I buy what I like. I've made lots of quilts from WalMart fabric and lots
a few from LQS or JoAnns and usually I' m the only one that knows
which is which.

I agree about Walmart's hand. However, if you are material experienced, you can "feel" the fabric and often find a gem in between the glass. I stop everytime I shop Walmart just to check out the fabric. Sometiimes I luck out and sometimes not. I have bought beautiful fabric for &1.00 a yard. Once in awhile I have gotten a clunker.

I agree. My first two bedsize quilts were made with fabrics bought at JoAnns and they faded terribly and in some places have fallen apart. I was heartsick over it because these quilts were hand quilted and a lot of time and effort went into making them. I swore off JoAnn fabric after that. Ditto for the batting as well. I prefer Hobbs Heirloom batting and warm and natural but my current WIP is Quilter's Dream. It does needle very nicely so far.
I did make a quilt out of nothing but homespuns and for that I did get some Walmart homespun fabric and some homespuns from my LQS. This is a heavily used quilt and it is holding up quite well. So some Walmart fabric is fine. But that is not a choice for me anymore as my local wallyworld has discontinued their fabric dept. Any printed fabric and batiks I prefer to get at LQS and I have taken a chance with on line purchases and have been very satisfied so far. By far, my preference is being able to touch the fabric before buying it but on line purchasing has worked so far, although I have yet to use any online fabrics in a quilt.

Hmmmm. I hadn't even thought about there being a diffenrence in batting. I recently bought some thinner cotton batting (it was off a huge roll) at JoAnn's to make a comforter with. It will just be a sheet on one side, Michael Miller fabric on the other (just huge pieces - not quilted) - and I was going to hand tie it. Am I going to have problems??

I think that thin cotton batting that is not needle-punched and without scrim probably doesn't hold up well to tying. My favorite batting is Mountain Mist Blue Ribbon 100% cotton, which is fairly thin and not needlepunched, and it is recommended to be quilted about 2" apart. If this type of batting is tied far apart, I would think it would separate and ball up into lumps every time it was agitated in the wash.

If I were going to tie a quilt, I would probably use Warm n Natural (needlepunched through a scrim) or perhaps Quilters Dream (haven't used it, but I think it is more blanket-like). I think WnN can be tied 6 inches apart with no problem, maybe more.

Wow, I'm glad I asked.... can I get what you mentioned at JoAnn's or where would I find them?

JoAnn's carries Warm n Natural. Quilters Dream is widely available online. Before using these, you should probably research their characteristics. WnN is a very stable batting but the needle-punching through scrim gives it a stiffer drape than other battings. QD comes in varying thicknesses and has a finer drape. I'm not positive that QD is suitable for tying, though, having never used it myself; that is something you would want to research. Maybe start a new thread asking which batts are the best ones for tied quilts?

katier185 has a good point about piecing different quality fabrics. Experience has taught me that if you starch the "less" fabric before cutting, and then if necessary before piecing you can control the stretching somewhat.

As for telling the quality of fabrics, after a while you will be able to tell by the feel. As for JoAnn fabric, I have found that the bolts that sell for 8.99 are indeed far superior to the 3.99-6.99 bolts. When using the less expensive product I pre-wash and check for color fastness and shrinkage.

I'll admit that not so long ago I was a Quilt Fabric Snob. But after contracting to teach Quilting at JoAnn's I have had the opportunity to be around their fabric. I realized that some of their fabrics are actually really nice. The chain is trying out, bringing in lines of fabric. instead of just having a wall of color segregated fabrics. I have used their New Legacy line and it's pretty nice. I also like (actually love) their Stone Hill fabrics. But that is just me.

There are 4 LQS in my area and their prices are getting outrageous. They are charging from 9.99 - to 14.99. I hope this is not an indication as to how prices across the board will be. 2 years ago these same shops were priced from 6.99-11.99

Just my 2 cents worth, hope someone finds it helpful.

My usual blah-blah

Wash and dry the fabric before cutting. (In my case, I soak it in hot water first, then wash and dry)

After that, then one really knows what one has.

Next week, Joann's will have the pre packaged Warm n Natural on sale for $9.99. It's 90x108, or the equivalent of 3 yds off the bolt. I usually buy off the bolt for $6 on sale. This is a much better deal.