Found: Neoprene at JoAnn Fabrics

[Moonflower]

After spending all day with an old wetsuit, I get a call from my mother (who had NO IDEA I was even making a tail) saying she found neoprene at her local JoAnn's! So, naturally, I hurried over to my closest store and, lo and behold, they actually have real neoprene! It only comes in a couple colors (aqua and maroon, plus one with an odd pattern that looks like colorful umbrella tops), but it's 3.0mm (just checked it against the suit I'd been cutting up) and has black on the other side. It retails for 19.99/yard and is 54" wide. I found it in the upholstery fabric (in a roll rather than a flat bolt).

Hope this helps the fellow mers out there who are working on their own tails! Just remember you need nylon upholstery thread to stitch it together if you intend to swim in it (natural fiber threads can break down over time).

[Mermaid Jewel]

Oh wow! I'd never think that they'd sell it! I'll definitely be checking that out, thank you for letting us know :)

[OrcaMatt]

How big is a sheet of neoprene again from online places? That seems expensive, but 3mm is going to be a bit more.

[Moonflower]

It's on par for what I've seen online (for the dimensions). Or, you could sign up for their discounts and wait for one of their 40% off coupons to come! Then it's WAY cheaper than the online places.

[ivoryleopard]

I saw that too a couple of weeks ago! Can it be sewn on a regular sewing machine?

[Moonflower]

My machine has no problems with it, but I've got a really good one (Janome/New Home). Never hurts to try, though!

[Capt Nemo]

I found it at both the Green Bay and Appleton stores, and yes it's the good stuff and not the crap mertailor bought for neoprene in his tails.

It's nylon/lycra coated so it's not the cheaper nylon jersy. Two yards should be enough for just about any tail.

Buy it while you can! I haven't seen neoprene in fabric stores for at least 10-15 years.

[ryanneishere]

I need to hurry over the Joann's and get me some. I've worn out my spandex tail so much that I have to keep re-sewing it way too often.

[Winged Mermaid]

I admit I'm pretty skeptical of my Singer being able to handle 6mm worth of fabric O_o

Heads up, 40% off online sale right now. They give you the coupon code on the front page.
I swear I've signed up for emails and fliers so I can get the in store coupons more than 5 times over the past year and I have yet to get anything. Checked spam filter on my email too. No idea what that's about, and neither to JoAnn employees. </rant>

[gypsymer]

3mm neoprene is usually too much for a regular sewing machine to handle, especially when doubled to 6mm. But score on finding it at JoAnn Fabrics!

[Moonflower]

Huh... Well, my machine didn't even hesitate to stitch it (not bragging, just informing) and it's quite old, though it is a great machine. I'd say, if you're worried, ask for a sample of the fabric or get the smallest cutting amount (5" I believe) and get a small strip of it to test on the machine.

[Mermaid Sirena]

It's probably because you have an old machine, they were built to handle and do anything unlike today's machines which break on a moments notice and can't sew squat diddly.

[Moonflower]

I think that's because most people seem to think Singer is the end-all be-all of machines... Nothing against them, but they haven't made a machine that impresses me in over 30 years... Granted, my machine is old, but it's still electronic.

I still stand by my thought that more machines than people realize will handle the material. Grab some sharp needles and just test it out on a sample. Even my pins slice through with little effort when I was pinning it, so you never know, right?

[Winged Mermaid]

It's true when I did my research "Singer" and "Brother" brands were the only ones people thought highly of and recommended anyone looking for a new machine to get one of those. Well, my singer can't handle as much as I'd like :/

I just wanted to say I stopped by JoAnns to get some needles, and I went and fond the neoprene and hugged it XD They didn't have the blue so I'mma go a hunting and see if I can find it in another store. Do a test strip like you suggested!

[Kanti]

It's true! :')
I work at Joann's actually, and I was super excited when I heard someone checking out of the store with neoprene. They keep it in the back of the store where the large rolls of fabric are, but it comes in only 3 colors (raspberry, turquoise, and black with weird star-looking shapes on top).
Joann's gives out coupons constantly so it's a great steal on the neoprene. You can sign up free to receive emails with 40% and even sometimes 50% off coupons.
I bought 6 yards of neoprene at $19 a yard but chopped the price in half with a 50% coupon :')
It's like getting 3 yards free <3 (not to mention no extra shipping charges)

Also, I'm not much into sewing, but I have a very basic machine. It's a Brother and it handled the neoprene just fine. I had to go buy a denim needle to sew through (16/100 is the size) but I had little trouble. You just have to push it through the machine since it's too thick to be dragged on it's own.

