bearisgray

I do think that different lines of fabric might be available from one manufacturer or distributor.

HOWEVER, I am reasonably sure that Item #XYZ from manufacturer ABC would be the same no matter where it was sold/purchased.

Pennyhal

It is my understanding that mfg companies will make cheaper fabric in the same line for sale in certain stores. I often wondered why when I went to one store and the fabric was fabulous, but at another store, it was lousy. I think what may be happening is that fabric is getting very costly to buy, so the mfg might be making fabric with lesser thread count so that they can sell if for less. The cotton crop has not done well these past few years which is pushing cotton costs up.

Daylesewblessed

My dad (small grains farmer) used to tell me that a box of Wheaties had 3 cents worth of wheat in it using grain prices that the farmer got. Today's newspaper here in west Texas discusses the exceptionally low cotton prices for this season. We will see if there is any correlation in cotton prices and the retail price of cotton fabric.

Cybrarian

Per cotton prices, just to clarify: Manufactured goods have a timeline. This is different from food products where the current crop shows up quickly in the stores if it is being purchased fresh- produce, dairy & meat for example. Mfg' s are different. The gas we're pumping now reflects the price crude oil was months ago when it was bought and sent to the refineries. Same with cotton, the crop being harvested now is months away from its first appearance in the stores in the form of fabric. Concerning the quality of fabric lines- I'm one of those who never buys by the company or designer. I just buy what I'm looking for by type, color and value- then I consider the feel and the quality. My apologies to any designers who may be offended, I just don't buy things that way.

citruscountyquilter

There are different quality fabrics. It depends on what I am making as to how fussy I am with the quality of the fabric. If I am making something more disposable or trendy like quilted pot holders, microwave bowl holders, tissue holders, mug rugs etc. then lesser quality fabric is OK with me because of the time I will have invested in it and the length of time I expect it to be used. If I am making a full sized quilt however that will take a lot of time and effort to construct it and it will have a longer life then I will use higher quality fabric.

I go a lot by the feel of the fabric - called "the hand" in quilting lingo. It will feel more fluid, less cardboardy and you will not be able to see through it. The majority of the fabric at a quilt shop or a few fabric shops will be this type of fabric. In addition to that the people that generally work at these stores sew and know their products and are are interested in what you are making. The quality of fabric runs the gamut at the big chain stores (such as JoAnn's, Walmart, Hobby Lobby) and you have to be careful what you are getting. I have also found that often the person cutting the fabric in these stores does not sew and really can't offer any advice or enthusiasm on your project.

Buying fabric on-line is another experience since you can't feel the fabric or get a really good idea of the true colors. In this instance I go by past experience and others recommendations. I have bought fabric on-line for projects or when I see something on sale that I am willing to take a risk on. Here brand names can also help you decide on what the potential quality of the fabric will be or past experience like on a site like Connecting Threads where they only carry their own fabric.

It is a skill that is developed over time and you will win some and lose some.

Onebyone

This isn't always true. I have some Timeless Treasures, Moda and other brand name fabric that I can see through. I don't think that has anything to do with quality. The feel of the fabric is what matters to me.

carolynjo

I agree with Amarillo. I heard years ago that fabric companies did "runs" of fabric. The first run was their top of the line and they ran only so many yards. Then, they did a second run for less expensive fabric--as the plates might not give as crisp a design or the dye might not be as bright as the first run. I don't know if this is still true or not.

lclang

I don't buy fabric brands in particular. I buy fabrics that have decent "hand" (feel), nothing gauzy. I also look at the fabric design to make sure it is printed correctly, sometimes you will find a print that isn't exactly the same where one dye was printed over another and the edges are off, I avoid those. I use both old and new fabrics, but buy mostly by colors or prints that "speak to me". Have purchased at Walmart and garage sales and gladly taken gifts of fabric that I had no idea of the brand. I remind myself that grandma used feed sacks, flour sacks, and scraps from sewing clothing for the family. We can get too picky, I think.

Texasjunebug

You answered my most recent problem! Glad to hear Marcus black STAYS BLACK! Thank you. I'm tired of black looking old and faded after just a few washes.

Amarillo19

The thing about "hand" or feel of the fabric, if you're in the store feeling the fabric you're looking at fabric with a lot of sizing. The question is how it will feel when it's washed and not so stiff. The best way to judge fabric quality is to see how many threads per inch it has (sometimes hard to do with all the sizing.)