It's official! WalMart is eliminating ALL fabrics!

[pcrowder]

Our local walmart told us that it would be this coming September before the craft/sewing/fabric department was eliminated, then they scaled it back to the end of April, and when I went in yesterday, there was a sign "25% off all fabrics - all sales final". And, there was only about 10% of the normal bolts of fabric - the rest were just GONE! They said that only a very FEW select stores will carry ANY fabric any more until next year, and then they will NOT be carrying ANY sewing supplies, and only a very very few craft supplies any longer. No thread, no buttons, no quilt batting, no zippers - no NOTHING. *:'( *The next closest sewing store is in the same town (a 2 hr round trip), but it is a small quilt store with very HIGH prices ($8.95/yard to start with!), and their selection is very very small. So, we rural people are really gonna be stuck now.
Just thought I'd let everyone know that the projected dates for the liquidation of sewing supplies seem to be moving up. *:'(

[Saoirse]

Thank you for the post.
A shame, but I don't shop at Walmart. Too globalist for me.
Maybe this has to do with the new Consumer Safety Act.

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h110-4040

Our small local variety store has started selling cheap prepacked cotton print fabric in 1 yard increments for $4 each. They still have bolts of muslin starting at $1.49 a yard, but the pickins are slim, as are the sewing notions.

[pcrowder]

Saoirse:
Boy, you're lucky to have a local store. The closest variety stores are a 2 hour round trip away.

No, apparently this has been in the works for quite awhile. The manager of the store said that while Mrs. Walton was alive, she always figured there was a need for the fabric/crafts section, but now that she has passed away, her heirs don't share her views, and are re-vamping the stores to suit their ideas. The managers have been told that toys and electronics will take the place of fabric/crafts. Just what we all need in a depression - toys and electronics! NOT!

[leera]

This is not new news,it's been in the works for a long time now.All the newly opened Walmarts do not have a fabric and craft department at all........they have been slowly scaling back the fabric and crafts,and the hunting/sporting goods as well....gearing more toward golf,tennis,and exercise equipment.....

Luckily for me there's JoAnn Fabrics.........

[PaulNKS]

I guess maybe people will need to go back to recycling their buttons, zippers, and all used fabrics.

If I have a shirt I stop wearing, I take it apart at all the seams and save it all. *Then I take all the buttons off and save them. *If jeans get beyond the patches over patches, I cut them apart at the seams and keep the material and the zippers. *I have found many uses for them. *I have used the blue jean denim for quilts and even have a kitchen apron I use when working with my beeswax that is made from denim to keep the waxes off my clothes.

I never throw out anything. *I always have material for something.... and yes, I'm a guy and one of seven boys. *My grandmother always told my mother that boys need to know how to sew. LOL * (Frjends were jealous of my G.I. Joe's wardrobe). My mother used our G.I. Joes to get us interested in learning to sew. lol

[Saoirse]

Wow, Paulinks you've got it going on! Inspirational post. Yes, recycling old clothes is a great idea. There are videos on youtube showing how to make rag rugs, etc. from old jeans.
I have a feeling my little variety store, sadly, will follow Walmart's lead and do away with the craft section entirely. They are carrying more electronics, Chinese home decor and silk flowers (yuck.) Ebay is a good place to look for fabrics. I'm working on custom dust covers for a friend's music studio and one of the sellers had the perfect fabric for under $20. Sometimes, if you ask at Grandma's garage sale, she will have a big box of scraps for ya!

[MotherCharlotte]

Now that you mention it, I realize that the new giant Super Walmart across the street from me doesn't have a fabric section like the old Walmart that stood in its place.

Strange, that in such a gigantic store as that (I hate it by the way and very rarely go in there) they couldn't find room for the fabrics.

Fortunately for me there is a fairly large fabric store down the street. (I live in the city, not so fortunately :))

[kittencaboodle]

:( This makes me sad. I knew the new stores didn't have a craft section, but the older ones around here did. When we went to one of the new Supercenters and didn't find the craft section we asked the manager where it was and he said that had been one of the biggest complaints since the store opened.

[pcrowder]

Wish they'd get the hint and bring the fabric/craft sections back, but I don't think they will. I guess in their minds you have to sell ALOT of fabric/craft stuff to make up for a big-screen TV or a bunch of cheaply made (overpriced!) Chinese toys.
I also found a place called WWW.FABRIC.COM that has FREE shipping on orders of $35.00 or more. I buy alot of fabric on EBay, but the shipping is getting pretty steep, and don't forget the post office is INCREASING postal fees either this month or next month...
Yeah, living in the country has it's advantages on some things, but not all things. *:'(

[pcrowder]

Oh - kittencaboodle - I forgot to tell you....WELCOME! ;D

[Pudlmom]

Thanks for the info. I'm sorry to hear this, but not that surprised. I read that the fabric department in Walmart has the least profit margin per square foot or something like that, and it's all about the profit margin, not providing a service. It blew my mind when I went in last summer to buy some DMC skeins and they were no longer carrying them.

I have a pretty good fabric stash -- I bought scads of it when a local factory lost all its jobs to China; lots of Land's End fabrics and thread, but I will take an account of my notions and stock up before it's too late.

[pcrowder]

I went in today, and it is ALL gone - every bit of it. :'( Oh well, I've found a website that will give free shipping if you order (I think) $35.00 worth. So, I'm gonna give them a try. Their fabric is kinda pricey compared to Walmart, but what can we all do?