I was told by a quilting friend to stay away from Wal-Mart fabric and she was not pleased with Joann's either. What do you all use when you quilt? Is one manufacture better than another--Hoffman over VIP?

I usually hit Jo Anns or Hancocks for my fabrics. I try and use Wal marts meager sewing selection for emergencies. My husband and I went into a speciality quilting shop yesterday, they had fabrics I have never seen and would love to have had. Maybe I will spend some future (way in the future lottery winnings) in there.

I personally, never buy fabric at either WalMart or Joanne's. I only buy from the quilt shops or on line at the quilt shops. There is a lot of difference in the quality of the fabrics. Good quality is also alot easier to work with.

I am also cheap so I always check out the sale tables. There are a lot of great buys online. My favorites are Hancock's of Paducah and Quilt in a Day. Great buys and a huge selection at times.

I like all fabrics, I just look at it and feel it to see if it seems like it is not flimsy. A lot of the Wal-Mart and lower end fabric is pretty thin, so I bypass it if it doesn't pass that feel test.

I started out with quilt shop quality fabric, and I just can't seem to take that step backwards and use anything else. JoAnn's just isn't good enough (even though I wish I could let myself shop there), and Wal-Mart certainly doesn't live up to that standard. Our Wal-Marts don't have fabric, anyway.

You buy what you can afford.
I have never bought lqs fabric as it is over 9$ a yard. I only buy from walmart or joanne. They work fine for me.

Most people say that the quality for lqs is alot better. and one day I will try it. But right now while I am new to this I stick with the cheep stuff. I inspect all the fabric I am buying for the feel and weave of it. Like Walmart has some new 1.50 a yard but they are really see through and really really stiff. I could see that with one washing the fabirc was not going to look the same. So I skip it.

The other reason I shop at walmart and Joannes is that they are close to me. The lqs is a town away not to far only like 20 min and in the other direction that we never go.


So buy what you want. If you can afford the lqs I have heard that is the way to go. But if like most people now days and you have to watch your pennies dont let Walmart or Joanne fabric stop you from a wonderful hobby

When I first started quilting, there were a lot of things to buy, cutting mat, rotary cutter, rulers, markers etc. I thought to save money, why would I spend big bucks at the quilt store on fabric when I could go to Jo-Ann's and get it for a lot less. Well, that first irish chain quilt that I hand made, hand quilted and is still hanging on my bedroom wall is about three shades lighter blue, it has faded so much and it is not in direct sunlight. So, there is a big difference in the quality of the fabric. You live and learn.

I totally agree with AbbyQuilts. I can't afford to shop at LQS all the time, especially if I want to make anything of any size. I use the best I can afford and like and take it from there. I feel everything and it needs to feel nice and not be so thin I can see through it. I buy it where I can get it at the best price I can find!

Most lqs have sale tables or shelves, selling for almost the same price at JoAnn's. NO I do not shop for fabric at JoAnn's; I did look at some Christmas fabric there in Dec. and at $9.95 (JoAnn's price), I will spend my $10 a yard at the lqs. I always check the sale fabric at the lqs for borders and backing. Sometimes the backing is not exactly what I would like, but at 50% savings it works.

To spend the time and effort on a quilt I want a better quality that will hold up for a long time, and I don't feel JoAnn's inferior quality will. JMHO

There isn't a reason to not use quality fabric. There are too many online shops that have sales and clearances that will beat Walmart or Joann's fabric prices. Stock up on the basic neutrals and blenders and your favorite color. Always buy backing fabric when there is great sale. I'll buy muslin and fusibles at Joann's with a coupon but seldom buy fabric there. I don't mind buying a couple yards of $9 a yard fabric when I know I have the basic colors to go with it in my stash bought for a few dollars.

Yes, I agree, this is what I do.

thanks for the input

do you have a fav online shop that you use

When I first got into quilting, I bought from Walmart, JoAnn's,, and the quilt literally frayed apart. Now I search the web for the best deals on quality fabric and stock up that way.

Brush and Thimble, My personal favorites are stack n frame quilt shop online, they have good quality and good prices.

What you like is important. My mother was taught to "feel" the fabric. She says you can tell what is good. It takes a while but I am learning it. It all depends also on if a quilt is made for kidling use, running around the yard and stuff, you may not want to spend a whole lot of money on fabric, where if you are making a keepsake quilt or a gift or a wallhanging quilt, then you would no doubt spend a little more. I buy a lot of fabric from JoAnn's and have never once been disappointed. I bought from Wal-Mart once and then the fabric was on sale because they were discontinuing the Notions Dept. No complaints there either. Edie

I use to get my fabric from Hancocks-paducah but they were always out of stock on the fabrics I wanted. I once got a fabric 6 months later!

Wal-Mart does have good fabric, like JoAnns, you have to look for the better quality fabric. However, not all Wal-Marts carry good quality fabric. I do a lot of buying via internet. I can get $12.00-$9.00 yd. on sale for $4.49 yd. to $2.49 a yd..

