I've had some success with the marked down WW stuff and also some failures....I always wash it all first and then see where that will leave me. Gotten some rags for the rag box but live and learn. I always check the bolt ends and see if the stuff is marked down better quality stuff. My local WW isn't very good with mark downs...one of the staff once told me they ship it all down island to a bigger store for mark down. We also are suffering lack of sales staff...or I love the ones you get who say "I know about shoes but sewing...my mother does it all". So helpful.

So far i've had good success with WM mark down stuff.Can only remember one piece that didn't look the same after washing.It looked like seersucker when i bought it,then when i washed it it took on the look of very wrinkled seersucker,that needed a steam roller to get the wrinkles even to a manageable state.Needless to say,i chucked it in the goodwill box.
My best buy from the dollar table was a few years ago when i gought this green check.It was marked 100% cotton,which was fine.I bought ten yards,came home serged the ends,and washed it.That turned out to be the best piece i think i ever got there.It looks and feels like flannel.I used it to back a king size quilt,and made a pillowcase for my body pillow.It doesn't wrinkle,hasn't faded or anything.Wish i could find more like that.
Oh by the way,i finished the shower curtain from the 1.00 a yd fabric i bought about 2 weeks ago.Could anyone post the picture for me,if i send it to you????
Kathi

Many of the cheap WM stuff, here where I live, turned out to be just that for me - I've gotten MUCH better stuff @ our local thrift stores.

A couple of weeks ago, for instance, I got a many pieces of medium weight silk yardage @ the church down the street - mostly solids(red, navy, gold, powder blue), mostly noile(washable) & in 2-3 yd chunks & 4-5 yds black silk taffeta - plenty for a dress, jackets or cushions or even a suit.I think I spent about 10$, but I bought other stuff as well.It came out to be something like .50/yd

Now if I can just find the time & space to sew!

Not too many years ago I thought I had found some rather good looking black linen like fabric on the $1. table at my local Walmart. When I got home I noticed I was covered with black lint. I washed that stuff til the cows came home, emptied the lint bag on the dryer as many times. When it finally settled down I had something like 8 yds of handerchief linen.

It's still unused in some plastic bin around here someplace. I'm a pack rat and find it difficult to get rid of anything. Those were the ways of my grandmother who reared me.

But on the other hand most of my fabrics from there have been pretty good for the price. I still shop there.

All the best,
Nanna

Our Sewing Guild has an annual yard sale. Everyone who has sewing stuff rents a table and last year we had 10 tables. I haven't finished using what I got last year. I got some great Pendleton Wools and some really pretty coordinating rayons, some banner fabric, a bunch of cottons - it was great.

I agree with the other people who have posted. Sometimes i find great stuff at Walmart, but at other times, it's just junk. Last week when I was in my super Wally at about 10am, there was 1 - (one only) - people check-out open. There were 6 or 8 self-service, but that is awful.

Also, I get my best silk, velvet & tapestry pieces from my local thrift store when they have a $5.00 a bag sale. I buy tapestry & velvet vests, silk blouses, etc. take everything home and put it thru the washer & dryer then cut it into scraps for my elegant crazy quilts and pillows. I even wash and dry the silk without any problems.

I saw a blue knit at Walmart in the remnant bin for $1.00 a yard and was thinking I'd go back and pick it up for a T-shirt dress. If I do, I will certainly wash it first in a dark load to make sure it does't fall apart or lose all its color.

Have any of you tried fashion fabrics club, they
have some nice fabrics and the prices aren't too
bad. Here's a link to there site.

http://www.fashionfabricsclub.com/home/FAQ.cfm

gemfire

I've ordered from them before. Their prices were great, the shipping not bad, and I liked having a swatch to look at before buying. Oh, and I liked the fabric I got!

Hello! I have bought some really nice fabrics at WW but I look for fabric content on end of bolt--if it is washable and cottom or fleece than I will buy it--they do have lower prices on some goods but you really have to know the current sale prices of fabrics locally or online to see if you are getting bargain--I did get 8 yards of a batik type fabric that I had seen by a famous fabric mfgr for 8.99 yd at online stores and WW had it for 4.99--and it was 100% cotton--I always wash any fabric including clothes, towels and bath rugs, bed linens, etc before using to get the chemical finishing agents they put in them out before I handle it or wear it--and you can set colors if you wash in cool water and add a cup of normal white vinegar to rinse water--saves lots of problems later on--as for staff--been there different days and hours--never have enough registers open to move customers out and carts are usually packed full--but thats the price you pay for cheaper prices on items--so you wait on line and read something--smile--KarenNY