I like to use walmart for emergencies. I do use some of their fat quarters of fabric for crafty items. I hardly ever use it for making quilts though. Their is a big difference in quilting fabric campared to regular fabric., Alot like thread counts in bedding sheets, The higher the count, the better and stronger.

I buy what I can afford and almost all the time that is Walmart or even goodwill. I can't afford nine dollars a yard or even six dollars a yard, yet I love to sew and quilt. Made some pretty nice items from the fabrics at Walmart.

I pretty much stick to quilt shops and online shops. I use Jo-ann's coupons for anything but fabric. The Wal-Mart near me still has quite a large fabric dept, but the six months I have lived here I have not found any fabric to buy there. I learned that lesson early on.

You know what? You buy what you can afford. And dont you ever feel bad about it. Quilting is about your expression, not the quilt snob/police. Of which there really aren't very many. Yes, lqs is a LOT better quality, imho, and easier to work with. But if you have the need to create, anything will do. Also, every quilt shop I have been to always has some fabric for half price. I stock up epecially if it is something I like. Just like buying winter coats, buy when the spring clothes are coming and winter is all on sale for the next year.

I went to walmart to look for some cheap fabric to make a nightgown pattern for. I found some cotton checkered print for 1.50 a yard in the quilting fabric section. To me it felt like quilting fabric. So I got it and I ended up making a nightgown out of it to make sure the pattern fit.
I ended up only doing 1/4 seams as I forgot to do larger ones for clothing.
That nightgown has been washed and worn and washed again with no problems.

Fabric from Walmart can be bad, I have seen it. It can also be not so bad. You have to look at each individual fabric.
When I was buying for my latest quilt. I saw a fabric at Joannes, I LOVED the pattern but the fabric did not feel right. So I skipped it.
None of my quilts have fallen apart yet. I hope that they dont. If they do well then it will be my fault. but I got the joy of making it and learning from it.

I have yet to spend more then 3$ a yard for fabric.
It really limits what I can get and I really have to be careful. It can be done.

That was absolutely spot on!!!!! Three Cheers to you. I also feel that way. Edie

I only use quilt quality fabric form LQS...I have a bin of wal-mart fabric that I bought when I had first started sewing....so I will use it in an ER....or if it is for something that is not going to be a masterpeice quilt....I have also given alot of it away...after itis gone I won't use it anymore..but I also can't throw away the money I have spent on it.....I think it is wise to shop around adn get sales..they have them everywhere!

this argument is as old as quilting. :roll:

not every expensive fabric is good fabric. not every inexpensive fabric is junk.

Americans kvetch about $10 a yard; Aussies drool at the thought of such a bargain.

there isn't a quilting fabric out there that's truly worth $10 a yard. have I paid that much? i'm sorry to say i did ... just the other day. I still can't believe it, but i did. do i feel guilty? heck no. i work hard for my money. if i want to indulge myself once in a while, it's nobody's business but mine.

will i do it again? not unless i'm that desperate again and that much too lazy again to shop around for a more sensible price when nothing but exactly what i already have in mind will do.

those who can afford the ridiculous prices at the LQS need to remember that noses were made to smell with - not to look down.

those who struggle to find something ... anything ... they can squeeze into a skin-tight budget need to remember that the LQS junkies have a right to spend their money as they choose.

as long as nobody is skipping the groceries and bills to buy fabric; as long as everybody is happy with whatever they have chosen to buy; the debate is unneccessary, pointless, and ALWAYS leads to hurt feelings. :hunf:

I agree with you 100%. A lot of times when I'm reading this board or post something, some of the other posters "seem" to criticize what is said. I buy most of my fabric from Wal-mart but always do the feel test. I'm working on a quilt now with fabrics from their and they are not even unraveling. Bought them off the quilt wall. I have also bought them on line but always on sale. No more then then $3.50 a yard and always free shipping. I share with my sister so we split the cost. Gotta do what you gotta do.

I was never pleased with Walmart fabric. It is really bad quality, and after one washing it looks horrible let alone a lifetime of washings. I am making quilts that will last my family a lifetime. If they are going to have something for 30+ years im going to put the money into it to make it last. If you look online you can get LQS quality fabric for walmart prices as well. :) Hope that helps.