I always go to Joanns first, since they'll be having lots of fabric on sale. They always have flannel for $1/yard, which is pretty cheap (it's pretty cheap quality too, but I don't use it in things that are really going to matter). Plus, their notions will be 50% off and I usually save up any of those purchases until now. I also have several coupons that I can use, since my mom and all of her friends get the flyer but none of them actually sew.
For me, the biggest fun is standing in line waiting to get fabric cut and chatting with the other people, finding out what they're going to make with their bargains. We'll trade bolts when we're done, so that everyone gets what they need (unless someone is feeling greedy and buys the whole thing!).
