ridiculously high prices.
I don't think it's sleazy though, just silly. If people are willing to pay high prices for this stuff, I don't have any problem with the sellers. IMO these elite fabrics (whether old school HR knits or out of print FMF, or whatever) are only recognized as such by a small segment of people, mostly online, and I really think that a lot of people get a materialistic (ha ha! no pun intended) bent about just *having* to have them when in the long run it really doesn't matter.
Totally with you there. It doesn't seem many months ago when you could still get yards and yards of FMF on sale for around $6 or $7 a yard. Being in the over-priced UK I'm used to spending too much on fabric, even the nasty ones are up to £10 (around $15) a metre, but $180 a yard? Nope. I couldn't, I wouldn't, ever spend that much. Not even if I had Bill Gates's bank balance.
Obviously no Australians have posted here yet.
You all make me laugh! Fabric in America is SO CHEAP!!!! Good quilting cotton from a quilting shop is $20 a metre/yard at the very least. It's creeping upward to $30 and $35 a metre, especially for the heavier designer fabrics for handbags, etc.
That's why a lot of us shop at Spotlight (the equivalent of your Joannes.) Quilting fabric there goes for $18 a metre fresh off the bolt, (so cheap!) but there are always more reasonable specials.
People come over here from the US and can't believe how expensive fabric and food is here. That's why, when our dollar is performing well against the greenback, there's an awful lot of internet shopping that goes on. Enjoy your cheap prices!!!!
I totally agree - $45 per FQ is obscene!! I hope they reprint the line just so it won't be able to be sold for that anymore.
We must have been looking at the same thing last night on Etsy. I think it outrageous.I can not even imagine spending $45/yard.
Unfortunately, I just started sewing then quilting in April so my fabric stash is small. I would love some more beautiful fabric but have found I am picky.
I wonder what the fabric designer thinks of those prices?
Yes, this is rediculous; no fabric is that incredible. I've found what I spend too much on I'm scared to use anyway, because I don't want to waste it! And personally, it's more fun to me to make something entirely out of scraps.... which are basically free!
By the way, I love your green walls! =)
Supply and demand...it's a crazy thing. I'd never pay over $10/yd for any fabric. I'm too frugal/cheap. I always wonder if anyone is actually buying the $18 fat quarters. People, it's only fabric, there will be more pretty stuff around the corner.
when i've seen the prices go up that high, i admit that i've been tempted to sell my lot of FMF and buy a BUNCH of other fabric and batting. my husband always says that something is only as valuable as much as someone is willing to pay for it. i guess he's right. if someone wants it THAT bad...well, good for the seller. :)
It would have to be spun of pure GOLD for me to ever fork over that kind of cash for quilting fabric! It's really nuts, especially considering that just a short time ago I could these prints at my local quilt shop for under $8.00 a yard!
Have a great time in Chicago!
Yeah, that is pretty ridiculous. Someone must be buying if they are charging that much, although you'd have to be crazy to pay that much.
I've found myself in some ebay fabric auctions that just went ridiculously high (Heather Ross is my addiction, though I love FMF too) and I had to shake my head and step awaaaaay from the computer. If I spent that kind of money on fabric there's no way I could ever actually cut into it... and if I can't use it then it's simply wasteful.
I really hope Denyse and Free Spirit Fabric become aware of these absurd prices. I would love some of the FMF blues, greens, and greys. But never at those prices, I just couldn't justify spending that much on fabric. Regardless of how much I loved it or thought I needed it!!!
those prices are absolutely ridiculous. i can't believe that anyone would really pay that. shame on whoever is trying to sell it at that price and shame on anyone silly enough to pay it!
AMEN! to your sentiments!
and Wow/Good Luck to Ben. I have bargain laundry at my house, so if he comes to Idaho...call me.:)
Unbelievable, $45 for a fat quarter, not even a fat quarter pack???? I would never pay that. Unreal!! You can make a quilt for that amount of money. I am with you and do not support that type of mark up. Glad to hear Ben was flattered, by all the attention. Hey, my word verification is "ought". Maybe that means, I "ought" to be sewing. I think so!
I'm with you. That is highway robbery. Have fun with your hubby! Looking forward to seeing what you have that is new.
