Please share with me which fabric lines you like best to quilt with. I know they cost more...but if I am going to spend the effort and time on a quilt, I want it to be made from good stuff.
Thanks so much!

I like Hoffman and Kaufman, and not just because they rhyme!

I always end up with Moda...... that's my favorite.

(You're going to get lots of different answers)

:-)

I have more Moda than anything else. Second favorite would be RJR and anything Jinny Beyer.

Asking this is like walking into a bar and saying Ford or Chevy?

There will be tons of opinons. I'd say, if it feels good to you, it's OK.

I have found selected bolts of many of the "best" brands to be less than what I expected. Which explains why I'm reluctant to buy on-line unless I've been able to experience the fabric in person.

I had my heart set on a line and was planning to use it for a gift - until I finally saw it in person this past weekend. It was so thin and flimsy. Back to square 1.

Cathy

Fabric by P&B, Timeless Treasures, Moda, Kauffman, and Northcott feels like silk. love all of them. Quilt shop quality fabric.

I have the same problem -- I like to feel and see the fabric before I buy it. That said, I will buy on line if it is a fabric that I have already seen/felt if I decide I want it and no LQS near me is carrying it.

LQS fabric is the best u cannot go wrong with this faric

Marcus, Moda, Cotton Classics, RJR, Kaufmann.

Good lines: VIP, Cranston, Timeless Treasures, Free-spirit, P&B, David Textiles, Signature Series.

These are my opinion only; and what I usually buy.

I like Timeless Treasures, Alexander Henry, Starr Fabrics (they're hand dyed), Moda, Kaufmann, South Seas Imports - not all of them.

Heck, I really haven't met a fabric I didn't like. I think for me it depends on the type of quilt I'm making.

Me too!!

My rules of thumb...if you can see your hand through it...it's too thin. If you might snag it with your rings...it's too thin. I'm not a fabric snob and look for the best deals but I also want longevity in my quilts so if your iffy about whether it's good quality or not... leave it on the shelf. JMHO.

:thumbup:

Me too!

I agree with Rose L. It is just like shopping for a dress. Touch the fabric and you will either love it or leave it. You certainly don't want anything that you can see thru. Hoffman is always been my favorite!! But that is because I love doing watercolor quilts. But I have in my stash most of the fabrics that have been listed. Just think, if men designed the fabrics, we would have to choose from about a dozen plaid fabrics !!! Just a joke !! GOOD LUCK with your fabric choices.

I don't pay attention to the brand, I go by the feel, color, and texture of the fabric that I am interested in.

There are alot of them out there. If you are buying in a store like Walmarts then check the quality and the thickness of it. Most LQS have good quality fabric.

Kaufman, Moda, Quilting Treasures and whatever else fits my fancy!

Oh "sew" true!
I've also found that some of the highly touted "labels" are not as great as they are made out to be.

Now that takes us into the Ford or Chevy vs. Mercedes and BMW!

hundreds of us can pile on here to share our lists of favorites. the bottom line, though, is that beauty and quality are in the eye of the beholder.

where you buy it guarantees nothing.
price guarantees nothing.

i would recommend that you cruise quiltshops, chain stores, and clearance pages at the online sites.

as you can afford to, buy a little bit here and there in order to discover what appeals most to you. makes lists and take notes for future reference.

if i want to "test drive" a brand for the first time i will check sites like thousandofbolts.com and quiltinaday.com. they always have oobledy googobs of name brands on sale. consider doing the online fabshophop, too. (don't order anything until you have gone through the whole list of shops. the prices will often vary widely. keep track of the things that interest you and then go back to the shops that had them at the lowest prices.)

If it's for someone special, I go with Jinny Beyers. If she puts her name on it,it has to be good. Same goes for Kaffe Fassett fabrics.

ford! oh wait.. that's not what you were asking. tee hee

Wow, that's me too!! :thumbup:

I agree, lots of work- get the best you can afford.
That goes for thread also.

My thoughts exactly, although a newbie, learning quickly what NOT to buy again and what to look for.

This is an interesting thread. I have never paid much attention to what brand or make the fabric here is, I usually go on what I like the look and feel of.

Unfortunately I can no longer afford to just go into a shop and purchase off the shelf as fabric in New Zealand is very expensive - roughly $25-$30

I have wanted to purchase online for a while, but had no idea what to start looking at. A few names have been mentioned more than once so think I will start with them. Thank you :)

LOL!! Very true :D

I like to feel them at the quilt shop. Usually I buy my fabrics there.

My favorite is Moda but not all Moda is the same. My sister likes P&B. I do have some Free Spirit that has a wonderful feel. My favorite solids is Kona of course.

Ditto.

I usally only buy quilt shop quality also. I recently bought some DS quilts from Joanns and I think the quality is just as nice as some of the major brands though the thread count does seem a tad less but I am not really sure.

My suggestion is to buy a small amount, take it home and wash it. I recently bought some fabric for pull together and it felt a little "cheesy". For 2 bucks a yard I couldn't pass on it. It went into the machine as soon as I got it home, then to the clothesline. I was pleased that it felt like a much better quality after being washed. Go figure.

My suggestion is to buy a small amount, take it home and wash it. I recently bought some fabric for pull together and it felt a little "cheesy". For 2 bucks a yard I couldn't pass on it. It went into the machine as soon as I got it home, then to the clothesline. I was pleased that it felt like a much better quality after being washed. Go figure.

Besides Hoffman and Kaufman, I like RJR, Moda, In The Beginning, Westminster, Kona, Benartex, Marcus, Red Rooster and Avlyn. Connecting Threads has nice fab and it is cheap.

I have purchased several lines of Blank Quilting fabric. They have fun designs and the quality is great.

My favorites are Marcus and Andover. They both have a wonderful feel to them.

My top five would be Northcott, Benartex, Red Rooster, Avlyn and Moda for feel. I will purchase any brand of fabric that I like the feel of and that is the color, design that I want. While I do like to "caress" the fabric before purchasing, with limited local availability and also cheaper on-line prices, I do a lot of internet shopping.

I buy fabric because it will go with a planned project and because I like it. I have never been let down. I don't look at the designers names. I have noticed that some fabrics, no matter who the designer is, is getting thinner. Some LQS fabrics are found in Walmart, Joann, Hancock stores, which means paying a bit more for purchases. Good luck to you on whatever you are planning to make

Moda for me. I like several but that is my favorite.

The reason it "felt better" after washing it is because the fabric may have shrunk some and the threads pulled tighter together causing the fabric to "bulk up" a bit.

I buy from my LQS or online from a QS. My favorite line is Riley Blake thier fabric has lots of bright colors.. right now I seem to be wanting do quilts with lots of color.