Several years ago I was in China and actually went to a place where quilts were being made. They did not know company was coming. In one building ladies were piecing the quilts on machines, in another building ladies were quilting the quilts. Yes, the stitches were big. Then the quilts were hung outside in the sun, then were taken to another building where ladies were checking for loose strings. These ladies were being paid what is considered fair wages in China. No, not what we would consider fair in the states. All the buildings were very clean, but no air conditioner which is nothing unusualy in China. There were ceiling fans.

I've purchased three: one fell apart and two are still going strong, even with heavy use. The one that fell apart was purchased at Cracker Barrel, the two that have held up were purchased at JC Penney and Linens and Things. I don't see a problem with purchasing a store-bought quilt. As for "slave labor," I don't see how purchasing a quilt made in China is any different from purchasing something else made in China or another nation with poor labor laws. If I boycott all third-world nations just in case the labor force isn't treated fairly (and I never would), that would mean far fewer (or no) shoes, clothes, fabric, some of my food, and almost any other consumer product.

I've got a few. One of them was from my college dorm days, when the handmade one that I made for myself was stolen. I didn't have the room in the small dorm to make myself another one (or the time because I really did study!) so I went to some discount store and got myself a bed in a bag. The thing is still holding up really well, and it's a great comforter to take when we go on a road trip. I don't mind it, and it'll be a sad day when I have to get rid of that one. I really do like it.

That said, I love the ones I make more. :D

The ones I have seen lately for $20 are not quilts. They are printed cheater cloth. I bought some years ago before I knew how to quilt and they were actually pieced. I think they were made in China. The fabric is a lot thinner, the quilting is coarse, generally not bound but turned and overal they are not made very well but they are still quilts and have charm. We use them for outside and camping.

"Years ago" when we purchased something, it would last. If you would purchase that quilt today, it probably wouldn't last through two or three washing. :lol:

I had a store-bought, relatively inexpensive quilt that I took to the cleaners to have them wash because my machine wasn't big enough. The colors ran and I ended up chucking it. I couldn't find another quilt to buy in the colors I wanted. Thus started my quilting hobby. I have a couple of other store-bought quilts, and they truly do not hold up as well. I want to replace them with my own.

It's true that non-quilters do not really know the difference. I sure didn't.

Well said.

I have one of those quilts for a picnic quilt. The cotton is very thin and it is constantly coming unsewed in the seams. They are made with the cheapest thread and fabric that can be found. I don't mind since it is for outside anyway. :-)

My neighbor asked me to look at a quilt in regard to repairing it. It turned out to be store bought about 12 years old. It was falling apart, the fabric deteriorated, the quilting threads dissolved. I pronounced it dead, with kindness and sympathy. It was their bed quilt when first married and little money.

I believe they may have their place, although by buying them we cut down on the possibility of an American made quilt being bought instead. As someone said, they use the cheaper quilt to protect their bedding from their four-legged friends, and won't feel so bad if they tend to fall apart after a a few washings. But like everything else, you get what you pay for.

The tops look good but they have no batting and only some polyester backing . they don't hold up well and they are not warm.

I think this is pretty much what I was getting at. I have more store bought blankets/comforters than hand made - but to see the ones in the store that are made to look like what we create makes me sad.

I have a handquilted quilt from Domestications I got for $39 for a king size. Yes, it IS hand quilted, but at least 1/2" stitches and far apart. It has come out through washings, but I got it because I liked the look, and with the dogs and cats jumping on the bed, I didn't want to ruin one I had worked so hard on. So just as cheap fabric has it's place, so do cheap quilts. Just as long as you know the difference and are making an informed decision to purchase that quilt.

Years ago I purchased one of these quilts (king size) for $20.00. I've used it for everything and washed it often (cover in spare bedrrom, extra blanket for grandkids sleepovers, picnic blanket, covered dining table to make tent for grandkids, etc). It has held up amazingly well and I have no problem using it.
It's not one of mine, I don't think any quilter would mistake it for the "real thing", but it's served a purpose in my household. In spite of its origin, it's found a place in my family and I choose to think of it as an adopted grandchild:>)
Lighten up ladies, everyone can't be lucky enough to receive one of our quilts LOL

Some folks use the store bought quilts to make quilted jackets, purses etc. I've seen a few that people have made and they are really nice. I think once you've quilted you can see the difference in the quality of workmanship and fabrics but if you don't quilt you wonder why anyone would pay hundreds of dollars to make a quilt that can be bought for $25 - 50 in a store. I know my neighbor does.

Just my 2 cents.
Marie

I guess the old saying is true. "You get what you pay for."
Now, haven't we all seen the list of hours and love and fabric, etc.
that goes into a handmade quilt?

........and money! Time's are tight.

I was given a quilt From WalMart and I have had to repair it so many times it isn't funny but it will make a great picnic or beach quilt-maybe can be used for packing. The quality is just not there and the seams must be as small as they can get because they come apart at the seams regularly.

They'll never match the love that goes into hand made.

Before I started quilting, I bought a quilt at Sears for $50. I lasted about 10 years and ended up in the dog's bed. Started falling apart - in fact, the fabric started disenagrating (spelling?) like it was dry-rot.

Then I discovered quilting and the rest is history.

What I've experienced is how people ask me to make a quilt and when I quote a $500+ price, they look at me like I'm crazy. I let them know the fabric alone will run around $300+. That's usually as far as I get with them....which is just fine with me.

