I stared out using cheaper fabric from Joanns but I soon discovered that most of the time you get what you pay for. Now I shop quilt shops and quilt shows. My stash grows more slowly but the color and feel of the fabric is so much better. The only exception to this rule is batik, fleece, flannel, and oilcloth. The better fabrics are so much easier to work with and they produce a much nicer quilt.:)