Saturday 7 September 2019

Is it Getting Too Expensive to Sew?

Or are the folks that are doing the pricing at Fabricland insane?


So, I have an Assembly Line pattern that I don't want to cut into. I would like to preserve this pattern and trace out the pattern pieces. I just needed to pick up some more tracing paper. In the past, I've always used Burda brand paper for these tasks just because of the generous sheet size that I wouldn't have to tape together. Plus, I like having the grid lines.  


I think I almost fainted when I saw the price:  $20.99 (Cdn + 13% taxes) for the plain sheets and $24.99 (Cdn + 13% taxes) for the grid sheets. I only walked the plain sheet package over to the cash desk because the store had all these 50% off for "National Sewing Month" only to be told that this item was excluded from the sale.  

I mentioned that the last time I purchased this item it was eight dollars and the person at the cash desk tried to tell me that I was mistaken and that it's never been that low.  She said the price went up from $16.00.  That just annoyed me and I left the item there. Besides, I wasn't willing to pay $16.79 (Cdn + taxes, the price it would have been with the 20% Fabricland membership discount) for tissue paper.  


Of course, I had to check my last package out and yes, it was eight dollars. That's almost a 300% mark-up from the last time I purchased a package. And double what I can pick up on Amazon.ca. Instead, I stopped off at the Dollar Store and picked up a couple of packages of tissue paper for $1.25 (Cdn + taxes).  I think I can live without the grid lines knowing that I didn't support a mark-up I honestly can not justify. 

How about you, have you noticed price increases at the fabric store lately?  Don't even get me started on buttons! LOL.  And what cost saving measures do you take in your sewing?  

Happy Sewing!  

17 comments:

  1. It's crazy. I went to JoAnn Fabrics the other day and was going to pick up some double cotton gauze for a hopefully wearable muslin. They showed 60% off. BUT the price was marked at $21.99! Ridiculous. The same fabric at Mood was $7.99 a yard. So it's very apparent JoAnn Fabrics is up to their old tricks of raising the prices so they can give you a "discount." I won't bite. I'd much rather buy from a fabric store with good service and good quality.

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    1. It's here too, in the recent years, it mind boggling what they're pricing fabric at before "the discount."

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  2. noticed the same thing at Joann. I am done with them. Good sources on line and much better fabric sources.

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  3. I went into the Kitchener Ontario Fabricland to buy some bobble trim and it was priced at $17.99 a metre. I went to Len's Mill Store and it was less than two dollars there. I am done with F Land.

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  4. I thought I was the only one thinking the pricing at Fabricland was insane. I never renewed my membership this year as I thought it was pointless. I know prices in Canada are higher than anywhere else, but their pricing is an insult ! They closed their stores in Saskatchewan over a year ago and I guess we are next. How I long for the days of Fabricland, Fabric Center and the other independents. I would rather shop locally, but their prices are forcing us to go elsewhere. Makes it difficult if I am working on a project and need supplies I don't have in my stash. Ordering online is not great either as I have had two recent shipments stolen. It is becoming a very frustrating world !

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    1. I won't be renewing my membership, I know I've said that in the past. But I just can't afford to shop there! It is getting quite ridiculous especially when notions can be found on line at a much more reasonable price and that includes shipping and exchange rates. I can't believe I just typed that. Sorry to hear about recent shipments being stolen, that's awful!

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  5. I meant Mitchell Fabrics and not Fabricland !

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    1. Oh my goodness, I miss Mitchell Fabrics so much. Although, I do hope the owners are enjoying their retirement.

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  6. Thank you for reminding me to order those zippers online that were not in stock at JoAnn's yesterday! I had a fistful of coupons but what I needed were 3 specific zippers!

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  7. I order rolls of medical paper online, the kind doctors use on examination tables or are used on massage tables. This is much less expensive but you may have to tape together to get the width you need.

    Also, at Fabricland, I always wait for the sale before buying fabric and often wait for the sales for interfacing and motions.

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  8. You have to expect anything from China, by way of the US, will be a lot more and there is another big increase at the beginning of December.

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    1. Thank goodness for stashes! Wonder how long I'll be able to hold out with my stash until the trade wars are over?

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  9. If you can tolerate the trek to Artist Emporium they used to sell rolls of tracing paper. I think 50 or 100m for about $30. I can't see it on their website but maybe that is something you have to call about.

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    1. I've never there, maybe next time I'm out in that area, I'll check it out. Thanks!

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