sewbeadit

I have been wondering this for years. There are so many different weights of just cotton quilting fabrics alone that it is confusing to me as to why. I know diff. manufacturers, etc. What makes a thin fabric like Kaffe Fassett better than a cheap or inexpensive fabric that is thin? I have a lot of KF fabrics and some are so thin sometimes I think I shouldn't be putting them in a quilt. Then some of the same fabrics from the same manufacturer are heavier all in the same price range.

I can get out 30 different fabrics for a project and there are many many different weights of fabric, so just wondering. I know there are different processes but do you think expensive thin fabrics last as long as the same priced heavier fabrics? I hope I explained this well enough. Please help. Thank you.

Onebyone

Thread count makes the weight of the fabric. The ply of the thread is included in the thread count. A less ply thread from quality cotton is better then a high ply thread made from less quality cotton. So some thin fabrics are weak and some thin fabric are strong all due to the quality of the thread used.

hairquilt

I immediately thought of reading an article about fabric-shot cotton is used by K Fassett a lot and it is very thin fabric. I think he is a awesome artist! If it's the color you need you can use interfacing etc. guess what I mean is it's not so much about the thick or thin of fabric so much as from the artist eye use what you love be it color,txture,movement etc. I do think the well known designer fabric is more expensive but Oh Well you're payng for their creativity!!Others on this Board can explain it better than I can! I just buy what I love no matter what the weight!

ManiacQuilter2

I found when selling fabrics that Hoffman and RK were the heaviest. I always assume it was the quality of the fabric.

Marcy J.

There is a definite difference in thread count in the fabric being sold today. I have some of the more popular manufacturers' fabric dating about 10 years ago. It is beautiful quality compared with what I can buy in the quilt stores today. They wash better, do not wrinkle as much and sew easily without raveling. The cost of fabric has gone up, but it seems the quality has gone down.

Onebyone

Not many cotton farmers grow the superior extra long staple cotton plants that was the norm years ago. I guess the hybrid plants produce more cotton boles per plant.

joe'smom

I've wondered about this, too. Some fabric feels coarser and heavier, others feel lighter and very silky. I concluded that weight didn't necessarily indicate better quality, since it was usually less expensive fabrics that had a heavier, coarser feel.

Pennyhal

I too have noticed the lack of quality fabric available. I find the heavier weight of quilting cotton easier to work with.

juneayerza

I want to know, how you know, you are getting good quality fabric period.

lisalovesquilting

Me too. Is there a way to determine thread count besides the way a fabric feels?