Welcome to the world of quilting. I agree with "buy what and where you can afford". There is nothing wrong with Joann fabrics. There are some people who resent big box stores like Walmart, Home Depot, Lowes, Joann's, Hobby Lobby, etc. Ignore them. Yes, I like to buy from a local small business if I can, but the next best thing is to think about the local people the big box stores employ. Fabric is fabric and you find a variety of qualities in every fabric store - even your local quilt shop. Enjoy your class.