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entirely sensible.
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When I started quilting almost 50 years ago, the fabric was 36 inches wide and some of it has faded through the years. There were also more chemicals in the fabric years ago. As long as the thread count seems to be very good and the fabric doesn't feel too thin, where fabric is purchased isn't that important. Just once in a while do try to purchase something from the LQS. With the wholesale prices going up and up, the LQS are having a difficult time. And NO I am not affliated with any LQS.
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I agree with others. I made a quilt years ago with mostly fabric from JoAnn's, and it's one of the best quilts I ever made! Loved to death, too.
However, I just wanted to point out that the term "Kona solids" is not specific. There are Kona solids, Kona Bay solids, and Kaufman Kona solids. The manufacturer of the Kona solid makes a difference in the fabric quality. Here is an older thread on that topic: http://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1...s-t183557.html |
I'm thinking that since the link referenced in the initial posting is for a swap it may be that the person wanted to be sure that the fabric was comparable for each contributor. Perhaps in previous swaps there was too much difference in the quality of fabrics sent. However, there have been a few times that I have come across a fabric in a quilt shop that was a bit thin. Perhaps it was ordered for the print, or some special thing. But usually quilt shops do carry high quality fabric. And the person writing it may have a personal philosophy that if we don't support the quilt shops they will close. I have found a great variety at JoAnn's so you do have to look at it.
But for personal preference I agree, buy where you can, or prefer. |
While I prefer fabric at my local quilt shop, I do buy at the the larger 'box' stores....Joanns, Hancocks, Hobby Lobby, etc. With the rising cost of fabric, I just hope I don't have to give up my fabric addiction!!!!!
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All I can say, is here we go again.....
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I wonder if it isn't the material quality ... but rather that if we don't support our LQS's they will go out of business. Though I do know of a few material snobs.
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I wonder if the request was made because when doing a swap w/ people you don't know, that if everyone bought material from a LQS, there would be a better chance of the quality being similar.
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Originally Posted by DebbE
(Post 5572070)
The way I look at it, quilting was started by thrifty women who had only scraps from clothes they made, and swapped with others for variety. I 'honor' that tradition by being thrifty -- yes, I'd love to be able to buy the really nice fabrics from designers, but I have other things to spend money on, too. So I buy in the clearance areas at the LQS, some from Joann's, Hancock and very occasionally, Walmart (the fabric at our store is usually cheap). But I also buy at Goodwill, as quilters pass away and their family members donate not knowing just how much those fabrics are worth, in money and in their loved ones eyes. I also buy at yard sales, and even clothing that I see at yard sales where the fabric is nice and in good shape, which I then cut up. Our economy isn't going to improve for a very long time, so we all have to save where we can. But we can still enjoy our art and produce beautifully, well made quilts for others as reasonable prices, too.
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While price is certainly an object for me, as for so many others, I have never felt that a direction to buy "quilt shop quality" fabric is uppity or snotty. I think that most of the folks who take the time and energy to develop patterns and them put them out on their blogs for the rest of us to use, usually for free, use the best quality fabric they can to help insure the best final product. And, they give the instruction to use the best quality fabric possible so that we - their customers so to speak - will also have the probability of the best outcome for OUR product. I have personally experienced the difference in the same project when made with a high quality fabric and a lower quality fabric, and that difference is surely noticable. So, while I have certainly done projects with fabrics from wal-mart, Hobby Lobby and the other chain fabric stores - and will continue to do so - I will go with the highest quality fabric available that I can afford. And, if I am using someone else's pattern and they recommend quilt shop quality fabric, I will take that recommendation under very careful consideration, and do what I can to get the high quality in fabric usually found in quilt shops.
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