Hi everyone,

I am wondering what kind of fabric connecting threads has. I love some of what I see, and I just wonder what quality it is. Is it Hancock and JoAnn quality or closer to a local quilt shop quality? I am trying to watch my money, as things are tight, and am currently using most of my stash. I love to make quilts for charity but with money so tight right now, I may have to stop for a while. Anyway, let me know what you think.

I think it is fine for charity quilts. I guess I would say it's about the same quality as JoAnn's. Just my opinion.

I LOVE Connecting Threads fabric! It's substantial, with a good hand, good thread count, and pretty colors. This is American fabric, not Japanese/Chinese; it does not have a slick feel to it and the colors are not as intense because they don't use the same dyes (many of which are toxic for the workers). For my money, they can't be beat!
And this from a former quilt shop owner who was/is a fabric snob, LOL!

I have purchased several fabrics from Connecting Threads, love them. Good Quality and great service.

I have loved all that I have bought from them :D:D:D

I received an order today and once again am very pleased with it.

I have been pleased with the fabrics I've ordered from them, but I don't find the richness in color that I find in other quilt shop fabrics. I think that is the reason they can sell for so much less. That is not to say that their colors are not vivid - they are - but they don't usually have as many shades, or as many colors, as in more expensive fabrics. I think the overall quality is very good though.

I buy their products alot....but I have to say that it is Joanns quality type fabric...I work in my LQS and it is definatly not the same quality product.....but I do love their thread!

I have ordered from CT several times. i would say their quality of fabric is between Joann's and quilt shop quality at very good prices. Their thread is a great value and great quality.

All of the fabric that I have bought from Connecting Threads has been above average. It is a great value and American made, which makes it my choice.

I love Connecting Threads!
Great Fabric
Great Choices
Great service etc.etc.etc

First, I have never bought from Connecting threads, which was the original question, and I hate to hijack a thread, but I would like to know why people seem to think the fabric is 100% US made. Connecting Threads website says they use 100% US cotton and they display the Cotton USA label. However, all that label means is that the cotton was grown in the US, not that the fabric is made here. In fact, if you read the site carefully, some fabrics clearly state they are printed overseas. The reality is that the fabric probably was not woven in the US, nor printed in the U.S. Does someone have other information that shows otherwise? I can't find anywhere on the site that it says the fabric actually is made in the U.S.

I have always been pleased with my purchases from Connecting Threads and have an order arriving any day now.

I have placed many orders, but don't think that the quality is as good as at a LQS. I would say it's closer to Joann's.

Jan in VA - Where did you find the information about the dyes?

I agree with you. The cotton is grown in the US but is sent overseas to be woven and printed. Many people believe that the entire process is done here in the US and it is NOT. This topic has been discussed many times previously and people still believe it is all done here and it is just not true. I personally do not purchase from them but many people do love their fabrics, threads and prices.

Haven't ordered from GT,but most ppl are pleased with it, from what I've read on here.
I order from Thousands of Bolts a lot.They sell LQS fabrics,but like any purchase,it's best to know the name/mfgr before buying.Prices are good, service is fast & they have a color chooser ....it shows fabrics in colors to go with a fabric you chose.Their order total also shows how much more fabric you can get in the order for the same shipping charge.
So,all together, it's a good store to deal with.

I agree with Anna. The first time I ordered I expected LQS comparable fabric and I was a little disappointed. It was definitely not stiff and rough like many Joann fabric are but felt thinner than LQS. I would buy again but I would be careful about what my plan for the fabric was.

I haven't tried the new batiks and I hear good things about them, so I need to place a small order to see if there is a difference.

I love their products....I must say I am kind of dissapointed, I thought the stuff was ALL done in America. I guess not much is anymore.........

The manufacturer of the CT designer fabric lines is one of the best ones in Mexico. I have posted the link to the factory here many times. I don't know if the same factory is making the batik fabrics but the batiks are very nice. Did you know CT has great tutorial videos, blogs, quilt a longs how tos, free patterns and projects on their site. It's very active. Their Facebook page has lots of great sales and discounts listed. I buy a sampler pack of all their new fabric lines. When that lines goes on sale I know which yardage I want to buy more of. This week Golden Afternoon line is 40% off.

The only time I ordered from Thousand Bolts I found a great deal on sale but the shipping was almost as much as the fabric so it turned out not to be such a great deal afterall.

I received Batik from them and it is LQS quality and right on with the colors shown on the internet.

