I get frustrated, aggravated, exasperated and intimidated by this kind of thread. MY problem is I just don't have the money to buy the "best" fabrics.......I enjoy quilting and am thrilled when I make someout out of a JA's fabric that looks half way decent ! When I think back to our ancestors making quilts they didn't have LQS, JA's, Wm"s, etc...they had to use what they had. If I could I'd buy the finest quality fabric i could fine,but I can't. I'm retired, live on a very limited income, am somewhat disabled, can't work even if I could find a job...no one wants to hire a 65 year old these days anyway ! My heart and my gut tell me to do the best that I can with what I have; I really don't care if these quilts last 50 years or not, I make them for the moment, the joy and the joy of sharing them with my loved ones.
I still have some clothes of my 30 year old daughter that I smocked for her when she was younger; most of the fabric came from the local Hancocks and still looks GOOD ! Too, I have several framed cross stitch and needle work items that I did in the early 80's and the supplies came from Leewards (remember them?), Joann's, etc......I have one needlework pillow that I bought the supplies from a local needlework shop and it looks like crap.....colors have faded terribly.
Again, work with what you have available and enjoy it !
Years back I somehow met this this very old woman that loved to crochet....she had the thin cotton thread and a bent safety pin.......my then husband took it upon himself to take this woman to a local craft store for her to buy her selection of crocheting thread and a selection of crochet hooks......she was thrilled...but you know what ? Her work wasn't any more beautiful than when she was using what she had !