What is considered quality fabric?
 

Hello there!

I'm new to sewing and quilting. I've purchased some fabric from my local Hobby Lobby for my first quilt. It was roughly $6-7/yd. As I read through tutorials and blogs, I keep seeing references and recommendations to purchase quality fabric. As far as I know, I should look for 100% cotton. However, I'm not sure how to determine thread counts, etc. I can look at some fabric and tell that it is heavier than others.

Thanks in advance!

Signed,
Confused newbie

I think you will get many varied opinions on this. To me, the high quality fabrics are smooth, tightly woven, have some (but not too much) body and drape nicely. Lesser quality fabrics may be very thin (see if you can see the outline of your hand under a single layer), have off grain weaving, have nubs or slubs in the fabric from poor quality threads) or are very stiff from too much sizing used to try to give thin limp fabric more body. If you have a local quilt shop, I suggest you go in and browse and feel those $12 yard fabrics for comparison. Don't judge by price alone however. Also look at and feel fabric from quality manufacturers like Kaufman, Moda etc to start learning the differences. It does take some experience and practice.

Jeanne is dead on. When I first started quilting I didn't know any better either. I figured cotton fabric was cotton fabric. Even though I had sewed garments in my youth, I never paid much attention to fabric. So when I started my quilting journey 25 years ago I went to my local JoAnnes and bought their low end Keepsake Calico stuff for my first couple of quilts. The fabric seemed fine to me but it faded horribly in a very short period of time and a few pieces of it went threadbare and seemed to kind of disintegrate in some of my patchwork pieces. After spending hundreds of hours working on my beautiful quilts I wanted them to last. So I started paying attention and buying my fabric from other sources than big box stores. I loved working with name brand LQS fabrics like Robert Kaufman, Moda, Hoffman of California, Timeless Treasures, etc. After a while I started recognizing the type of fabric I liked working with and paid attention to the selvage marking so would know what brands I liked.
Now I feel I can confidently buy on line based on brand name. That isn't to say I don't get the occasional dud now and then but for the most part I can find name brand high quality quilting cottons on line in prices ranging from as little as $4 per yard if I find a good close out sale. On average I stay in the $7 to $9 per yard price.

Thank you! That information is very helpful. Are there any online stores that you recommend? I am a big fan of Etsy.com and have found some beautiful fabrics there as well.

Oh yes there are so many,

Thousands of bolts http://www.thousandsofbolts.com/
Hancocks of Paducah is one of my favorites as they always seem to have something on sale http://www.hancocks-paducah.com/
Fabric.com https://www.fabric.com/
The Cotton loft http://www.quiltingcotton.com/cgi-bi...=frameset.html
Whittles fabric http://www.whittlesfabrics.com/
Old Country store http://www.oldcountrystorefabrics.com/

These are just a few. There are so many on line sources. You will have fun with these. Thousands of bolts only cuts in one yard increments. Some of the others are like that too but I can't remember which.

FelineFanantic named many of the online shops I use as well. In addition I also frequently buy from The Fat Quarter Shop and AbbiMay's. My favorite Etsy shop is The Meandering thread--found fabrics there I have not seen anywhere else.

Jeanne gave you very good advice on what to look for. I use a lot of Hobby Lobby fabric and have always been happy with it. I order from Hancocks of Paducah, Keepsake Quilting and Connecting Threads. I find Connecting Threads fabric thinner but have found it to be good fabric. I do sometimes buy from Walmart but they carry good and not so good lines and you have to be careful and check it over good.

When I first started quilting I didn't know how to choose good fabric. I bought a yard of the best fabric the LQS had. I based all other purchases on how it compared to feel and heft to that fabric. I buy from many online shops when I find a sale but most of my fabric stash comes from from Marshall's Dry Goods.

The fabric quality depends on the "gray goods" (base fabric) they use in printing the fabric. Some of the base fabric can be a poorer quality, rougher or more loosely woven, therefore the finished fabric will be the same. The better ones feel nicer and smoother. Just because fabric is sold at a quilt shop doesn't mean it's a better quality base fabric. I was told by the LQS they received a Frozen (from the movie) fabric and it's a poorer quality base fabric.

First off, I am not a fan of Hobby Lobby fabric. Thin fabric and horrible designs. That's just my opinion. Some people feel it's wonderful. My favorites are Connecting Threads, Missouri Star Quilting Company and Green Fairy Quilts. Green Fairy Quilts has the added perk of free shipping. In person, I like Zooks in Lancaster and Old Country Store. My favorite local quilt store is The Village Quiltery in Tannersville, Pa. Good luck with your search.