Has anyone taken squares from different fabrics - specifically some from chain stores and fancy/high end brands and sewn them together and then run them through "torture tests" to see how the various fabrics hold up over hard use?

Keep one set in an "unwashed" set, and then do whatever with the rest of them? And then evaluate them?

I haven't done this - but I was wondering if any one has?

Im too poor to torture fabric...but I too have wondered how certain fabrics would hold up, would be fun to try.

I've done it unofficially in a quilt I made for my son. The cheap (cost and quality) fabric was unpredictable -- some of it faded excessively, some of it just decayed, some held up quite well. The more expensive, brand name, quilt shop fabric looks much better, 13 years and many thousands of washings, tent constructions, and draggings over the ground later.

My experience with that quilt (and others like it) leads me to strongly prefer to use high end fabrics for my quilts, when I can afford to.

RST

I did a mix on a quilt for my grandson and after many washings one fabric is almost completely gone! It was a cheap $1.47 per yard fabric but the only thing I could find to match, Won't make that mistake again.

I have a blue and tan quilt - bought ALL the fabrics at Northwest Fabrics when they were around - one of the navy ones has faded excessively, and most of the other ones have held up "fairly well"

My mother made a quilt for my oldest daughter. It is in tatters. But it is 30 years old and has been washed A LOT. I'm sure it was just some squares she picked up somewhere cheap. Tatters or not it is still loved. DGD wants it.

I machine quilted a 1/2 yard of David's Textile fabric bought at Walmart with poly bobbin thread and cotton thread on top, cotton batting. I toss it in every load of laundry I do and it's been through at least four washing and drying a week for months now. No shredding, some fading (it goes in the bleach wash too), no weakening of fabric anywhere. David's Textile fabric is $2.79 at the Walmart close by that still has fabric. I buy 3 - 5 yards each of the new David Textile fabric that WalMart gets in every month. I'm going to increase my amount because it's too good to last.

This is very good to hear and know BellaBoo!!
Thank you for the question bearisgray and for the information BellaBoo :D:D:D

Does giving a quilt to a 1 year old count as torture test? So far mine has held up fine. Colors are fading some cause DD uses a lot of bleach, but other than that they are all doing well.

Yep, daughters quilt was made from all Wal-Mart/Jo-anns fabrics almost 10 years ago. She has used it as a picnic blanket.......and when I saw it last summer it had faded some, but it was still together and holding up well. Batting was 80/20 cotton poly with cotton thread.