Here in the land of cotton, many of the farms are selling out and the cotton fields are disappearing. There is a huge cotton field across the way from my development. I cringe to think that it will some day become another development. The one I live in used to be a cotton field as well :'(

It's such a cool crop - and so pretty to look at.

It's trickling in now. A lot of Hancocks fabric is now $11 and up.

You know how quilts can be dated due to some of the circumstances going on in the world, certain fabrics/colors weren't available during some wars, etc.? Well we as quilters may have to shift away from the 100% and become really creative in our fabric choices. A hundred or two hundred years down the road Quiltologists will look at the quilts of 2012 and say, "We can tell this was quilted between 2010 and 2015 because there was a cotton shortage which caused prices to skyrocket."
But as a farmer's daughter I can tell you this: If the prices of cotton skyrocket the farmers will plant more of it.

When fabric was moving over $9.00 a yard, and I am a fabric diva, I started to cut back and I hated to have to give up some of my more favorite online quilt shops. I only have two lqs left and the they are both at least 30 minutes away and their prices are always on the high end. Plus in the years that I have buying fabrics from the several fabrics shops that Les would take me to, field trip day.. I began to see a trend. The fabrics that were carried, while a lot of the new groupings here and there, their order actually what they personally liked. I have one shop I love, but 1/2 of her shop is Thimbleberries, another is more battiques, and a strange mixture that leaned toward the modern and chic. And none of them would carry the entire line. I would go in with the perfect pattern and want this particular line of fabrics and colors and they wren't there,. I asked, did you sell out all ready? No.. we only ordered what we thought would sell. Okay.... but online I am finding that a collection is easier to complete instead of having to mix and match and it was enjoyable. But that price is just creeping up and I'm thinking well it's only another 10 cents a yard and then I look at it again and it's now 50 cents a yard more. Thank heavens for my overstock pantries of fabric and my stacks of plastic containers, not to mention the bins under the dining room table (covered by an oversized table cloth...

OMGOSH~~~NOT A GOOD THING.

Stock up at all online clearance sales, including cotton thread. I've noticed many of the newer cotton clothing in thrift stores and yard sales are are not quality fabric. Even the flannel shirts are thin.

Hear hear! So right! I hadn't got that far thinking about it. Thanks.
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Thats what I heard as well that prices are going up on cottons,

I don't worry so much about fabrics as there will always be places to buy them on sale. I tend to like the older collections anyway as I am not to fond of the newer bright, busy in your face patterns. My concern is my beloved King Tut thread. I already pay on sale 18.75 for 2,000 yards and believe me that is hard to find at that price. Normally it runs 24.95....you have to have thread to make a quilt and the thought of downgrading the quality of my thread makes me ill.

I guess we'll have to shop smarter and look out for sales etc.

Check out Marshalldrygoods.com for batting. I purchase it by the roll, I know 30 yards is a lot, but you will use it before you know it.