For me - soaking in hot water - don't cringe - it usually doesn't do any damage to the fabric - but it WILL shrink it if it's going to - is worth the effort.

Sometimes the soaking and washing - I do wash on a gentle cycle in warm water with only a tiny bit of detergent - makes the fabric much nicer to handle - in my opinion - and if it turns out to be a piece of (very inferior quality fabric) - it's a good time to find out - and toss it.

I won't pass on totally icky, bad behaving fabric. If it's a recent purchase and I still have the receipt, I will try to return it. Sometimes it works - sometimes it doesn't.

Some quilters seem to be comfortable with cutting the fabric straight from the store. I am so not.

No sense in trying save a dime and losing five dollars.

I think the key phrase here is "I use the best fabric I can afford." The most important thing I think we all agree on is we love what we do. My family loves all the quilts they have received from me and no one asks about the fabric. They just love the quilts.

I agree. I should have said "OK it is official that working with poor quality fabrics is awful. (reguardless of price)"

That summarizes it well.

This is what I tell my students, expecially the new ones. Some of my students are on limited income. They are so eager to learn and in order to pay me and buy fabric and all the other stuff that comes with the making of a quilt they have to make choices and most of the time they are wise choices, when not I try to show them a different way to go.

Our quilt guild of 8 members just sent off 8 quilts to Quilts for Kids this morning. Their kits are just the most adorable fabrics and such a great cause. We plan to do more after the holidsys.

for those thinner fabrics don't toss them just yet -- I use them to piece string blocks or crazy quilt blocks.

fabric quality varies from store to store. walmart sells cheap chinese stuff and usually the quilt ends up looking chinese. joanns only sells quality fabric and my products turn out looking beautiful and very professional.

spray starch does help with the cheep stuff.

When I went to nice fabric store this morning...There was some fabrics in the for 6.95 a yard..it was thin and gauzey..and some that she had for quilting was so thick!.. so you have to watch it no matter where you shop!