I'm with Mary.

One afternoon, a worker at my LQS spent over an hour with me helping me audition backgrounds for my (poorly chosen) main fabrics. She didn't tell me to start over because my choices weren't the best but helped me with good nature. Granted it was slow but her attention was really appreciated. When I decided to scrap it and start over, she was there to help me again. This is what I love about using an LQS.

And I especially like it when they point me to another shop when my main shop doesn't carry, or isn't inclined to order, fabric choices that I need.

And...the prices aren't always higher than on-line. For example, I wanted to buy a brand of pins that aren't readily available just anywhere on line. When I priced them from the vendors on line and added in shipping, it was cheaper to buy them at the LQS.

I know not everybody can afford to patronize the LQS but, if you can, please reserve at least a portion of your spending for the local little guy.

Off my soapbox - I know I didn't answer your question about CT. I've never used them. Sorry.

I haven't bought their fabric yet but do their threads as most of us do in this area and it is a great quality thread. It doesn't break or cause messes with your machines unlike others brands out there.

Since I've never seen their fabric can't really say much about that however many others buy the fabric and love it and IMHO it has to be better than what JoAnn's, Hancocks, Walmart offers at a better price than they do.

I was in JoAnn's yesterday and was shocked to see the quality of the fabric at 9 a yard and looks very much like what Walmart offers at almost 7 dollars a yard. I can go to my LQS in a neighboring town and get alot better fabric than what these two places offer for about $5.95 a yard and if you watch the sale table get it at $3.98 a yard.

Thank you for reminding me to use my LQS. I live 45 minutes away from one and 1 1/2 hour from the rest so I've been lazy lately. I hardly shop at CT, but do shop at other online shops. And you are so right about the help you get. Last week I went to my LQS that's 45 min. away and bought two books I would never have seen online and I needed some red for the Christmas stockings. She said she didn't really have any great reds at the moment, but she grabbed her bag and pulled out her own personal stash (of red) and cut me off how much I needed and didn't even charge me. I think I need to think like you. I need advice all the time and online stores don't do that. I only buy quilt kits online, never yardage because I can't tell if the colors go together. I need to keep our LQS in business. Thank you for the very good advice!!!!!

Ever who is making the decisions at CT is brilliant. CT went the Eleanor Burns way to build up the business for the future.

Question for everyone - the one time I ordered a llittle fabric from CT I was very disappointed in the quality. Has it improved?

Knitpicks.com is the same... they have super inexpensive yarn and notions.


How does the quality of the CT fabric compare to lqs fabric? Say Amy Butler or Michael Miller? How does it compare to Joanns "quilter" fabric?

I may not be able to buy as much from my LQS as a could from an online store but I'd still rather shop there. I'd hate to see them have to close their doors. Plus, I want to see, touch and compare my fabric before I buy it.

CT use to sell fabric that I think was not manufactured by them. The fabric is now just as good as other quilt shop fabrics in durability. The finish may not be the same and the colors are more muted but the quality is very good. I read somewhere the colors are not as vivid because only natural dyes are used. I don't know about that. I have no complaints about any fabric I have bought there. I shop where the items I want are the cheapest for the quality I want. I won't buy from a local shop if the prices are double what I can find elsewhere. That's just common sense.

For me shopping online is a blessing, my nearest quilt shop is an hour + away and with gas prices what they are, I can pay the shipping and still come out ahead. I do purchase by mail from the quilt shop when I need something, assuming they have it. The LQS is very good about mailing to the people who are farther away. They also have some good sales and they know what I like and will email me when they are having a sale.
I do get my thread from Connecting Threads as I really like the cotton thread. I've occasionally ordered some fabric from CT and have always been very satisfied with what I received.

CT is having their fabrics manufactured for them, probably in China. Everything is made for them to their specifications.
It is not the same as buying a fabric such as Moda or Kaufmann or any of the other large manufacturers. Yes, they also have their fabrics manufactured for them outside the country but they first are hiring well known designers to design the fabrics for them, CT is not. CT will not sell to retailers and that in itself keeps the prices lower. They have eliminated the middle man.
I have used their fabrics and their threads. I find their threads to be way too linty for me, my opinion only. I have found that their fabrics are getting thinner. I found that some of their older fabrics to have a better weight. I good way to try some of their fabrics is to get a charm pack of the styles you like and you can see, touch and work with the fabrics at a very low cost to see just how they work for you. I will use some of their fabrics depending on just what I am making.