They ship by actual wt of fabric. My 3yd order cost 4.95 shipping, think it was & it said I could have added 3 more yds for same price. Also payed tax because we're in same state....but that's ok. 3yds of Northcott for $18 & change.....shipping & tax included.Works for me :-)

i do not under material snobs ,just because you can afford the high end ,i think it is great that they quilt ,back in the day a lot of people used left overs or thingsthat were still good in spots and the funny most people would give a nice peice of change to own one let be said i wouldnot asnoot to aquire my old quilts

I ordered charm packs in their mottle marlbe line (I think that is the name) and loved them. The colors are very vibrant and look like suede to me. I ordered some matching fabric and am very pleased with the quality. I haven't washed any of it, so time will tell how it looks after washing and using.

I paid $11.99 yd. the other day for new fabric so finding it cheaper some place else even with shipping is a plus. And the prices at Joanns have gone up considerably too.

Joanns are about as high as any quilt shop now but is close enough for me to drive to without spending as much in gasoline as shipping. Keepsake still has very low shipping prices so I order from them quite often.

LOVE THEM!!! Wish i had more money to buy from them.

I ordered some layer cakes from them. It was good quality.
My JoAnns has terrible fabric, very thin. If you buy the higher quality fabric at JoAnns, I might as well go to a quilt shop. Which there is only 1 or 2 near me that I will shop at since the others are a bit snotty!!!
Kirsten

I don't understand the thinking of quilts for charity, hospitals, military, shelters, or nursing homes should be made from less quality fabric then the quilts I make for friends or family.

Our Joanns has what they call designers quilt fabric. It's $9 & change.With 30% coupon off & tax added, it's $7.50 yd.We just have to find the shops we can deal with,a LQS ,fabric store or on line shop.I mostly use my stash, but even that can't last forever:-)


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I don't think anyone here is claiming CT is "USA made"; they are saying it's "American made" which means in North America. But the dyes and fabric treatments they are using are not the same - as in occasionally toxic - as we often see in goods manufactured entirely overseas. The fabric has a heftier weight - which puts me in mind of good "goods" from 25 years ago - and is printed in such a way that BOTH sides of the yardage can often be used, one as a solid.
This is not the same stuff as we're usually getting from Moda/Timeless Treasures/Hoffman/RJR/etc., etc., but it's great fabric at wonderful prices!!
Jan in VA

Hear, hear!!

Jan in VA

Well, perhaps this is reverse snobbery in a way.

Do you still card your own batts like "they did in the old days"? "Does your tomato taste better because you dig your row with a stick than mine with a tiller?"

Old ways are not necessarily better, nor are new ways the best. Quilting for need and quilting for art are two different things, and people use different supplies for each, perhaps. When quilters are trading, gifting, or doing specific group projects, the supplies need to be defined so that the work of each is comparable to the next person and the finihsed product is standard throughout.

There's room and value in the work for all of us, I doubt any of us are denying that.

Jan in VA

To be honest, I'm not quite sure what a fabric snob is.I don't like/use certain colors,nor do I like some fabrics.....but don't we all buy what we want that we can afford, be it cars,clothes or fabric?
About old days, My Grma made quilts of feedsacks using gray wool batting on a treadle machine,then tied.Nothing was made to be pretty,just utility quilts. With a family of 10,they were used & used up.
I started out using all WalMart fabric.There was no other choice in our small town,nor could I have afforded it if there was.
Now I have a better machine & use better fabric to make quilts for the love of learning.Every block, every seam is different.They go together to make a whole.Then I'm off & running to start a different quilt.The learning is what I love.
The basics are the same regardless of the equipment or fabric used.JMO


"There's room and value in the work for all of us, I doubt any of us are denying that."

Are you saying that the dyes CT uses aren't toxic, but those used overseas are? Where are you getting that information?

BellaBoo, for the benefit of those of us who have not seen the link, will you repost? I knew that the cotton from CT was not made here, only the cotton is U.S. grown. I will continue to order from them because their fabric is good enough for most of my quilts (utility and children's play quilts) and because when I team up with my friends, we can come up with over $50 worth of items and get free shipping.

What on earth is "asnoot"?

I have bought several fabric from CT and it is very nice quality probably equal to Joann's middle line. It is hard to get a true colors in fabric on line so perhap that is why to colors do not seem as vibrant. I would order from them again. LOVE their thread!

I have been ordering alot from them lately. I just got a batik sampler and am thrilled with it! Sometimes their kits are on sale at a super price. Their strips and charms squares are a really reasonable way to see a whole fabric line before you buy yardage. Their colors seemed to be rather muted for me but they have come out with new brighter colors that I really like.

I've used their batiks in a quilt and it was wonderful. No complaints from me. I think the quality was very similar to batiks I have seen in my LQS. I have the fabric for another waiting in the wings, the After Hours collection. They are beautiful if you like those colors. They are very vibrant and I was very happy with them.

I spent about 50 bucks for fabric for two tops. Both good size. Seems like I got something else too, but I forget.