MadP

Feeling is the best way. I do order most on line but from top notch quilt shops. Charity quilts I use less expensive fabric otherwise I can not afford to do charity quilts. Quilts for my family I buy better quality. Today there is a big difference in the quality of fabric. Not like it use to be. To many imports.

solstice3

I would think that if it is a name brand (Michael Miller, etc) it should be the same quality wherever you buy...just like buying a new car no matter what Ford dealer you go to you are getting a Ford... does that make sense?

mary123

Hello Fellow Quilters,
Thank you again for the additional answers. I do buy almost all my material at a local quilt shop, but I did not look down on anyone that buys anywhere else. I am so sorry that some thought that. I love quilting, and I knew all of you love quilting! I think of us of sister quilters, not rivals. I was asking that question because I wanted to know if any of you had found a difference in the material. (I have recently found the same fabric at Hancocks and my local quilt shop.) Our quilt shop has 25% off a yard or more fabric sale the last day of every month, and 35% off if you buy the whole bolt. I almost always save my shopping for that day. Every bolt is on sale. Then this quilt shop has two major sales a year, and I buy then, also.
Life is good and I always try to build people up in my life, and always try to look for the best in people. Therefore, I don't like being judgmental, because it steals from some of my joy in life and some of the other person's joy. So please again, know that I was not being judgmental. Wishing all of you a sunshiny day!

mary123

Emma,
I was wondering if you have a list of the outlets that you were referring to. Could you please repost that? Thanks.

Emma S

Mary, your question did not sound judgmental at all. It sounded, to me, like an honest request for information. Part of the fun of buying fabric is finding good quality for a bargain price. We are sisters in a pass time we all love. I am extremely glad we live in a time of the computer so we can all get on here and talk.

Emma S

Mary: Everyone has there favorites, I can only tell you mine. Beware: You can sign-up to receive their e-mails on sales etc. These are my favorites, have ordered from them all with good results:

Fabric.com Now having a sale (4.95 a yard for QS quality)
Connecting Threads Now also having a sale.
Whittles
Thousands of Bolts
Marshall Drygoods (never ordered from them but they have some good deals)
I know there are hundreds more but this is where I go. Maybe others can add others.

mary123

I meant to say on that other post---I think of us as sister quilters, (not of sister quilters).
Emma, thank you so much for the list you supplied. That is much appreciated.

Cogito

[QUOTE=Ann Vrbancic;5918344]From the link http://www.sewing.org/files/guidelin...ting_terms.pdf

"Greige Goods (pronounced "gray")
Most fabric prints are applied to a solid color "raw" base
fabric referred to as griege goods. Fabric companies
may have several kinds of greige goods (flannel,
corduroy, jersey, etc.) to use with the same print, and
they may also have different qualities of greige goods
differentiated by thread counts (the number of threads
in a square inch). A single fabric company may print on
multiple qualities of greige goods for different types of stores
(independent quilt shops vs. chains vs. discount stores)."

YES there IS a difference and the above explanation is absolutely correct.

mary123

Thanks for telling me about greige goods. I goggled it. I was not familiar with it.
I love that this site is so informative about so many things. This site is such a wealth of information
thanks to my kind fellow quilters trying to help each other out.

IBQUILTIN

All of Joan's fabric is imported and has to be fumigated before entry to the country. Therefore the funky odors, etc. I always wash their fabrics before using them, and it will stop the asthma attacks. Just a tip