Originally Posted by june6995
A few months ago Patrice told us that only a few textile mills are still producing fabrics in the US. Patrice, correct me on this one please! Good quality is difficult to find at an affordable price.
it would take some serious research to verify this, so i can't state this as
fact. after a bit of digging around on the internet, my general
impression is that almost none of the fabric made for quilting is manufactured in the united states. even Cranston Mills moved their production overseas earlier this year.
Connecting Threads sells fabric made from cotton grown in the US and "woven and printed in North America". since they specifiy where the cotton is grown, but not where it's printed, i assume it's printed outside the US.
i'd prefer to "buy American", just as i'm sure anybody from another country would prefer to buy fabrics made in their country. but in the end, we all have to shop for what we can afford. personally, i'm just tickled pink whenever i find something i like that fits my budget and isn't made in china. :roll:
PatriceJ "Defines" Price - (assumes fabrics are not on sale)
$2 - $4.50 ... reasonable
$4.50 - $6 ... expensive, but unfortunately in the middle of the going range of prices so ... whatcha gonna do? :roll:
$6-$8 ... i had better like it so much i'll lose sleep if i don't have it
$8 - $9.95 ... ARE YOU KIDDING ME? only if i have searched high and low for an alternative and it's absolutely the only thing that will work for my project.
$10 and up ... no way, no how, not ever
to me, "quality" is determined by (1) whether or not i can see through it without holding it up to the light; (2) whether or not the weave is tight enough to hold up to a lot of use and washing; (3) my "gut feeling" about how much it might shrink or bleed; and (4) how it feels.
it is my
strictly personal opinion that
all of Joann's quilting fabrics are waaaaaaaaay overpriced. i save money buying from the LQS compared to shopping at my nearest Joann's. i only feel i'm paying a price that fits the quality when their least expensive fabs are on sale for at least 50% off. i feel the same way about hancock's fabrics. since walmart has started raising their prices on fabric, some of them have also shifted to a price that does not reflect the quality.
almost none of the fabrics i've bought from walmart have either shrunk or bled. nearly all of the "shop" fabrics shrink and some have bled. in fact, i never felt the need to prewash until i started buying expensive fabrics.
once i've decided for myself where a fabric falls on my "personal quality scale" i look at the price. if the price fits the quality AND i can afford it, then i consider that fabric to be a good value. if i like it, i'll buy it. if i don't, i won't. it's as simple as that.
i am as proud of the quilts i've made from wallyworld as those made from the pricey stuff. i think each quilter should buy what she/he wants to buy and the rest of us should (1) mind our own business; and (2) keep our noses out of the air. :wink: