Hello friends,
I have my laptop set right next to my sewing table, so when I stop cutting or sewing I read what is being said here, as I am new I am trying to learn everything I can
I see many people mentioning "quality fabrics". What goes into a quality fabric and how can a newbie tell the difference?


Thanks!
David

It will be interesting to see how people respond to your question!!

For me, the difference is in how it feels. It should feel "substantial" -- not limp, not so thin you can almost see through it. Partly a matter of threads per inch and the kind of sizing it has, I think. Perhaps also in the weight of the thread used to weave the cloth.

Also, is the color "registered" correctly (are there shadows, or ghost images that result when the colors are not lined up correctly?) Are they 'saturated,' meaning that the color -- whatever it is -- is clear and deep. Even if the color is a pastel or lighter color, you should be able to see that the color is even throughout the area you're looking at.

It would be easier to show you examples of good quality fabric as compared to lesser quality fabric. Not sure picts would be adequate, though.

Jory

Good place to start is with fabrics listed in quilting catalogs: Keepsake Quilting, Hancock Fabrics, Connecting Threads, etc. You can easily get on their
mailing lists. Nice to have you aboard, and we look forward to your projects.

Others will have a better way to help you know, maybe...

I go by a few things.

One is the weave of the fabric. It should not be too open - then the fabric will ravel easily, and be difficult to use when bias edges are involved.

Another thing I check is the feel. After some time, you will know by feel what fabric will be better in your quilt. (Sorry. That is so subjective.)

Any other suggestions, quilters?

Quality fabric just has the right feel. The cotton is soft and hangs correctly. The grain is even on the bolt - not angling in one direction. As the previous poster said, the dye is good.

Pictures do not tell if it is quality fabric you can tell just by the feel.

Do a test for your self. Go to a cheap fabric place touch feel and observe the fabric. Then go into a high quality LQS and touch feel and observe the fabric, you will see what I mean.

Its all in the feel.

The better quality fabric will have a tighter weave, feel very nice to the touch and usually will wash up nicer (less shrinkage/wrinkles) than some of the inexpensive fabrics. From my own experience, I think that the quality is pretty consistent among the same brand. By that I mean one Kaufman print is as good a quality as another Kaufman. I must admit, I'm spoiled and do like the major brands better than the fabric at Joann's. But I do purchase at Joann's if I like the feel/look of a fabric. I shop around a lot and often can find the major brands at a discount - these will be not the most recent designs. I can usually find them close to or less than what Joann's regular price is. If you go to your local quilt shop and touch the fabrics, then compare to the less expensive ones at other stores, you will probably notice the difference.

I have to agree with everyone else on feel. I also agree with Katier825 in that I have found brand names of fabric are very consistant on quality (Kaufman, Hoffman of California, Moda, Timeless Treasures etc). Quality fabric will also fade less and hold up better and most of all I think you will feel a real difference when working with quality fabric as opposed to bargain basement fabric. That is not to say you have to spend a lot. Once you become familiar with brand names you like you can find older prints (maybe last years designs) on line very inexpensively. Sites like Whittles and Thousands of Bolts have first quality name brands just not the latest prints for a fraction of the price. And because you are familiar with the manufacturer you know the quality of the fabric you will receive without the ever so important feel test.

A good example would be to feel Moda fabrics or Kaufman and then go to Joann's and feel the fabrics. Anything that would feel similar to Moda or Kaufmann (there are others too) would be quality fabrics.

Look at all the fabric you can find, in quilt shops, at Walmart, etc. I understand they've had fat quarters and strips at Big Lots and Tuesday Morning recently. Feel it, hold it up to the light, look at the colors and how it's printed. Bet you'll soon figure out which ones are quality. It's one of those things you just know when you see.

yeah, what they all said.

with some time you will just "get" it. good luck and keep quilting.

This is my test for 'quality' fabric. How does it drape?
Take an unused fabric softener sheet, open it up and drape it over your hand. Now take a used fabric softener sheet and do the same thing. Notice how 'limp' the used sheet is. That is how 'unquality' fabric will drape. The quality fabric will drape like the unused sheet. Generally fabric from Wal-Mart, Jo-Anns etc is not quality fabric.
Quilt store fabric is quality fabric (that's why it costs more). Hope this helps.

After reading through the replies, I would agree that with careful shopping, you can find fabrics at some of the non-lqs fabric stores that are 'quality'. But be careful of looking for brand names on the end of the bolt... In some stores, the bolt cards are reused without being relabeled. (Ask me how I know.)

Quality fabric is important. You are going to put the same amount of time and work into cheap fabric as you would good fabric. The good fabric will last much longer and wear so much better. The dye won't fade. You can feel the difference in the weave of the fabric. The good stuff has a higher thread count and is a tighter weave.