Difference between fabrics
06-05-2010, 02:34 PM
#1
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Suffolk, UK
Posts: 3,518
Hi Guys,
Whilst in a quilting shop a few weeks ago, I was told by the store owner that if I ever get to the US that I should not buy my fabrics from the chain stores as they are not a good quality as the LQS..... is this true?
Hugs
Caroline
Whilst in a quilting shop a few weeks ago, I was told by the store owner that if I ever get to the US that I should not buy my fabrics from the chain stores as they are not a good quality as the LQS..... is this true?
Hugs
Caroline
06-05-2010, 02:40 PM
#3
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: New Hampshire
Posts: 3,699
It depends on the chain. Check this board and you will get ideas. Wal Marts have stopped carrying fabrics in some of their stores. If you find a Wal Mart with fabric you have to be carefule, some of it is not good. Joann's carries good fabric, but you still have to check it. I'm not sure where you are going in the US but if you are in New England, you may want to take a trip to Marden's in Sanford, Maine. They sell LQS quality fabrics at $2.99 and $3.99 a yard. Their selection is constantly changing so if you see something you like, buy it. I have read other people talking about Marshall's Dry Goods in Arkansas. They sell quality fabric at a discount as well. I am sure other members can point you to stores in their area of the country as well. Marden's does not sell fabric on line, but Marshall's Dry Goods does.
06-05-2010, 02:43 PM
#4
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Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Ohio
Posts: 17,068
Hi Caroline- hope you're doing better!! Good to "see you" :D
I agree that there is a vast difference in quality. While I agree with both responses above I've never gotten bad fabric from a LQS- my experience.
Hugs, Sue
I agree that there is a vast difference in quality. While I agree with both responses above I've never gotten bad fabric from a LQS- my experience.
Hugs, Sue
06-05-2010, 03:36 PM
#5
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Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Illinois
Posts: 9,312
It is true that the quilt shops generally carry only higher quality goods. But there are a few indepedent stores that carry end of runs, or discontinued top quality at significantly lower prices.
Just educate your self in how to recoginize higher quality fabric from lower. One is the amount of threads , if you can see the outline of your hand thru a single layer it is a low quality ( very little cotton per inch).
Examine the print , it should have clearly defined patterns. Screen prints tend to be very high quality. When looking at fabrics that have what seems to be great colors and depth. Look at the Selvage ... often highly appealing prints have over 10 colors in the registration. Some have as many as 20 , this give the fabric wonderful shading.
Many times a cheap fabric can be made to appear higher in quality by the finish ( starch and or Sizing). Fabrics that seem unusally stiff for a cotton quilting is hiding its poor quality. If its thin but seems to have a stiffness , avoid. Chances are it will sew OK , but once washed will not have any "body " or a desirable hand.
Granted most fabrics are prewashed by the quilter to preshrink ,and check color fastness , but cheaply made goods will reveal them selves in the first few washes.
While discussing color fastness. No manufacture is immune to having a fabric run , but the cheap fabrics , run and keep running. I have on occasion checked the fabric at the counter prior to cutting , by using a damp white cloth on a corner ( yes I have been known to keep this in a zip lock bag in my purse). Deeper color fabrics are most prone to running.
Beleive it or not a give away to cheap goods is the care the manufacture winds the fabric on the bolt. Higher end manufactures pay close attention to making sure that when the fabric is cut off the bolt the straight of grain is parrallel to the bolt. I can not tell you how many time I have been at a chain Store ( Jo Ann's ) and the fabrics a so poorly wound on the bolt that when the cut a yard , by the time I get it home and straighten the grain , I have as much as 8 inches or more that it lost. ( this is a pet pieve of mine) .
I can go on forever on this topic but ... bottom line ..learn to reconginize good quality from poor. It is a skill you will use just as much as learning to sew a 1/4 inch seam.
Just educate your self in how to recoginize higher quality fabric from lower. One is the amount of threads , if you can see the outline of your hand thru a single layer it is a low quality ( very little cotton per inch).
Examine the print , it should have clearly defined patterns. Screen prints tend to be very high quality. When looking at fabrics that have what seems to be great colors and depth. Look at the Selvage ... often highly appealing prints have over 10 colors in the registration. Some have as many as 20 , this give the fabric wonderful shading.
Many times a cheap fabric can be made to appear higher in quality by the finish ( starch and or Sizing). Fabrics that seem unusally stiff for a cotton quilting is hiding its poor quality. If its thin but seems to have a stiffness , avoid. Chances are it will sew OK , but once washed will not have any "body " or a desirable hand.
Granted most fabrics are prewashed by the quilter to preshrink ,and check color fastness , but cheaply made goods will reveal them selves in the first few washes.
While discussing color fastness. No manufacture is immune to having a fabric run , but the cheap fabrics , run and keep running. I have on occasion checked the fabric at the counter prior to cutting , by using a damp white cloth on a corner ( yes I have been known to keep this in a zip lock bag in my purse). Deeper color fabrics are most prone to running.
Beleive it or not a give away to cheap goods is the care the manufacture winds the fabric on the bolt. Higher end manufactures pay close attention to making sure that when the fabric is cut off the bolt the straight of grain is parrallel to the bolt. I can not tell you how many time I have been at a chain Store ( Jo Ann's ) and the fabrics a so poorly wound on the bolt that when the cut a yard , by the time I get it home and straighten the grain , I have as much as 8 inches or more that it lost. ( this is a pet pieve of mine) .
I can go on forever on this topic but ... bottom line ..learn to reconginize good quality from poor. It is a skill you will use just as much as learning to sew a 1/4 inch seam.
