This has been a good discussion, lots learned here, I know I appreciate learning. I've had a national teacher showing her absolutely stunning quilts, and pointing out fabrics from Walmart or JoAnns and then the rest is quilt shops.
She blended because she buys what she "feels", or likes.
Some swear by hand dyed. I've spent as high as $28/yd in Portland OR, for something I'd never seen in ND before, stunning & different..that was highly unusual. I've spent $24 for FQ of hand dyed silk, also unusual, but it would go perfect with a project I wanted to do. And I buy at Walmart & chain fabric stores as well as my local quilt shops. I do prefer the smaller fabric shops, in Oregon, we went to one for 3 hrs and didn't cover 1/6th of this huge place of fabrics.
BTW, does anyone know why Daisy Kingdom went out of business? I've seen panels sold on ebay for $15-$18 ea, that I remember buying for $2 & $5 ea. When I went to Portland (went to OR for Sisters OR out door quilt show), I looked forward to the Daisy Kingdom outlet, had bought a few years ago at quarter & 50 cent panels/yd, and didn't realize it was gone. Disappointed, I liked their items for little girls especially.. have new grandchildren is why I was interested again.