My GF came over to quilt yesterday. Probably 15 years ago we had a really nice quilt store go out of business in town and I seriously think the girl bought half their stock. Anyway she is still piecing with the last of the yards of that purchase. Yes Frugal is her middle name!

I was helping her layout a bargello while I was working on my own project. Except for charity baby quilts, I use almost exclusively name brand fabrics. The difference in the quality of the fabric was amazing. The only thing I could compare it to would be the difference between 300 count sheets and 800/1000 count sheets.

I was saddened to think that now that I am a better quilter, the beautiful quilts I make will NOW will not hold up as well as the truly pathetically ugly ones that I made fifteen years ago!

Times of change

I had some RJR fabric from back before they were a known name, about 40 years old, adn it had a wonderful "hand" I hated to use it with the modern fabric around it. I know exactly what you mean. I think the English have one mill that still makes the "old fashioned" soft fabric. And it is very expensive.

I it si sad at the quality we think we are paying for isn't the quality that was once there. You used to get the higher quality of fabric at the quilt shop. that is not always true now adays. I'm not dumping on my LQS because they get the best of what is offered. I sometimes think different areas of the country get higher thread counts as a rule that other areas. Hop this makes sense, it is hard to explain.

BarbaraSue, I love your tag line. I think that is true. I noticed when up in the Seattle area and in Maine when I visited the Keepsake home, that the fabrics seem to be nicer. I also noticed it near downtown LA. I wonder if some shops order from a more expensive place.

seamstone -

are you saying that you prefer using your "old" fabrics to the newer ones?

I dont have any old fabrics just my GF does. I truly enjoy the colors and variety of patterns we have now.

I guess the term is hand. I am saying the hand is just not the same and I am wondering how it will change the way our quilts hold up over time. Im thinking if quilts are anything like sheets, the 300 count ones just dont launder and age the same as the 800 count ones.

My parents have one of my ugly quilt from 15 years ago and they use it/launder it all the time. It still is in great shape even if it is ugly and poor workmanship.

I didn't know today's LQS fabric's aren't the same as they used to be. I wonder how expensive it would be if they were making it the same way now.

I do know my 16 yr old was cutting some squares for a first quilt and she commented on the difference in feel of some of the fabrics. Unknown to her, a couple yards were from Joann's and the rest were from LQS.

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From a more expensive place, or from their company's higher end runs.
I strongly suspect it makes a lot of sense if they sell in a high income area. The bay area of CA near San Francisco sold a higher quality type than I could ever get here in my own town. My DH used to have to go to Stanford often and while he was there for the day or two I'd go shopping. And rapidly discovered that what they had I couldn't afford much of. I still yearn for a length of fabric I fell in love with, but it was over 24 dollars per yard, while in the 80s fabric around here wasn't even half that.
I can still feel and see the way that fabric draped over my arm, flowed in the breeze from air conditioners and swung to and fro, while the material here, in direct contrast, just flopped down stiffly.

I didn't realize the fabric had changed that much. Interesting.

I noticed the same thing recently, but it was book paper. Checked out a really old book from the library and the paper was so thick & sturdy compared to what is in books today. You'd think things would get better instead of worse. Or, maybe you wouldn't.

They don't make paper for books now that will last:
paperbacks, tons of them and best seller after best seller. Even the hardbacks don't use good paper. Read em and pass em on. No one has libraries with books floor to ceiling, bound in leather or good fabric.
No one keeps their books for ever and ever.
I have some older books from the 1910s and they used a finer, smoother paper that was more durable. Todays paper is porous and disintegrates easily.

The magazine I work for uses very high quality paper and our photos really show off. People archive the magazine for decades. Not a Family Circle, House Beautiful or Woman's Day quality paper... it is really noticeable, but then we appeal to higher end, better photography...

Where does most fabric come from? Quality and price have both changed.

The fabrics I buy are good enough for me. I can't quite get to the making of heirloom quilts, not enough patience, time or desire. I sure don't buy magazines to last forever either.

I know what you mean. I just bought some Moda fabric, from aa LQS It's almost as thin as batiste! I wouldn't buy a sheet made from this material, I would expect it to fall apart the first wash. What a pain in the you-know-what.

I have been buying fabric from fabrics.com for several years, and they carry all the major brands, plus, I have always received wonderful quality fabrics. They always send several inches more than I ordered and paid for, and they have a money back guarantee with free return shipping. You can't beat that

I'm new to quilting, I would have loved to seen the old fabrics. :XD: