I have a question. How do you find the thread count on fabric. Is it on the bolt end somewhere in code? At least on sheets they tell you right out clearly. LOL

I just look at the fabric. Open it up and look through it to see how transparent it is. If you can see through it and make out what you are looking at, it's a low thread count.

Can you see the individual threads easily? Are there tiny holes between the threads - low thread count. You can see the threads on some good quality fabric, but there aren't holes.

I don't think there is anything on the bolt that gives that info. You just have to look at it and make your own decision. It's a judgement call.

I couldn't say it any better...that old addage " you get what you pay for" is so true.

I use what I can afford. I am currently using some fabric for a backing that is not of the highest quality and this is what I am noticing...

Because I hand quilt I noticed that the fabric does not move as nice for the needle as the better quality stuff.

But...this will not stop me from buying the cheaper stuff.

Kyia

I think you need to evaluate each piece on it's own merits.

I agree with the other poster, I also think the fabric's with the most "crispness" have the most starch in them and this makes it seem like a "better" fabric.. to me anyway. I find more of the cheaper fabric's have more starch or sizing in them.
I also think the coloring is better, truer colors maybe. Then if I am going to spend the time doing the quilting and sewing I want to do it with better fabric that looks better in the finished product.
To me it's more about quality than quantity.

For me, "good" fabric is about how it feels...I like fabric that has a good "hand" and feels stable without being stiff, that cuts well without lots of fraying, and that sews and quilts beautifully. And yes, I have bought lots of good fabric at my LQS, but I have also bought it at discount stores.

I personally prefer the "beefier" fabrics that are a bit thicker. I find that they are more forgiving of inaccuracies in piecing; just take the block over to the ironing board and steam it a bit and the ripples and waves just seem to disappear.

I'm also big on checking the quality of the printing. Another poster mentioned that the more screens/colors in the print, the greater the depth of the overall design.

I have noticed that the prints done for one of the chain stores (won't name names here) are not as perfect. I think they print large lots, at the lowest price they can negotiate, and quality control is just not as good. What I tend to find is that there are little unprinted spots on the fabric because in the manufacturing process they have not removed all the fuzz/lint/fibers that are loose on the top of the raw cloth, before dyeing / printing it. Another problem that can happen is when some of the holes in the screens that allow the dye to pass through onto the cloth are plugged, then you have unprinted areas that repeat each time the screen revolves, usually every 24" or so. Those are the worst, because they affect the entire bolt, indeed, probably all of every bolt in that lot.

Another problem I've seen occurs only on white /light colored goods. That's where a tiny colored fiber is wrapped around the thread as it's spun, and then when this is woven into the finished cloth it appears as a darker line. This is a problem that I've occasionally encountered even in quilt-shop brands.

Bottom line is... you've got to take a good look at a fabric and then decide for yourself where quality begins and ends.

Yes. I was just trying to say that I noticed a difference in hand quilting (with this particular piece). Every fabric can be taken on it's own merit.

Kyia

you are right to say that it is something you see with time and experience. Not a bad thing to notice. Use what you have, do good things, but one should not be damned for their observations ;-) either way!