06-05-2010, 03:40 PM
#6
Super Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Suffolk, UK
Posts: 3,518
Thanks Guys,
As always, you are all so helpful. Thank you Sue, it's good gto be around again... even managed some sewing today... although the quilt I am working in is a doosey!!!!
We may be going to the USA (Hawaii) in September/October and of course we will have to have a stop over and I am trying to get DH to stay a couple of days so I can shop for fabric! Don't know where the stop over will be yet!
Hugs to all
Caroline
As always, you are all so helpful. Thank you Sue, it's good gto be around again... even managed some sewing today... although the quilt I am working in is a doosey!!!!
We may be going to the USA (Hawaii) in September/October and of course we will have to have a stop over and I am trying to get DH to stay a couple of days so I can shop for fabric! Don't know where the stop over will be yet!
Hugs to all
Caroline
06-05-2010, 08:49 PM
#9
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 2,189
Originally Posted by CarolinePaj
Thanks Guys,
As always, you are all so helpful. Thank you Sue, it's good gto be around again... even managed some sewing today... although the quilt I am working in is a doosey!!!!
We may be going to the USA (Hawaii) in September/October and of course we will have to have a stop over and I am trying to get DH to stay a couple of days so I can shop for fabric! Don't know where the stop over will be yet!
Hugs to all
Caroline
As always, you are all so helpful. Thank you Sue, it's good gto be around again... even managed some sewing today... although the quilt I am working in is a doosey!!!!
We may be going to the USA (Hawaii) in September/October and of course we will have to have a stop over and I am trying to get DH to stay a couple of days so I can shop for fabric! Don't know where the stop over will be yet!
Hugs to all
Caroline
GotFabric.com
933 Kanoelehua Avenue
Hilo, Hawaii 96720 USA
06-05-2010, 09:00 PM
#10
Power Poster
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Ohio
Posts: 17,068
Originally Posted by Lori S
It is true that the quilt shops generally carry only higher quality goods. But there are a few indepedent stores that carry end of runs, or discontinued top quality at significantly lower prices.
Just educate your self in how to recoginize higher quality fabric from lower. One is the amount of threads , if you can see the outline of your hand thru a single layer it is a low quality ( very little cotton per inch).
Examine the print , it should have clearly defined patterns. Screen prints tend to be very high quality. When looking at fabrics that have what seems to be great colors and depth. Look at the Selvage ... often highly appealing prints have over 10 colors in the registration. Some have as many as 20 , this give the fabric wonderful shading.
Many times a cheap fabric can be made to appear higher in quality by the finish ( starch and or Sizing). Fabrics that seem unusally stiff for a cotton quilting is hiding its poor quality. If its thin but seems to have a stiffness , avoid. Chances are it will sew OK , but once washed will not have any "body " or a desirable hand.
Granted most fabrics are prewashed by the quilter to preshrink ,and check color fastness , but cheaply made goods will reveal them selves in the first few washes.
While discussing color fastness. No manufacture is immune to having a fabric run , but the cheap fabrics , run and keep running. I have on occasion checked the fabric at the counter prior to cutting , by using a damp white cloth on a corner ( yes I have been known to keep this in a zip lock bag in my purse). Deeper color fabrics are most prone to running.
Beleive it or not a give away to cheap goods is the care the manufacture winds the fabric on the bolt. Higher end manufactures pay close attention to making sure that when the fabric is cut off the bolt the straight of grain is parrallel to the bolt. I can not tell you how many time I have been at a chain Store ( Jo Ann's ) and the fabrics a so poorly wound on the bolt that when the cut a yard , by the time I get it home and straighten the grain , I have as much as 8 inches or more that it lost. ( this is a pet pieve of mine) .
I can go on forever on this topic but ... bottom line ..learn to reconginize good quality from poor. It is a skill you will use just as much as learning to sew a 1/4 inch seam.
Just educate your self in how to recoginize higher quality fabric from lower. One is the amount of threads , if you can see the outline of your hand thru a single layer it is a low quality ( very little cotton per inch).
Examine the print , it should have clearly defined patterns. Screen prints tend to be very high quality. When looking at fabrics that have what seems to be great colors and depth. Look at the Selvage ... often highly appealing prints have over 10 colors in the registration. Some have as many as 20 , this give the fabric wonderful shading.
Many times a cheap fabric can be made to appear higher in quality by the finish ( starch and or Sizing). Fabrics that seem unusally stiff for a cotton quilting is hiding its poor quality. If its thin but seems to have a stiffness , avoid. Chances are it will sew OK , but once washed will not have any "body " or a desirable hand.
Granted most fabrics are prewashed by the quilter to preshrink ,and check color fastness , but cheaply made goods will reveal them selves in the first few washes.
While discussing color fastness. No manufacture is immune to having a fabric run , but the cheap fabrics , run and keep running. I have on occasion checked the fabric at the counter prior to cutting , by using a damp white cloth on a corner ( yes I have been known to keep this in a zip lock bag in my purse). Deeper color fabrics are most prone to running.
Beleive it or not a give away to cheap goods is the care the manufacture winds the fabric on the bolt. Higher end manufactures pay close attention to making sure that when the fabric is cut off the bolt the straight of grain is parrallel to the bolt. I can not tell you how many time I have been at a chain Store ( Jo Ann's ) and the fabrics a so poorly wound on the bolt that when the cut a yard , by the time I get it home and straighten the grain , I have as much as 8 inches or more that it lost. ( this is a pet pieve of mine) .
I can go on forever on this topic but ... bottom line ..learn to reconginize good quality from poor. It is a skill you will use just as much as learning to sew a 1/4 inch seam.
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