I've sold a few memory quilts for around $100 but the customer usually supplies the t-shirts, clothing, etc. for me to work with.

Absolutely so true !!

it's possible that an american quilt may not be purcased as the buyer of the cheap quilt may not be able to afford a more expensive american one.

Before I started quilting I bought one of those "looks like homemade" quilts; even looked like it was quilted by hand. Well you get what you pay for. It started falling apart before I had ever washed it and boy once I did wash it, it looked like $#!$. Now I'm sure there are some nice quilts in retail but I don't think I'll ever own one.

So true. There is a place near me that sells handmade quilts on consignment. Beautiful, and worth all the asking price I'm sure. but I would never buy one simply due to the cost.

I have one & it's a beauty.Never saw a store bought quilt adv as home made,so can't ans that.My Mom bought it from Khols to save me the time of making one.Since she passed away,I find myself loving it even more. She chose it, in colors she knew I like.
It's 3 yrs old & looks like new. No complaints from here.

Several catalogs that used to sell these, and had a liberal return policy, no longer sell them, because they come back when the buyers realize they are no good.

If you want to know what factory conditions are like in China these days, watch a documentary called China Blues. (on PBS). It was about a blue jeans factory. Girls living in dormitories (some as young as 14),away from home, working 17-18 hours a day (no kidding) -- and no overtime pay of course. Paychecks get delayed, their food and lodging gets taken out, pay gets docked for this and that. Horrible working conditions. As I was watching it, I was thinking, Here this is supposed to be a "Communist" country and they are perpetuating the worst of "Capitalism" (because one person owned the factory and was making all the money.). It was like conditions in the US 125 years ago, before there were any labor laws.

DON'T buy Chinese! American industry and American crafts are being destroyed by us when we buy cheap foreign goods and by those American companies who make obscene profits by off shore manufacturing and/or purchasing.

(Buy old bedding at Goodwill or other charities for the dogs.)

I had a bunch of those and always bought king sized! When I go my Tin Lizzie guess what I practiced on!

I will get a few more years of use out of those quilts!

I've purchased them before and they're fine until they're washed when the seams pull apart. I don't think of them as "quilts" but as another blanket.

i bought one of these quilts for my cats room to cover the seat and i wash it like twice a week its over a year old came with matching tote by the way i paid 10 $ on clearance in wal mart i wash stick it in the dryer and it works fine so far.I hate to put handmade ones in there rooms because the washing.As soon as the get down more on price i get another one.

i do buy a lot of blankets at goodwill and always i find fabric for a good price too

They are not usually of good quality--I bought one from Domestications once that i really liked for my son--then i just straight stitched over the seams and its his favorite.

All the $16.00 quilts I have seen at Walmart and Kmart are printed quilt designs. Quilted with large stitch, maybe this is handquilted part. I haven't been to Kohls in over a year, so I am not familiar with their quilts.

All that is true. But, are you not aware that that's where much of your fabric that you buy from the LQS's come from as well? Just go on an adventure.....go to Kohl's, Lowe's, your local upscale dept. store, the grocery, the Dollar Store, the hardware store, the gift shop, the card store,etc., etc., etc. and start reading the labels. If they're not made in China, it's Indonesia, Pakistan, Honduras,etc. with the same working conditions Try to find something "Made in the USA"....NOT distributed by but, MADE in the USA. The people to boycott are the p

All that is true. But, are you not aware that that's where much of your fabric that you buy from the LQS's come from as well? Just go on an adventure.....go to Kohl's, Lowe's, your local upscale dept. store, the grocery, the Dollar Store, the hardware store, the gift shop, the card store,etc., etc., etc. and start reading the labels. If they're not made in China, it's Indonesia, Pakistan, Honduras,etc. with the same working conditions Try to find something "Made in the USA"....NOT distributed by but, MADE in the USA. Check your pins and needles and rotary blades and cutters.

Forgive me if this post is inappropriate, but considering the topic thread, I thought the irony was hilarious when I read the google ad at the bottom of this page!

Pottery Barn® Quilts
Sleep in Comfort with Beautiful Patchwork Quilts from Pottery Barn.
www. PotteryBarn. com

I guess there is a quilt out there for everybody;)

sorry, but it's self deluding to say that they all are badly made.

i have a few that are well made and there are companies now that are selling them as part of an Americana Collection. they aren't $10, but not $50 either. i kept one on a bed for years as a cat hair collector. it got washed every week for eight years and it's still going strong. it doesn't look new, but the ones i make for babies that get washed that often don't look new either. yes, it has big stitches and muslin-y fabric, but it hangs in there, so what can i complain about? if you look at these quilts, mass-produced, you'll see that they were made here, are well-made, have interesting designs and colors. i bought these years ago when we had a big house that needed instant bedding for visiting teenagers. they were not part of cheap packages that included shams and ruffles. they cost about $25.00 then and i still see them for about $35.00. i don't care. i quilt because i enjoy it, not because it's cheaper or better. my family loves my work because i made it.

these are more. they have been washed, they have been used for picnics and teenagers have pushed and pulled them. now they hang on the wall for an extra layer. i got my money's worth and someone here made a living.


edit: i lost them.

anyway. one had a pointed edging and a tag on the back with a company name here in new york state. the last one is a trip around the world.

please see my post above this. it just takes some looking.

I was recently at a quilt outlet while on vacation. I did buy a throw quilt made in India, because it was my colors and had curved piecing, which I'm still not ready to do. They also had printed quilts for $75 and up, priced the same as their pieced quilts.