NEVER, not ever! I'm with the girls down under. Even 20 minutes north of the 49th parallel we're paying $16.98 to $19.95 per metre (granted we get an extra 4" over the U.S. yard!), but the real burn is the selection here. I love supporting my lqs, but when I visit the states (maybe once every 2 years), I freely admit that I turn into a boldfaced lying smuggler when I cross the border coming home!! I cannot control myself in the company of $10/yd fabric! And in July when I visited Fabric Depot in Portland, all the quilting cotton was only $6/yd. That's CRAZY. So, the message is, buy it when you like it, use it up making pretty things, then start all over and fall in love with something new.
That doesn't mean we shouldn't lobby the manufacturers to issue reprints. Heavens, Moda has been issuing that Hoffman Cardinals Christmas print for 10 years and people keep buying the stuff!
I saw a FQ of something that wasn't that coveted on Etsy for $30, I thought for sure it must be a misprint or the person knows nothing of fabric.
I'm always cruising for fabric and love a deal or when you walk into a shop you've never been to and score "the find!"
Ugh, I can't deal with that, either. I keep my fabric prices as reasonable as possible (you would be amazed how much stuff costs wholesale!).
Anyways, anyone who buys this now is going to cry if they reprint it (which is in the talks and I haven't heard anything about it definitely NOT happening).
I believe in buying fabric you will use. I can't cut into fabric that expensive with a clear conscience.
You have got to be kidding. I would NEVER pay $45 for a mere FQ. That's enough money to feed my family of four for 2 days. Outrageous...
Just plain crazy to pay that much money for quilting fabric.
OOOOhhh boy... don't get ME started! You, my friend, know my stance and that's why the creation of The Designer - Fabric - Swappy - Poo had to come about.... so that we { the fabric lovers } would not be exploited! I say let them keep their fabric ;)
XO, Heather
I think there is way too many new designs coming out every single day at reasonable prices to obsess and pay black market prices on older stuff. But, I also think if they can get that price for it more power to them. It's all about choices, no one will die without that fabric so if they choose to buy it for that price so be it. Now if we were talking a product (like medicine) someone would die without, then yes...I would be mad that such a huge price was being asked.
The pricing is outrageous and I too will use up what I have before I'll pay $45 per FQ~I can't even imagine. I think creativity is key~I've stopped in several small town quilt shops and found FMF and some of Heather Ross' Lightning Bugs at regular bolt price and even in the discount rack. I post the store to my blog to let everyone know where the bargain is~the shop has new clientele and the buyer has a reasonably priced treasure. With such a push for Free Spirit to re-release FMF we may all once again have the chance to build our stash at a reasonable cost.
PS My kids think Ben has the COOLEST job in the entire world~daughter's #1 and #2 thought Ben was "bomb"~I think that means cute. . .
Jacquie, it's more than rude, it's downright mean and greedy!! I cannot believe people would agree to pay that, either!
I think there is a quilt shop in Wooter Ohio that sells it for $5 yard...but they were going out of business...not sure if they are still open..I should check into that!
OMG! There is no way I would pay that much - $45 a fat quarter is about $60 AUD (roughly!). Yikes. Yep, don't pay and let them suffer, I say.
HOLY COW! NO NEVER. I'd never pay that much for any fabric. I don't care if it was handwoven by virginal, mute, monks in a remote monastery in the Himalayas.
yes, us Aussies just cry at how cheap the designer label quilt fabric is to purchase in the US.
My local quilt shop is generally $24 per metre ( not much more than a yard) for any of the Moda, Freespirit or Westminster fabrics.
It is cheaper for me to purchase 7-8 yards of fabric at approx $8 per yard plus the $13 shipping charge , from the USA than it is to buy the same here in Australia.
( that is if you can find it here ! )
My dream holiday is to travel to the US and have a fabric shopping expedition whilst visiting some quilt museums and attending classes with world reknowned quilters !
hmmm...dream on....
PS...very embarrassing to see that the seller with the overpriced fat quarters on etsy is from Oz...
I hope no-one is desperate enough to buy it !
my thoughts exactly, I saw those listings last night and couldn't believe it. Greed, that's all it is.
