Originally Posted by PatriceJ
i keep track of which fabric manufacturers produce things i like and which don't. then i search for the lowest prices.
Now Patrice has said a mouthful :D
There are great bargains to be had on quality fabric from a variety of places. I've found Red Rooster on E-Bay that comes to under $4 a yard with shipping figured in; one of my fav LQS has their clearance table fabric at $2.99 a yard and there is a whole list of online stores in the Links section that offer specials. Most days, it's actually fun to hunt :-)
I don't think there is anything wrong with using whatever fabric is affordable. Like Patrice says, price doesn't determine quality no matter where you shop. It's true that some 'less expensively made' fabrics will be far more trouble than the money saved is worth. That can be especially problematic when one is new to quilting and not sure if the problem is the operator, the equipment or the supplies. That is the only reason I choose and recommend the fabrics that I do - it has nothing to do with status, snobbery or any other such foolishness I just don't have time or energy for.
Let's assume that we're talking about good quality fabric that we've managed to get inexpensively, and not jump to the conclusion that quality = snobbery or that inexpensive = cheap. :wink: