OK, so I am a very new quilter - but I am loving the buying fabric part of it! (I keep telling my husband, I am going to be a quilter, not just a fabric collector!) I think becuase it is still so new to me I am also very careful when it comes to spending money on a hobbie that I don't have much experiance with as well as not much to show for it yet. I tend to try to find fabric that costs a little less and often end up going to Walmart and getting the $2.00/yrd or sale fabric at Joannes.

So now when I see fabric for $5.99/yrd, I think NO WAY! Am I being unrealistic?

Don't we all love the buying part.!! :-D I love the feel of fabric and the different textures!

However, I always tell beginning quilters to buy the best fabric they can afford especially if they are making something that will be around for a while.

When I'm making a quilt for a child whom I know will drag it all over kingdom come I usually use the less expensive fabric and save the good stuff for when that child is older and can appreciate the quilt.

Others on here may feel differently but these are my thoughts.

All I have to say is "you get what you pay for" A lot of the good quality fabrics run $9 and $10 a yard. So if it is a good quality fabric for $5.99, it's really a good deal. If it's around the same quality as what you have seen at Walmart and JoAnns for that price, then that's too much.

Reasonably, you can only buy what you can afford. So, I would buy the best you can for what you have to spend. Less expensive fabric doesn't feel the same as fabric that costs a little bit more. Actually, you can buy some good quality quilting fabric online, on sale for $3-4 sometimes. That is fabric that originally cost $8-9 originally. In my experience, less expensive fabric can fade faster and doesn't hold up as long. That being said, if you are just starting, buying less expensive fabric for practice quilts, until you discover if you really enjoy it makes sense.
Just as 150-200 count sheets feel more like cheesecloth and 300-400 count sheets feel more luxurious and silky, so do fabrics. The more expensive ones have the threads woven closer and give a different feel.

Hope this helps. Watch out! Once the quilting bug bites, you are a goner! lol

I have found some nice fabric at Joannes and also some lousy fabric. If you are watching your pennies(like most of us) you might try to buy when there are sales. Most quilt shops have sales occassionally. It is hard for me to pay almost 10.00 a yard too but the better fabrics do cost more. You might try on-line shopping, it's great. Just try to pay attewntion to the look and feel of the fabric but remember, feed sacks weren't made of the best quality fabric either.

I don't know if it's the same everywhere, but my LQS had a great sale after Christmas of 50% off ALL fabrics in the store. With that sale, I stockpiled since I was getting great fabrics for $4-5 per yard. I only buy good quality fabric, even if its for a "blankie" that's going to get drug around. My ex MIL made one for my daughter when she was born. She carted it around for about 3 years and it's still in one piece. I find Connecting Threads to be a good online shop and their fabric is $5.96 per yard :)

I've only been quilting since August. I try to stick to the $3-5.00 range simply because I still mess up. I don't want to be cutting into a $9.00 yd just to mess it up. I figure if it lasts a couple years I'm good to go. Need room for the new ones!

I agree - but I always check the sale fabrics at my local quilt stores. It is usually half off, sometimes more. Also, some around here give a 20% discount if you take all that's left on a bolt, so I watch for small bolts!

Thats a good way to think about it. Maybe once I am more confident in what I do and how it turns out I won't feel ripped off by 7.00/yrd fabric! :)

I think this is an excellent beginner policy. Those of us who are pretty much clueless don't need to spend heavily on fabric. We still have to buy tools and other things. Practice on the inexpensive stuff, collect tools and then splurge when you know what you are doing!