You live in Houston where there are many quilt shops within 40 miles. Visit 1 or 2 of those and feel the fabric from manufacturers like Moda, Blank, Maywood, Kaufman, etc. and see how they feel in your hands.
Go ahead and buy a half yard of one that feels especially wonderful to you.
Take that with you when you shop at places like Hobby Lobby and chain stores; compare the "hand" of those store's fabrics to the piece you bought in the quilt shop, and see if you can tell a difference.
Jan in VA