What is going on strings of my fabric?
 

Going on a couple of weeks now I have been handquilting my quilt from fabric I bought at Hobby Lobby. As I was going along I noticed strings not just one or two/hear and there but lots of strings different places in the quilt and along the seams. I cut them hopping that its not going to come apart during a wash later down the road. I also noticed 2 little holes in the green fabric after quilting it down I know I will need to go back and fix it so it doesn't make a bigger hole down the road. But what I don't get I paid like close to 3-4 dollars for this fabric and bought from hobby lobby before and this has never happened. I want to know why have there been strings? have you come across this in your fabric? Should I not buy from them if this is going to happen?

I had a similar experience with some fabric from Hobby Lobby ... only once. Finished a lap quilt, washed it, and some of my blocks frayed so badly they came loose. It is my only UFO. I just don't want to take the entire thing apart, recut my squares to a smaller size and start over. Actually, I have it draped over the back of my sewing chair for added back support ... and it just may stay there.

I have purchased other fabrics from Hobby Lobby and had no problem. If I still had the selvage we could see if it came from the same manufacturer ... but I don't.

I just feel when something like this happens I don't want to buy fabric from them again, there aren't a lot of places to buy fabric were I live so I have to buy local when I get the chance. Unless some fabric comes on sale online! Maybe next time I won't have as much trouble.

I haven't had any bad luck with fabric from Hobby Lobby, at least, not any more than any other place I buy regular quilting cotton. Because so many fabrics seem to be more loosely woven, I have shortened up my sewing stitch to 1.8 so that if anything starts fraying the seams will stay together. Some have frayed out so badly that I have actually sewn two seams to keep them from coming all the way apart. The regular 1/4" seam and another seam at 1/8".

And that is the reason, I have been sewing a lot more with batiks. Most of them never fray at all.

I would take that project to the store and complain about the fabric. Can't do much for that project, but they might refund your money. I used to buy from Hobby Lobby a lot but went to the new store around her and I wasn't impressed with their regular quilting type fabric.

I've never had any problems with Fabric from Hobby Lobby...I think their fabric is better than JoAnns or Hancocks, I'm sure there are some fabrics that sometimes ravel more than normal...Sorry you had issues and hopefully its only that purchase

Some fabrics ravel more than others, and those fabrics can be found in ANY fabric store. I would check who the manufacturer of that fabric is, and avoid buying their fabrics. Hobby Lobby has pretty darn good fabrics that I've used often. Avoiding Hobby Lobby because of a problem with a single fabric is like avoiding chocolate because a single piece in a bag was bad.

Sounds like it wasn't meant for quilts. I never had that happen with any fabrics from Hobby Lobby or anywhere else.
Make sure the fabric has a tight weave and feels good quality.

I agree with cindi. I always check who is the manufacturer on the bolt. Just remember in chain stores, most of the fabrics are seconds. That is why these stores can sell fabric for less than LQS.

What cindi said...