I saw an ad for fabric on Craigslist, and it showed a big tub of fabric for $50. In the tub are plastic bags of folded fabric, each bag containing multiple shades of a color.

I called the seller, and she said she bought it from a woman who made dolls for Fisher Price (I'm thinking this had to be a looooong time ago).

The good part? It would be a great opportunity to get every shade of solid you could ever want, all nicely organized and stored in bags.

The bad part -- she has no idea if the fabric is cotton, cotton/poly, or just polyester.

She lives in another town, and I'm not sure I want to drive there just to feel the fabric and find it thin and of an unsuitable quality. But I love the idea of getting all those shades of colors.

Can't make my mind up if someone sewed dolls for a big company if she'd have used cotton or non-cotton.

Whaddya think?

You could ask her to burn test a couple of snips for you...or ask her if you could randomly take a few small corners of fabric while there to burn test. And explain why you need to do this to see if the fabric will work for you.

It would be a gamble to drive there and see/feel the fabric. Personally, I wouldn't do it for $50 unless I knew I could absolutely use it and would like it.

I'd think poly/cotton blend....but there's nothing to say you couldn't use it in quilting.

If she would test it for you great! Save you a trip. If not, how far away is it? More than 30 minutes away...I think I would pass unless I was going that way for something else.

I know I could still use it if it's not cotton, and I would, as I'm not a fabric snob, but I hate not knowing. I mean, within each bag, there could be some of each, so I'd never know what I was using.

If I could get it for free, oh, yeah, but to pay $50, that's what makes me hesitate. I don't think I can ask her to do burn tests (I did think of that fleetingly) because since she is not a quilter, she doesn't see any problem. I think she'd rather sell the fabric to someone who doesn't care that much. Plus, I'd potentially have to burn each piece!

She is just under a half hour away, so I did tell her I'd call her if/when I was in the area to see if she still had it.

Sigh. I think it's not meant to be...

Umm...not using poly in quilts isn't being a snob, it's preference. I won't use it, because I hate the feeling/texture and it absolutely stinks when being ironed. Plus it doesn't look as nice or piece as nicely as cotton. :>

I have kinda the same situation, saw a craigslist ad in the area, where someone listed quilt patterns, they say well over 500!! But I am afraid it might all be magazines. So I told him when i was in the area, i would call and come by to look at them. they won't take the time to type up a partial list of the names of the patterns.

If you are undecided... that MIGHT be your intuition telling you something. My husband and I rely on this second-sense to guide us all the time. We buy on Craig's list, periodically, too, and when it doesn't feel right, we pass.

When I was dating (LONG ago), I would go to my friends and ask them what they thought about my boyfriend; when I married my husband, I didn't ask anybody. I knew. Not the same, but it works the same way.

I like the idea of having the woman do the burn test for you... if she will. Then you will have more clear information.

From Kathryn Kistner in Texas, who's now saying,
"You'll know if it feels right."

Good luck! Let us know what happens!

If material origianlly came from Fisher Price doll making, think about the purchase. It may be pretty old, and depending on how it was stored could be unuseable, rotten, old mildewed, whatever.
On the other hand you could end up with some really great retro materials that are not available on the market today. Decisions, decisions!