The best way I find to tell quality fabric is hold it up to the lights in the store and if you can see the shape of the light then it is not good quality - it will shrink a lot when washed and might fade as well. Good luck with your new hobby - you will love it once you get into it. :lol:

I buy fabric on line quite a bit. You can get beautiful quilt shop fabrics on line. Eleanor Burns has it sometimes for 3.00 yard and I have neveer been disappointed. If you watch the online fabric sites for sales and free shipping, you get amazing deals. I try to look for "brands" too such as Robert Kaufmann, Bernartex, Moda....you can count on them being beautiful.

Margie

I live in Alaska and I know how price effect your spending on fabric but I buy fabric by feel and color... If I can't see my hand throught it much I know it should hold up. I bought some cheap fabric and when I used it as a border and washed the quilt it fell apart --- shredded . I check thread count very much and feel. I usually spend about $8.00-10.00 but our shop has good sales and I take avantage of it. I have brought on Ebay and you have been careful with color.... but I spend more because of shipping..... all you quilter's are lucky if you do not live in alaska shipping kills you no matter what you pay for your fabric...

A good place to find good quilt fabric for $5.96 a yard is Connecting Threads.com. They have lots of kits for everything from table runners to full size quilts, and the fabric price is always $5.96 yd. I bought several kits in Dec. when they had 40% off sale...the fabric is very good quality. The price was so low during the sale, I was able to buy backs from the same fabric collection as the kit at $3.58 yd...can't beat that!

I suggest you practice on JoAnns fabrics for a few quilts before you spend money in a quilt shop.

Sue

I try to buy better quality fabric for quilts and a lot of time lesser quality for wall hangings as they will not get the wear and tear of a quilt. I need to look more closing at connecting threads. Does any one have an idea where I can find blue or red dinosaur print fabric?

Try here http://www.bugfabric.com/dinosaurs.htm

Well, I must be frugal. On a wild thought, I posted a 'want' ad on freecycle for any unwanted left over fabric or scraps. Well, it was a landslide. Some of the guild quilters locally gave me a holler and I got some truly nice stuff. I shared it all. Now, I got some 'stuff', too! That never made daylight when using or sharing started. I still have some of the nicest scraps and the more I use of it, the more I find I have. It is unbelievable. I buy very little except the backing. I even take the trimmed off pieces they give me of batting and I use some old sheeting material, spray the adhesive on it and then lay the strips across it and cover it. I trim it up and use it when I sandwich. Works pretty well for me. Be negative, or be aloof, I gotta be frugal. I'm enjoying this site and quilting more than I did anything in my whole life, except my babies. God is Good. ~ Ruth ~

Thanks I will look into this site.

Wow, what a great site. Lots of dinos - now I have to choose which one! Thanks again.

Definitely check for sales at quilt shops which have the best quality fabric. Another idea is to just buy fabric for an actual quilt you're making or thinking of making. This way you are using what you have and not stockpiling until you are ready and willing to pay for good quality fabric. No doubt about it, this is an expensive hobby.