Originally Posted by
MissSongbird
I always hear Joanns and like fabric stores always getting a bad rap from, primarily, quilters. Why is it so?
I understand that Joanns, and such, does not always have the best quality fabric, compared to LQS, but I don’t think it is as bad as people make it out to be. I’ve heard several quilters say “real quilters” don’t shop at Joanns (and most of us know that is ridiculous!).
I don’t have much of a choice when buying my fabric. As some of you know, I’m a college student and money is always tight. I love the fabric at my LQS, but unless I really, REALLY want it, I won’t buy it, because I can’t afford it. And the thing is when I shop at Joanns I always make sure to get the nicer quality fabric. If a fabric doesn’t feel right, I won’t buy it.
(Plus I don’t think the best quilts have to be made out of the best fabric out there. The only time quality of fabric should be judged relatively harsh is when it is entered in a quilt show – and even then sometimes it isn’t the most important aspect of the quilt.)<o
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I always bought the best fabric that I could afford, whether it be JoAnn's, Wal-Mart or a LQS. A friend of mine discovered a LQS that had $3.99 fabric - it was the same fabric that had been on their shelves, but they were making room for new fabric. Between the two of us we would keep the people working there busy cutting fabric. My Mom taught me years and years ago what to look for in fabric, and that's when you could buy fabric in the Dime Stores (I know I am really going back a long time, when fabric was less than $1/yard) and it was a lesson well learned. I have seen not so great fabric at Wal-Mart, JoAnn's, and sometimes the LQS, and I have gotten some pretty decent fabric at those same places. My advice would be to buy the best fabric that you can afford, and look for sales, although at JoAnn's they sometimes make it difficult to find fabrics on sale, or it's on sale and you have a coupon and it won't work when something is on sale. However, I have found some great fabric in the Red Tag section, you just have to check it out and when that reduced price is 50% off, yippee. I was just there and picked up a nice remnant piece of fleece, and I got 50% off that price. Sometimes you just have to be in the right place at the right time. I know I got a little gabby (LOL), but be true to yourself and don't listen to the Quilt Police or even the Fabric Police, unless you can see an official badge. LOL. I hope you continue to sew and quilt for a long time to come - I've been sewing for 60 years and it's been a very important part of my life,especially now that I'm retired. Happy sewing.