It's like the end of an era for many of us with the closing of these stores.

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I just read that JoAnn Fabrics are closing over 500 of their fabric/craft stores. They have been opened since 1943 and always had a huge following from crafters and sewers. I always counted on them having what I needed to sew things, made clothing for my children, bought yarn, and haunted their sales--for years and years. No one sews as much as they used to, of course. The cost of the fabrics, sewing notions, patterns, etc. are so prohibitive, a person can buy clothing for much less than they can sew it for. Sewing as a hobby or a necessity has fallen way out of fashion. That being said, I will miss it a lot. I always counted on them having what I needed--a certain color of thread or embroidery floss, etc. Backing for baby quilts, that I make and donate to the crisis nursery babies, cancer kids, etc. When I do visit my local JoAnn's occasionally now, it seems the majority of the people in there shopping are Amish/Mennonite ladies, who come to buy the fabrics they use to cloth their families. I am sure they will miss it, too, as our local JoAnn's is apparently closing very soon. Thinking about those stores brings back a lot of memories for me. Going with one of my grandmothers when I was a little girl, and picking out fabrics for a new dress, new pajamas or a nightgown, etc. It was fun and I loved seeing all the possibilities. Walmart did away with their fabric department long ago and has very little to choose from. Same with Target. And no true sewer wants to buy fabric they can't see and touch first, so ordering it online will be a hard call. Lost arts. And some sewers are indeed artists in their own way. As I said the end of an era. Bittersweet.