betty32084

I turn "not suited for quilting" fabrics into grocery tote bags.we have 2 grocery stores here that do not furnish bags for your groceries.So I made my own.Serves 2 purposes.got rid of unwanted fabrics and can bag my own groceries cheaper now.

Onebyone

I don't care what type of fabric others buy or use, not my business to care about that. My business is what I use. I will offer my opinion if I'm asked but don't expect anyone to change their minds by my answer.

RedGarnet222

The point wasn't made, so excuse me if I make it. The quality fabrics are so much easier to work with and the end product is astoundingly apparent. All that being said, you have to consider the end use of the item when making it. There are things that can be made with the less quality fabrics. Crafts come to mind. Or to give it to someone who is just learning to quilt to practice with.

Jeanne S

if the fabrics are serviceable just not to your taste now, use them up in charity quilts or give them away. Don't hang onto them. I have some of the original stuff I acquired to build a stash before I knew what I liked, and need to do the same thing. You can also sell "destash" lots of fabric on eBay.

patski

Many guilds would love the fabric, I make beads of courage bags and everything works for lining. CHeck out beads of courage.org. these bags are used by kids with serious illnesses and they just love them and the beads they collect. There is always a use for fabric

carolynjo

Glad you are down-sizing. Over the next 18 months I will be getting rid of everything! We are going into independent living after we sell our house and everything must go. I have a daughter who doesn't sew or quilt, nor do my two GD's. My only recourse is to donate to my 3 surrogate granddaughters and they know they will be getting it all--or what they want. That includes at least 1, maybe 2, sewing machines. This week, I am going to batch 2 long shelves of quilt books an my son will sell them on Amazon or Half dot com. I love all my stuff, but it is time to take a deep breath and let it go.

Monika

I have been to the Fat Quail several times. Very nice shop.

RuthiesRetreat3

This is not snobbery. It's development of your mind, eye, sense of touch, sense of 'seeing' into the future project. It's the difference between toddlers and adults. The difference between pb&j and fillet mignon. You're okay.

Mrs. SewNSew

Thank you. I had started a project using my scraps and set it aside when I really started looking at the fabrics. I have the plans in the works for my next quilt. I will try and get nicer fabric for it since ultimately I plan to give it to my youngest son who plans to move out and get his own apartment this year.

In the meantime I am still piddling around with the project I had started. One 12" square has become 3 with a chance of adding just one more. I'm not sure what to do with it yet but I don't want to waste the fabric I had already cut.

letawellman

With all of the comments about not having good fabric sources close by, I am reminded yet again how blessed I am to live in the Carolinas.
The two states together have about 60+ LQS's. That's NOT counting places like Hobby Lobby or JoAnn's. And I am so fortunate to have Mary Jo's Cloth store (a.k.a. Quilter's Heaven). With the recent recession, we lost a few, but often, within a year or so of one closing, some enterprising person will realize the "hole" in the quilting community, and open a new one.

I have about 10 LQS's within an hour to hour-and-a-half drive, several of which I pass on my commute to work (and one of those is Mary Jo's).

Heck, even the WalMart's in my area have fabric - but it is mostly junky fabric there. I only buy from there when I'm in a big hurry and HAVE to have something RIGHT NOW BECAUSE IT'S SUNDAY/MONDAY AND THE LQS IS CLOSED!!


With that said, I'm definitely a fabric snob. I really love how certain fabrics "feel" (textile companies call this "the hand" of the fabric), which includes how they drape and flow. The better fabrics are easier to stitch, both when joining the seam and when quilting the sandwich. The not-so-good fabrics will often have "unidentified" materials in them - you may see the content label saying something like "cotton, nylon, other". What?!? What do you mean "other"? That unidentified "other" can cause vast differences in shrinking and dye bleeding, even within the same bolt.
If being a fabric snob means I like quality fabric that will stand up to normal wear-and-tear, will not shrink 50% the first time I wash it, and will not disintegrate the second time I wash it, then, yes, I am absolutely a fabric snob.

I'm just super-blessed with all the LQS's around me.