Originally Posted by
Prism99
I believe only solid colors are cotton broadcloth. Broadcloth refers to a type of manufacturing process. Most of the quilting cottons we use (including muslin) are not broadcloth. I've often wondered why solid colors are always broadcloth. I'm thinking the manufacturing process may promote colorfastness of solid colors. Not sure, though.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broadcloth
Not ALL solids are broadcloth. American Made Brand from Clothworks, for example, has a 78x74 weave, closer to quilting cottons and shirtings. Quality quilting cottons are generally 68 or more threads per inch (TPI), batiks range from 130x78 to over 200 TPI. When thread count gets too high, it's hard to needle.
Thread count isn't everything and can often be very deceiving. You have to know if they are counting the entire thread or the ply within the thread and what the yarn size is, for instance. Don't be a thread count snob, judge by the actual feel of the fabric, it's hand, and you'll do just fine.