[Moonflower]

Do you work at the JoAnns on 192 next to Target by any chance?

[Kanti]

You scared me for a second. I was like o_O is 192 code for something else?
I live in South Florida and mine is on a road called Pines Blvd. It IS right next to a Target!
Maybe it is the one? But I'm not sure what 192 means.

[Moonflower]

192 is a road here in Orlando LOL I bought some the other day so I thought you might have meant me... Plus I used to work at that JoAnns ^_^

[Aquatarian]

I went in with a 40% off coupon and tried to get 4 yards of it. When I went to pay the system said the coupon had expired (even though the date said "valid though Saturday Aug. 13. 2011). The cashier tried it several times and then looked more closely at the coupon and said it wasn't working because the neoprene was on a $1 sale and the coupon only works on regularly priced items. :/

So I left, went home and tried to apply the same discount to an online purchase of the same amount and it worked. ???? I'll have to order it online but I'll end up saving more than $30 online because the store closest to me won't accept any coupons.

[Kanti]

@ Aqua - Yea, that's what happened to me the first time I tried to buy it. When they have large sales they like to poorly discount the fabric so you can't use a coupon on it.
But either way, it's just a waiting game. When I went in, it was the last day of the sale and my coupon lasted another 4 more days or so, so I got it with the coupon.
What you can try doing is-
Call the store and ask them when the neoprene will be off sale. Chances are, a new coupon will come out that week or the old one will still be valid.

They're NOT allowed to refuse coupons, especially from their own store.
Another thing you can TRY doing a price match (bring in a screenshot of the price you get when you add the coupon) don't even explain that you used a coupon,
just show them the price online tell them it's from their online store and that you want a price match.
Joann's has a price match guarantee, which means if an advertizement or price of the SAME ITEM from another store (or even their own store) is shown,
they're obligated to match the price.

I think your best bet would be to wait it out. Ask when the sale ends and just get another coupon for it. There's always 40% off coupons, so you don't have to worry about it slipping away from you. When you get a 50% coupon is when you should get excited xD

[Moonflower]

They could also have bumped the price back up to the original amount and then used the coupon. I've had them do that for me many times before.

[Aquatarian]

@Kanti Thanks I'll try asking in advance. And I never even thought about the coupon sign up. You are totally right about the 50% off thing. Thanks.

@FlowerBite Perhaps I will try next time (the lady I had was not very co-operative). :/

Thanks to both of you tho. Very good advice. much appreciated. ^_^

[Kanti]

That's nice of them. At my store, all the people are such jerks haha. I brought up the neoprene even though it was on sale because
one of my fellow employees did exactly what they did for you with another guest. But my manager had to check me out because I work
there and she wouldn't return it to the regular price, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS ONLY A DOLLAR DIFFERENCE! It was so ridiculous -__-
I guess it just depends who you get and if they'll do it for you. But there's no harm in trying :')

[Moonflower]

Hey kids! JoAnn's currently has a 50% off 1 item coupon available on their app! And yes, it applies to fabric! Go getcher neoprene!!

[Winged Mermaid]

Hey kids! JoAnn's currently has a 50% off 1 item coupon available on their app! And yes, it applies to fabric! Go getcher neoprene!!

Looks like hubby's iPhone is getting the JoAnns App :P

[melbel1023]

Just got my neoprene! $10 a yard for 5 yards, equaled $53.47 - excited!

[Syrenia]

Just go onto google and type in JoAnn fabric coupons. I got directed to a website that gave me a 50% off one item coupon. When I went in, it was on sale for $18.99 /yd instead of $19.99/yd, and when I asked them if they could make it regular price and I get the coupon instead and they let me. That was of course after I told them what I was making out of it. I love the people at JoAnn.

[taom]

You can do that for almost any store online. I found a coupon for circle lenses for a company based in Korea. It just takes a little looking. The only thing I have never been able to find a discount for is silicone or liquid latex which is a bit of a bummer.

[Dreamymermaid]

Hi, I know this is an old thread, but what JoAnn's did you find it at?

[Mermaid Momo]

JoAnns doesn't sale neoprene anymore. It was sort of a seasonal item they had.

[stockingsjump]

I have two coupons of Jo-Ann Fabrics but don't know how to post them here, tried to upload but getting an error of Image Size. :(

[Marie Gremillion]

I live in Huntsville/Madison AL and our Jo Ann's is apparently too small to carry neoprene. Bummer, any good online sites?