This might sound silly, but I blame Joanns! ;) No, seriously... the sewing and crafting movement is huge and I feel like Joanns is really missing the boat. For many people, there IS no local specialty shop and Joanns is the only choice. If we could go there and find decent modern or retro designs on a regular basis, people might not be so desperate for fabric online. Their best fabrics are home dec weight, and dry clean only. Can't very well use that for my quilts or my toddler's clothes. I would love to see Joanns step up and do something new with their design AND display. Even if there was something great buried in the quilting fabrics, I can only see 1" of it as it is sandwiched between 1,000 other bolts.
I rarely shop quilt fabrics to regular price. My favourite on-line store has a huge sale section with A LOT of gorgeous fabrics for me to choose from. I get nearly the same vibes as when I shop second hand fabric when I manage to score lovely fabrics to a bargain price and create something beautiful out of them. I guess I like the challenge.
BTW that's about what US quilt fabrics cost per metre in Finland, and they can be from collections from years back. So sadly I never shop for quilt fabrics in local shops.
I totally agree. I've seen it with all sorts of limited edition/discontinued products--from perfume to fabric. It's sad that people feel the need to take advantage of the desires of others in such a way. Sadder still, perhaps, are the people who really do believe that it's worth that kind of money for cotton fabric. It really is the same stuff that was $10/yd in retail shops a few months ago, people! Am I a huge fan of Denyse Schmidt? ABSOLUTELY! But I definitely have my limits!!
I have seen those prices and would never pay them. For myself, I won't buy anything from those stores that are charging such prices. I suggest all quilters do the same.
oh, my goodness!! such a hard subject for me cause it gets me all fired up!! as an etsy seller of fabrics, couldn't ever take advantage of my customers. no, no, NO!! we are here to support one another in a hobby we love, and charging $180 a yard is fabric rape!
I've sold this line on Ebay, and I've started out every bid at .99. So, I disagree with you on the sellers being sleazy. My auctions, of course, went over the top but I'm not the one who sent them over the top. The buyers sent them over the top outbidding eachother.
i think we can all agree this is a fantastic fabric line...and would all love to have yards and yards of it...
and i can even go so far as to say that i might pay $20 a yard for it...and if every fabric was that price like it is for our quilting sisters in australia we would find a way to make it work...
but these buyers who are paying $45 for a FQ are really driving the prices up to outrageous levels...these buyers should be on the FMFFs blog signing the petition to get this lovely line reprinted...imagine the quantity they could buy then with thier $45!!
because that $45 FQ is craziness as far as I'm concerned!!
I completely agree. That type of pricing is ridiculous.
Call me naive, but one of the things I have always loved about quilting and the quilting community is the generous nature of those I have come in contact with. This practice of price gouging for hard to find fabrics flies in the face of that spirit.
I understand that fabric shops have to make a profit but to charge those types of prices is simply predatory.
I also think it taints the whole spirit of etsy and what it seems to stand for. I also think that fabric companies should be more diligent as to monitoring those fabrics that are extremely popular and be more open to printing more or reprinting popular lines that have been discontinued.
Having said that, I do realize that we, as consumers, have the power in this situation. Not only should we not purchase fabric from those who price gouge but we should also be very vocal to those retailers and let them know what we think.
I agree one hundred percent. Greed has taken over the majority of the people. F. Moore
scalping is never pretty.
Yeah, i'm one of those sleezy sellers. Well, not $45/fq...but still higher prices. But I have to say, i've told a lot of convo's where they can find some of the fabrics for less money. If I know of a spot and they are willing to do the footwork then they should reap the rewards. I'm just there to help those that are lazy like me and don't want to shop around but just want it. If I want it bad enough, i'll pay a little more. And I like that there are those that are willing to offer it up for me. You also have to look at it from a different perspective. How many "vintage" items are there on Etsy that people have paid $0.10 for at a garage sale or Goodwill and then they are turning around and selling it for $50? Kind of the same concept. But no one throws a fit. If no one is willing to pay the higher prices, then it wont sell and prices will be dropped to more reasonable levels. Honestly, I'm probably going to look back at some of this fabric in 5 years and think to myself: why did I like it so much??? I try and live in the moment with fabric now days.
I've paid higher prices for specialist fabrics out of Japan... I've also kicked myself for not buying certain fabrics before they've sky-rocketed or disappeared altogether.
