Connecting threads has a new line of batiks, I just noticed them on the site today, they are gorgeous!! Reminds me of Hoffman's 1895 watercolours. Some tone on tone batik prints too! I think I will have to place yet another order with them..yikes! And best of all, only 5.96 a yard! A great deal especially when a metre of batik is almost $20 with the tax in Canada.
Ev

I have been doing some MAJOR stash building. Looks like I better hit connecting threads as well. Poor DH, he will think I am trying to bankrupt us. Oh well, its off to the internet for me.

I pre ordered the Batik Paradise Deluxe Sampler. One fat quarter each of every batik print, 79 in all. The price is $1.49 per fat quarter. This is a super value.

I stopped in to take a peek. I'm drooling.

I saw them tonight online. Gorgeous!

I loooove Connecting Threads! Great place to do business :D

Connecting Threads has lowered their fabric prices - just received my new catalog yesterday!

I LOVE the new prices and fabrics! The site was updated Aug. 12...batiks for $5.96. I hope they make this a permanent offering, right now it is temporary.

They've added a large collection of solids and semi-solids for only $3.96 a yard! This is a permanent offering. I'm so glad to see this, I often wished they had some solids or blenders. Also, the price on prints was LOWERED $1/yd to just $4.96.

Added to their great customer service, I think this is one the best places to shop online.

Teacup I heartily agree with you. They told me about a month ago they were lowering prices. I love everything about them!

Have any of you shopped at Fabric Depot?? It is a HUGE fabric store in Portland, Oregon. They also have a web site and all their quilting fabric is 30% off right now. Check out the pre-cuts (fat quarters, etc.). I saw some batiks for $1.31 per fat quarter. If you are ever in the Portland, OR area, you must stop by the store. It's amazing. Lots of people on their way to the Sisters, Oregon quilt show stop there.

I did my first order from Fabric Depot two months ago. They were also great to work with and buying during a sale helped me get some good deals...plus I used a coupon code shared by a board member to save a bit more. I'll order from them again too...but still gotta love Connecting Threads.

A friend & I made a special trip to the Fabric Depot in Portland. I LOVE THAT STORE!!!!! We both spent over $100.00 there. Since it is 120 miles from us, we had to make the trip worth while. This friend & his wife are in their 70's & I am now teaching him how to quilt. He is doing very well for a beginner & has become quite a fabric fanatic.

It's hard to believe but Connecting Threads has LOWERED prices on its beautiful fabric. I've read so many good things about C.T. and here's another. My own few experiences with them have been excellent too.

I ordered 33 half-yard cuts of batiks yesterday from CT. Looking forward to getting them. I had to show a lot of restraint because I could have easily gotten more.

I can't wait to hear what you think of them. I have about a dozen half yards in my shopping basket, but will wait to hear what people think of them before I take the plunge I think. Although, I'm sure they are all gorgeous anyway!

I'm like IBQUILTIN...I've been in a "stashing" mood lately...thank goodness I pay the bills...LOL

Love CT...I'm heading over there now! Thanks for the heads up, bearpaws :)

I've ordered from CT a lot, but I must admit that I was surprised with the comments here about them. They are very handy and carry a lot of notions that I like, but I've had a lot of trouble with customer service, mostly getting website/ordering issues resolved. While their fabric is pretty, I've been disappointed with the quality. You get what you pay for, I suppose. I still love to use it for some projects; mostly quick and easy things that I don't intend to last forever anyway, but for projects that I care a lot about or that I will be putting a lot of time into, I always pay more for higher quality fabric. I am happy to see the solids added to the line. I always wished they had more of those.

Mattee

I'm curious about what you think is lacking about the quality? I have received some prints from them that I didn't like because they looked painted on, but most of it is printed just like other fabric manufacturers and I find the fabric itself to be nice and thick (although I stay away from those prints that look too simple and therefore might be a "painted" print, if that makes sense). I have some Moda that I can see through, which is something I don't like, although most people rave about Moda.
Just curious that's all.

