Enlightening Fabric Shopping Trip... and Disappointing
#12
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: central indiana
Posts: 686
I am not sure than any of this is new. I am making scrap quilts from fabric from a variety of places and ages. The texture and "thinness" varies across all lines over time. I prefer the "thick" white base goods, Judy Rothermel uses a lot of this, but go for color and design over all.
I have not noticed a problem at any of the LQS's visited. Lovely fabric with a good feel and lots of color.
I have not noticed a problem at any of the LQS's visited. Lovely fabric with a good feel and lots of color.
#13
One of our LQS in town is closing, as owner is retiring. She has all fabrics listed for $5.00 yr for anything. She carries a VERY large selection of quality fabric. I've been there 3 times in last week & have purchased at least 25 different fabrics with minimum of 4 yds each. I am so excited to get them washed, but I have them spread out on my dining table & am just basking in their beauty.
#15
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Illinois
Posts: 957
I also saw that in Walmart but still decided I could use it for some things.
#17
Some very fine fabrics coming in from Pakistan and India. They use the long fiber cottons which make very fine fabric, almost like silk but very strong. They cover themselves head to toe due to the heat so they need fine (thin) fabric. Don't be shy if it's thin and silky, it will wear like iron. I agree to stay away from more open weave but even then I have bought pieces and washed them and with the cotton shrinking, the fabric was extremely nice after ironing. It really is a different market today for cotton.
#18
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: SC
Posts: 1,909
I have a shop in my home...as I was doing my tax workup this year, I stopped long enough to total up what I had spent and what I got year before last as opposed to the same question for last year: I was appalled and SHOCKED to find that my yardage was about the same, but even though I had exclusively shopped sales of all kinds and did whatever I could to control costs, my costs were TWICE AS MUCH!!! My accountant just said, "Well, things of all kinds are increasing in cost." And my reply was "Twice as much???" So, I guess the solution is to refuse to pay exhorbitant costs (despite all the excuses about the cotton crops being so bad, etc. ad nauseum....) and shop our stashes until something happens to bring these folks to their senses....JMHO...
#19
I am way sympathetic with your experience and have been decrying the same things for years now. I am probably 20 years your senior, since I have great grans, but let me assure you there are stores out there who have quality cloth. I have no idea where they get their supply, but it is there in a place or two. I found one shop in a remote district of SC one year and you can imagine they charged well for everything they stocked. I think I paid about $25 per yard for what I bought. Colors were bright and clear and designs were outstanding.
At the same time I saw the quality of cloth changing, I also saw shops going to crafty junk rather than true sewing quality. I wanted Swiss batiste for smocking and dotted Swiss, etc, but all that died when the craft stores took over. Quality was not the order of the day after the good cloth went out.
Keep searching! Ask neighbors and friends who also sew and one day you will find that special shop.
At the same time I saw the quality of cloth changing, I also saw shops going to crafty junk rather than true sewing quality. I wanted Swiss batiste for smocking and dotted Swiss, etc, but all that died when the craft stores took over. Quality was not the order of the day after the good cloth went out.
Keep searching! Ask neighbors and friends who also sew and one day you will find that special shop.
#20
Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 79
Good reason to shop your stash or watch estate sales! I visit http://www.estatesales.net/ each week and check the listings...if it says sewing stuff or fabrics, I go check it out. The fabrics are never the current modern/contemporary lines, but I have found some amazing buys within my budget!
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post