You have to admit it is only usually the specialist fabrics that this happens with, and if the fabric creator/suppliers themselves kept up with demand instead of creating limited edition prints this wouldn't happen so much.
There are of course, some prices I won't pay... and also times I have considered creating my own knock-off pattern and paying for a company like spoonflower.com to print me a yard instead.
I know my prices and I'm a smart shopper. Generally I won't even buy fabrics from quilt stores because I think anything over $15/m is a ripoff in a store.
I love beautiful fabrics, but I have to wonder, who's crazy enough to pay that kind of money for a fat quarter??? There are too many other fabulous fabrics to be held hostage like that! I just had to laugh, my word verification is "squilim" and it kind of makes me squilim to think people would be that fanatic about a particular piece!
I think that I love fabric too!! But there will always be another that I like just as much. so, if I miss out, I will wait for the next "love" to enter my life!
Jacquie-Your blog is great and your work is fabulous. Please stop by my blog when you get a chance. I have an etsy site and specialize in Kaffe Fassett fabrics and will be getting Amy Butler Love collection in this week (and I only charge $8 yard). I'm also a long arm quilter. Have a great weekend.
Wow, I'm even more reluctant to cut into my only piece of FMF, the blue bouquet. Perhaps I could fund an overseas trip if I was willing to part with it! I don't know what to think about prices like that - here in New Zealand you can expect to pay up to $35/m for Amy Butler from your lqs so I'm used to exorbitant prices for that kind of fabric, but $45 US converted is getting up to $80 NZ, which is just...wow. It's nice fabric but it's not that nice. I certainly wouldn't pay it but the seller is entitled to ask it. Obviously higher prices for rare fabrics is fair enough, but to me there's a limit to how far you can extend that out. I would assume the rest of the product would be priced higher on a site doing that so wouldn't bother. In an auction though, it's purely the buyers who are at fault - and people do go nuts on auctions and not just for fabric. I've seen second-hand things go for more than they'd be new on those sorts of sites. I just hope they re-release the line and save us from this insanity - they'd be silly not to imho!
$45 dollars!!! I hope they forgot a decimal point.
How are you? I've missed you. Sorry I've been lame from the blogland.
I'm with you. Support your local shop but don't pay over the reasonable price. I love a bargain and I like the challenge of using what's in my stash. Buying when you have no project in mind makes you more creative in designing the final product and makes it unique.
Amen - I can't agree more - sad to see beloved fabric become a "racket"! :)
I agree with you on not supporting that kind of retailing. Unfortunately, there are people out there who supports this kind of behavior.
If you dont like it, then don't buy it. Sellers will only sell at those prices as long as there is someone willing to pay that price. Free market economies are pretty good at giving buyers what the want - vote with your dollars and quit complaining. Just because you are unwilling to pay a price you view as exorbitant it doesn't mean everyone thinks it's too expensive.
i think that's what i said...i'm refusing to buy. i am unwilling to pay the price and it is my opinion. i asked what other's thought.
Caveat: I did not read the other 83 comments... But, that price feels dirty. You know what I mean?
I agree - I won't buy fabric at that price. There is no way....
Kris
Did that include postage and handling? LOL
Seriously, I have to think about the P/H issue since we live in South America.
I don't understand calling the seller sleazy. It is the choice of the buyer to pay that much. I am "one of those" sleazy sellers. I found some of the fabric, bought it and sold it. We are a single income military family and the money was greatly needed. I don't feel bad about selling it. If there are people in today's economy that can afford to pay the price, then I am going to offer it. In my opinion, families can easily blow $60 plus to go to a movie, at least with fabric you have something to show and a quilt that will be around for years to come. It all depends on what it is worth to you.
I find it unethical to make money off of people like that. Band together and swap and share rather than support people like that.
Thank you for addressing this issue. I blogged about it a little bit a few weeks ago (and what I found wasn't nearly that much). I really debated getting a $13 fat quarter of a Heather Ross print (the VW busses in blue) on Etsy. It is for a baby quilt for VW friends of ours. I got it and justified it by using thrifted sheets and scraps for the rest of the quilt. Prices for some of the out of print fabrics is beyond ridiculous. I wonder now how much Far, Far Away prints will go for in a year. I may just cry. =]
I could never pay that. I would see all the other things I could / should use that money for!
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