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Your best bet is to try several brands and make your own decisions about what you yourself considers "best". A lot of the time it will depend on the project, the other fabrics you're using in that project, and the color availability.

Kaufman Kona Solids, Moda Bella Solids, Marcus Centennial Solids, Northcott Colorworks Solids, Clothworks American Made Brand Solids, Benartex Bali Basic Solids, and other quality solids are flooding the stores now that the Modern Quilting trend has established itself. You can't judge by someone else's opinion.

i like kona for solids and roc -lon if using muslin

I use a lot of solids, and Moda Bella are my favorite.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ManiacQuilter2 (Post 6819179)

The fabric that is bought by JAF and Walmart are called "seconds". JAF has almost doubled their price on their "Kona cotton" so I look for sales at Hancock of Paducah when I buy Kona cotton. The quality and the color comparison is so stunning when compared to the Lona cotton fabric at JAF. The black is deeper and richer. I was shocked so I don't buy my Kona from JAF any longer. There happens to be a 20% sale on at Hancock of Paducah. Moda Bella is also suppose to be a high quality solid but I have never used it. We as woman have various opinions so nothing is going to be the BEST. Both lines are high quality solid fabrics.

Connecting Thread have great solids

Marshall's Dry Goods in AR now has a line of to-die-for solids called "Dream Cotton". It's the same thing as Moda Bella, even made at the same mill. The price is much more reasonable than Kona or Moda Bella... Only $3.99 a yard and they have dozens of colors. They will even send you a color swatch card to keep for reference. I LOVE the stuff and bought whole bolts the last time I was at Marshalls.

http://www.marshalldrygoods.com/prod.../dream-cotton/

The suggestion to purchase a color card is right on point. I found that what looks great on the computer screen is not always the right color when it arrives. With the color card (which is actual swatches of fabrics) I get the matching correct. Moda Bella has an extra smooth look and is very pretty but I have had problems with fraying. Moda did answer me that the thread count is high and that sometimes this causes fraying. I have remained loyal to the Kona brand since it never seems to give me any problems.

Kona is my favorite, and is the one I buy by the bolt when I can get a good deal.
Moda is also good but the fabric is softer off the bolt and for me this makes it a little harder to work with.
Connecting Threads solids are also good but some of the colors look a little "muddy" to me when I compare it to Kona - sometimes that's a good thing, though.

I also agree that getting a color swatch card for each line is a great idea. I wish CT had a color card for their solids.

I'm also looking for a BLACK black BATIK that "reads" as a solid for a Judy Niemeyer "Weeping Willow" quilt that I plan to start as soon as I finish my BH Celtic Solstice (hopefully THIS WEEK!!)....

Black fabric is sewn to the sections to make the quilt "pop." If any of you have suggestions, I'm open to it. My GF made the JN Willow bed runner out of batiks, but used a non-batik fabric for her black strips. I'd prefer to use really black batik if I can find it...otherwise...I'll use Kona solids.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ladydukes (Post 6820766)

Be very aware that Kona solids and the other broadcloth solids (that includes Moda Bella and most others) are a VERY different thread count (60x60) than batiks. You may want to consider the AMB solids by Clothworks which are a shirting weight with a thread count of 78x74. In my experience, Kona Solids (and I love them dearly) look and feel like burlap when combined with batiks.

Also, as a general note, color cards do not guarantee that different dye lots of the same color number/name will match what is on the card you have. Sometimes the difference is minor, sometime it's major. Just know that going in and order appropriately.

I like to keep the "feel" of the fabrics I use in a top to be similar.

Some fabrics, even though considered "good" - such as Kaufman Kona and some Northcotts - seem coarse and heavy to me compared to some other fabrics I use.