There is not even one quilt shop in El Paso ? Wow ... that's kind of surprising for a city that size ... sounds like you all need to get together and open a shop !!

All of above is so true, work with what you have. Several years ago I attended a seminar by a famous fiber artist-he sell his works for thousands. He buys very inexpensive fabrics-it is his embellishments & creative art that makes the garments worth $$$$.
I personally know a talented quilt artist-her quilts also sell for thousands & one of her quilts is in the Smithsonian. I know she buys her fabrics at Joann's-especially when there are the big sales.
Look at the antique quilts in museums-very unlikely that any of those fabrics came from LQS.
In a perfect world we would all buy only the best but in the meantime we do what we can. I do buy from the LQS sometimes, when I can, when my family has given me a gift certificate for a present or a special sale.
The happiest people are those who are content with what they have.

I see so many people say the same thing over and over "I can't afford LQS fabric." You are sitting in front of the world's biggest shopping tool. I've paid as little as $3.50 a yard for TOP quality fabric from internet stores and as little as $1 a yard in a LQS!! So be honest. You buy JoAnn's and Wal-Mart fabric because you want to and you're making excuses. Whatever. But don't call people snobs because they can shop smart and buy TOP quality fabric cheaper than you buy the so called cheap stuff.

I must be one lucky lady but I have used fabric from both Joanns and Walmart and have never had a problem with fading, bleding, shrinking or anything else. In fact, my favorite fabric is a gorgeous red paisley that I have only found at Walmart and have used successfully in many projects. I actually have found some Moda fabrics that were very thin and didn't work up as well. That's my two cents.

I had a bad experience with Joann's but I will Hobby Lobby fabric all day long! Especially since I realized they have the Robert Kaufman Kona. Also my Joann's feels just slightly larger than a bathtub so it is not a pleasant time in there.

I used ot buy a lot of fabric at JoAnn's when we had a store near us....never had a problem with it, and I always prewashed as it was used for clothes for my kids. Now I have to go either 60 miles or over 100 miles, depending which direction I travel. Would I go to JoAnn's again if one would open up nearer here? In a heartbeat! As many others have said, you have to go with your gut feeling when it comes to fabrics!

Likewise. I made Turning Twenty quilt using only FQs from my LQS...some of those FQs were a little on the thin side and not at all as nice feeling as the majority of the flannels of the others. I've felt the quality of the flannels offered in my local WM and they feel very nice! I'm going back in a few days to get some for receiving blankets. BTW, the fabric dept. in our WM did decrease in size with their remodel, but was phased out of the store. I've noticed more and more fabrics being added recently....nice!

I haven't really shopped at Joanne's since they closed their branches to create their super store. Now, they don't really carry as many fabrics but instead have more craft supplies and framing service. I am used to shopping at Fabric Depot which has a huge selection and is largely broken down by quality brand names. I received a Joanne's gift card of $20 so went to spend that last week. They don't carry quilters flannel but have a cheap flannel which I bought a piece of. They only have a selection of off whites in the large backing fabric. I bought a couple of Christmas things on sale but ended up only spending about $7 and that took a while. I did notice they had some fabric that was released several years ago which could come in handy for some people.

I agree with you , Amen !!!!!!!

Someone posted "I think JoAnn's fabrics was better quality years ago." Yes, true but so was the quality at LQS. That said, I shop for my fabrics by look and feel and buy at Jo's and LQS depending upon the quilt and/or my budget or stash needs.

Here's an example that shows that you never know where the perfect fabric is waiting for you. My DGranddaughter Elizabeth told me that she was sitting on the orange and cream quilt I made her for her dorm room and her roommate remarked how the fabric in the quilt was just so "Her". That's exactly my reaction when I saw the bolt of soft orange and cream fabric in Joann's. If I didn't stop at Joann's first when looking for fabrics for Elizabeth's quilt I would have never found the perfect fabric for it. May in Jersey