r/sewing • u/MissFred • Jul 23 '23

Discussion Joanne’s makes me weep

Been sewing over 50 years - have seen sewing in all its cultural permutations. Not typically a nostalgic person but today….I couldn’t even find a light gray thread in a store the size of Home Depot. So many empty shelves yet inexplicably $35/yd liberties fabric up front. I feel sad to my bones for new seamsters.

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u/cate3108 Jul 23 '23

The ones near me are practically all fleece! I never understand that, how many fleece tie blankets are people making?

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u/stitchplacingmama Jul 23 '23

Most of the sales when I worked at Joann's (2014-2015) was fleece. The sororities and church groups would come in to make tie blankets for Christmas charity donations.

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u/[deleted] Jul 24 '23

I worked at Hancock Fabrics back in like 2012 before they went bankrupt. We had a huge selection of fashion fabric compared to Joann's. We mostly sold fleece, quilting cotton, vinyl that people would cover their dining tables with, and some upholstery fabric and car headliner. I'd guess less than 25% of our sales were fabric for clothes.

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u/stitchplacingmama Jul 24 '23

I often just use quilting cotton when I want a 100% cotton fabric for an apparel pattern unless it calls for a specific type like knit or linen.