I stumbled upon this somewhat technical explanation of the differences between quilt shop fabric and the lower priced kind, and thought it might be of interest: http://catsquiltart.com/2011/quilt-s...n-store-fabric

I'm wondering if a microscope wouldn't be a helpful shopping tool - just kidding, I think.

Thanks for the information. This is one I'll have to pass along to a friend who doesn't believe me when I tell her there is a difference!

The link is great - Thanks.

As to a microscope - lol. But our grandmothers always spoke of the fabric hand - which is "The quality of a fabric assessed by the reaction obtained from the sense of touch". We all still do that automatically - even though the term is somewhat obsolete. The better greige goods feel nicer to the touch!!

Amen to this. Thank you for posting this.

Thanks for the info.

I think fabric selection should also be based on the use of the quilt. Spending over $100 for fabric & batting to make a treasured "heirloom" quality quilt is quite acceptable. To overspend on fabric for a quilt that goes to a hospital for NICU babies, or to a toddler who will drag the quilt around, necessitating frequent washing and relatively short term life doesn't seem like a good use of my $$ resources. I do appreciate the difference in the quality of the fabric. Sometimes I can afford to spend $$ for the nicer fabric, but most often I cannot.

I have part of a quilt that my grandmother made over 100 years ago using household use grade fabrics. Although it is fragile, it stood up to many many washings in a farm household over it's life. If my quilts make it to 100 years old, no matter what the fabric quality, I will look down in amazement from Heaven!!

Thanks for the info.

Amen to that! if a quilt made from used clothing can last that long i don't worry about mine.

manufacturers have different standards or specs. that is the difference in the fabric, not where it happens to be sold

I have a thread counter and I take it with me when I shop for fabric. I have found the same amount of threads per inch in quilt shops as well as in Walmart. I focus on the color, print, and finish when the thread count is the same. 65 threads per inch is quilt shop quality no matter where you buy it. Any fabric under 60 per inch is too thin for quilting unless you want to make a rag quilt.

One of the owners of P & B Textiles came to my guild and explained about griege as well as the runs of fabric. He said that there is are different runs done of a print and the difference is what quality the fabric is printed on, so there is a first run, second run, and maybe a third run. The second run is usually done on a lower grade.

He explained it very well. I wish I could remember all of it.