Buying quality fabric
#31
One of my favorite on-line quilt stores is Stitch-N-Frame in Mississippi. They discount everything 15%, will cut in 1/4 yards, and have wonderful Thursday specials every week. Another on-line place where prices are a little lower is Fabric Shack in Ohio. And I've found a good number of fabrics from JoAnn's and Hancock's (before they all closed here).
#32
Power Poster
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: SW Iowa
Posts: 32,855
I buy what appeals to me. I look for good quality fabrics but I can find those at Hancocks, Joanns and my LQS. Quilting should be fun. Don't stress over where you buy your fabric, just keep buying and having fun. :-D
#33
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 2,375
I dunno where you're at in NC, but I have found "good quality" at Wal Mart, Joanne's, and haven't gotten to the LQS which is about 35 miles from me in N Raleigh. The thing is with local stores, you do have to scrutinize the fabric a bit more. I haunt Fabric.com and haven't been disappointed with a piece yet!
#34
I never gave it much thought till now, but why is polly/cotton suppose to be bad? I have always been taught 100% cotton only in quilts, and I just pitched a garbage bag FULL of polly/cotton blends away.So heres a question for you (because I dont know) if you use polly/cotton fabric, can you use cotton quilting thread? Keep in mind I am a hand quilter, and use cotton quilting thread.
#35
Yes, you may find the same prints at Walmart but the LQS has probably purchased the print in a better quality fabric. Our Joanns isn't bad. Some Walmart fabric is really nice too. Our local Walmarts don't have fabric but if I find one that does and something appeals to me I buy it. I learned to stay away from their $1 a yd fabric unless it was marked down to that. The stuff they get in that's originally marked $1 is pretty much junk fabric.
#36
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Hattiesburg,MS 39402
Posts: 1,458
ljsunflower what part of Mississippi are you from? I'm from Hattiesburg
buy what you like I buy from a variety of places and I just love it all. I have gone to thrift stores and bought mens shirts for 50 cents and now am doing a quilt. I bought enough shirts to make about 4 but I'll give them to someone that needs it
buy what you like I buy from a variety of places and I just love it all. I have gone to thrift stores and bought mens shirts for 50 cents and now am doing a quilt. I bought enough shirts to make about 4 but I'll give them to someone that needs it
#38
Originally Posted by mygirl66
I never gave it much thought till now, but why is polly/cotton suppose to be bad? I have always been taught 100% cotton only in quilts, and I just pitched a garbage bag FULL of polly/cotton blends away.So heres a question for you (because I dont know) if you use polly/cotton fabric, can you use cotton quilting thread? Keep in mind I am a hand quilter, and use cotton quilting thread.
it's said (by those who insist on all-cotton, of course :lol: ) that polyester fibres will cause cotton thread to break down sooner. sooner than what? in 500 years vs. 1000?
my guess is that polyester thread might not be as easy to use in hand quilting. i think you'd get more knots and gnarles. if you have some poly or blends left, try a small quilt and use your cotton quilting thread. if it performs well for you, then keep going. if you don't enjoy the experience, then stick with what does give you grins.
#39
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 738
Some textile mills put out as high as three different thread counts of the same print!
Lower thread counts go to the discount stores.
I remember looking at flannel at Wal-mart on the $1.00/yd.
table and it looked and felt like printed cheese cloth. :shock:
Bottom line for me is to buy what I can afford but most of all what I like.
Lower thread counts go to the discount stores.
I remember looking at flannel at Wal-mart on the $1.00/yd.
table and it looked and felt like printed cheese cloth. :shock:
Bottom line for me is to buy what I can afford but most of all what I like.
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06-25-2010 02:15 PM