Oh my

Whimpers. Fingers twitch. Glee

Bearspaws,

I'm obviously in the minority here, but I've ordered at least five cuts of fabric, in addition to half a dozen kits over the last two years, and all of the fabric I have received has been incredibly thin. I was actually shocked when I got my first order because I had read about how their quality was supposed to be commensurate with the higher-priced fabrics, but I have never found it to be so. The thread count seems to either be extremely low or the threads extremely thin. I can see through all of their fabric I've received very easily, and it feels thin to the touch, as opposed to a lot of pricier fabric. I haven't had this problem yet with Moda, though I have heard of it happening on occasion. I can tell the difference between my CT fabric and most Moda or other pricey fabric just by touching it, with eyes closed, because of the difference in thickness. Also, some of the prints that look vibrant and full online show up and look rather weak and dull. Mostly because of the lack of thickness, I just use their fabric for wallhangings or items that won't get much wear. I just never get excited about their pricing anymore, because I figure it's so cheap because the quality is so poor.

Mattee

Mattee it sounds like you got some bad fabric, don't know why...

I just got 6 yds of 2 fabrics and have a great 'hand', they feel like Northcott fabrics and they aren't thin at all. A friend came by today and she was amazed at the value and the great quality and said she was going to order some now too. I hope hers comes in the same quality as mine are.

Did you contact CT about the thin fabric?

I've been ordering threads from them for 6-7 years but have only on occasion gotten fabrics, cuz generally their prints aren't my taste. It has just been recently that I saw a few that I wanted to try.

warm quilt hugs, sue in CA

Sue,

I've got to assume that maybe my expectations are just a bit different than those of many on this board, or I have the worst luck ever when it comes to CT, since only a few people agree with me. I don't think it was a fluke, because we're talking a couple dozen different fabrics over a three year period - all poor quality.

I have contacted CT about that and other issues, and unfortunately, have always received poor customer service, both via email and over the phone. By "poor," I mean they fail to resolve, and in some cases, even respond, to my issue.

I don't think it's the end of the world, I just only use them for quick and easy projects, rather than more work intensive things I care more about. It just kind of stinks, because there's a few kits I would love to order, but I know I don't want to put that much work in on something using fabrics that aren't top quality.

I'm glad so many other people have had such great luck!

Mattee, considering your experience, I would not order the fabrics from Connecting Threads.

How about the threads? What has been your experience? Gratefully I've always been delighted with them. I've read some people say the threads break or have slubs, I've not had that experience either. I wonder if they were using the wrong size needle.

warm quilt hugs, sue in CA

I just ordered some yardage and two charm packs from them in their batik line. The yardage is on its way now and the charm packs I have to wait for still, which is a bummer. I will share if it is good or not when they get here. This is my second time ordering fabric off the internet. I am petrified to get it. But at the same time I am ready to bust in anticipation.

Sue,

I have a lot of their thread, and use it a lot. I don't know as much about thread as I do about fabric, so I guess I feel like it's difficult to tell much about its quality, but I haven't had any problems. I use it a lot for applique, especially hand applique. It's just so expensive to have to buy matching threads for applique pieces, that I find the CT thread the cheapest way to go often. I must admit though, that based purely on my fabric experience, I am a bit nervous of their thread, and I tend not to use it on my most treasured projects, or in my Bernina, which is far more expensive than the other two machines I own. If it's going to clog up a machine (and I don't really know if it will), I want it to be a cheap machine!

Mattee, I use the threads almost exclusively on my Janome6500 even tho I have other brands in my collection .. sulky, Mettler, Gutterman etc. I would love to try Aurofil but can't justify buying anymore threads because I really do have enough. I 'want' it, but do not 'need' it.

Personally I have found that the threads do not leave much lint in my bobbin area. Most often the lint I find is from the fabric or technique that I am using.

I will admit that I do not use CT in my bobbin. I love Bottom Line thread from Superior and that is the only thread I use in the bobbin. It is a finer weight, lasts a long time in the bobbin meaning less bobbin changes. I love it.

I don't make 'heirloom' quilts, just quilts for family (mostly grand kids) who will most likely love them to death and I do make quilts or art quilts for hanging. So I probably don't have the same concerns that you do.

warm quilt hugs, sue in CA