Originally Posted by katier825
Originally Posted by ChristineD
I am always wondering what those $2, $3, and $4 dollar a yard fabrics are like. Will I be able to see through them, will they fall apart in the washer? Makes me leary unless I am in a shop to actually handle them.
I am also very close to Shipshewana and have several local quilt shops near by. So I buy very little online. I am all about the bargains though. If it were a great price and I recognized the line...I would buy online.
Christine
IF you get the major brands at a good discount, they are just as nice as the quilt shop quality. But some of the cheaper ones at Joann's I recently bought were terrible to work with. Some that I bought 1/2 off the reg. $3.99 price were stiff as a board even after washing. Some were so loose it was like sewing gauze. Some wrinkle so much I wonder if they will ever smooth out. Joann's does have some nice fabrics, but of course those are the more expensive ones. Personally, I'd rather spend $9/yd at the quilt shop than $8 (sale price) for Joann's good stuff. It's not that much difference and I like the quality that much better.
There are several places online that you can purchase the major brands for about $4-6/yd. I've even bought batiks for less than $4 - brand names and the quality is just as nice.
joann's is an exception, IMHO. the fabric they sell online is made by name companies, but to their own specs. so it's not the same quality. i would never buy their fabrics online. once stung, etc. however some, SOME, of the fabric in their stores is okay. their higher priced kona is real kona as we all know it. on the other hand, their timeless treasure is no treasure. overall, their quality is going downhill in all their fabrics. i think manufacturers are supplying goods to joann's at a certain price point in exchange for the guarantee of big sales. but to meet the agreed-upon price, the fabric suffers.
the best place to get good quality designer fabric in a full line with no limit on yardage remains a good LQS that will order more for you. they will stand behind their product to keep their customer base.
if you don't care about full lines or limited yardage or waiting for back orders or hit-or-miss opportunities, than you can also look online. most of the legit sites also stand behind what they sell, but you have to pay for return shipping (there are some exceptions) and you can't simply change your mind. i have ordered online fabric on sale and then in the same week seen it on clearance on another site. win some, lose some. still a great buy. kaffe fassett.
so if you're a touchy-feely person, unfamiliar with a particular manufacturer's quality who needs hand-on service, an LQS ids definitely the way for you to go.