My Walmart carries seconds or rejects from various textiles which is why it's so cheap but I don't want to take a chance on ruining my quilts by using them.

I too, like to feel the fabric, and if it doesn't feel good, I don't get it. There was a bolt of a gray print at Walmart that felt wonderful but it was ugly!! If fabric doesn't have a good "hand', anywhere, I don't buy it.

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.

I second that!

I buy 90% of my fabrics from Joann's and I've never had a quilt fray or fade. An LQS in our area recently closed and had a huge sale: $3-4 per yard and I bought a lot of it. Brought it home, stored it with my stash and now I can't tell which is LQS or Joann's. I need to "create"-I'll take fabric from anywhere. The quilt police don't get my quilts as gifts anyhow LOL-they're for friends who appreciate the work, not the cost of fabric.

How do you know the fabric is really what you want if you order online? Don't you need to see and feel it before you buy?

Here's a very informative article regarding fabric grades:
http://craftblog.stitchingthenightaw...al-or-no-deal/

I shop on-line, at my LQS, and I also shop at JoAnn Fabrics and Wal-Mart. There’s nothing wrong with this, you just have to know how to recognize quality when you see it - When I was learning to sew clothing, I was taught the "feel test" and it works for me!

Another rule of thumb, if I hold the fabric up and can see through it then I don't buy it! The majority of the time these fabrics will not hold up and often end up mis-shapen after washing.

Just my 2-cents...

MERRYJ: Speaking solely for myself - when I order on-line I usually stick to fabric makers I know and have "felt" before :lol: I've not purchased anything on-line, knock on wood, that wasn't quality fabric.

EBONY: http://www.FabShopHop.com has a good list. It's a start :) http://www.fabshophop.com/listofshops.asp

YES YES YES. I could have written this. I too didn't really know any better when I first started quilting. I made two bedsize quilts, hand quilted them. Spent years, yes years, working on them. Both have faded terribly. One bled even though I prewashed all the fabric. I also bought polyester batting not knowing any better. I have learned if I am going to invest that kind of time and effort into my quilts, which I consider works of art and future heirlooms, I will not skimp on the quality of materials that go into them ever again. I will not buy Jo Ann fabric or Walmart unless it is a quicky utility quilt. That said, we do buy what we can afford. But remember you get what you pay for. If you just practicing or making quicky utility quilts (not meant derogatory) or quilts for charity that kids will beat the heck out of by all means you can go with less expensive fabric. Deals can be had for quality fabric as well. I was just in Jo Ann's the other day taking advantage of their W&N batting sale and saw fabrics in there priced at LQS prices but most definitely NOT LQS quality. I have often taken advantage of my LQS sales and gotten great fabric for 3 or 4 dollars per yard. Many on line places sell quality fabric at savings as well. My advice for what it's worth, is buy the absolute BEST you can afford. Don't get walmart $1 per yard just cause you perceive it as a good deal. Remember you are investing hours and hours of your time to make a beautiful quilt. How frustrating after all that time and effort to have it fall apart of fade to the point that it isn't even what you created any more. Just my .02

Patrice hit the nail right on the head.

I've said it before -- location of purchase is no guarantee of quality. I've bought some stuff at the LQS that turned out to be garbage and some that was wonderful. The same was true for the fabric I bought at Walmart and at Joanns. You have to feel the fabric and check for quality no matter where you shop.

I especially like Patrice's comment about noses and their purpose. I agree 100%. No one should judge what fabric/store folks choose to spend their money on. Get what you like and can afford in the best quality possible. We should move on from where folks shop and to celebrating the wonderful art they create.

what you can afford for the purpose you need. I am not planning on my quilts lasting 100 yrs... my requirements for fabric is "is it sturdy enough to be loved and washed for 20 yrs?" with this in mind... I think Walmart 4$ fabric meets the standard, some fabric at walmart is far better quality than others that LOOK the same, feel it.
I buy most of my fabric from joanns now because of the coupons and all of the notions they have, their fabric is not created equal either! feel it.
I have just started buying online and dont like to do it, price seems high for me and I cant really match colors and of course... I cant feel it.

fellow quilters i am sorry.
i had no idea this question would generate such strong feelings.
it's just that as a new quilter i am trying to do all the 'right things'. trying to make everything perfect the first time out-from pattern selection,to fabric,to color, thread,etc.
am i making it harder than it should be?
grandma took old clothes and made beautiful quilts( i still have one of hers and it is 43 years old) and i feel guilty about not shopping in the 'right' stores.
i can't seem to get it right.
please forgive me if i stepped on anyones toes.

HEY! you didn't do anything wrong by asking the question. it comes up all the time.

relaaaaaaaaaaaaaaax. it isn't your fault we can't resist arguing with each other about it. we can't help ourselves.

in fact, if you did a search you'd see that we debate the topic at least 3 times a month, every month. like clockwork.

:lol: :lol: :lol: :XD:

thanks