If you are new, use cheap but realize it is not going to be an heirloom both because of the fabric and your abilities. Also make something SMALL.

Any time I am learning something new, I use cheap. I use top of the line fabrics when I am making something special.

I totally understand. If I'm making a quilt for my grandkids to drag around I"m not spending a fortune for it no matter what because I know that it probably won't last. When you buy fabric no matter what the price feel the fabric and sometimes you can feel how cheaply it's made. I still buy some of my fabric at Walmarts if I find what I want and it seems to be of decent quality. I bought a bolt of muslin once and when I went to use it I was amazed how thin it was. I will use it one day for a practice piece or the next time I make a jacket or clothing and need to make a temp jacket to get the size right but not for anything that will be of use because it wouldn't last too long. The main thing now is to quilt. If the cheaper fabric is what you can afford and feel good about then do that and when you get better you'll want to spend more on your quilts so that they last longer. Just quilt

So true and nice stuff too! I'm ordering from them today in fact! Thanks for adding this! Have a lovely day!

I buy fabric wherever I can find the color I want in a quality I want, but I think starting with too inexpensive a line of fabric can making learning more difficult. A loosely woven fabric will stetch more and not hold its shape as well as better fabric. If you feel the need the use lesser quality fabrics, then spray starch is your friend. I've used some FQs from JoAnn's that were not good to get the colors I wanted. I starched them after washing them and once they were quilted, they seem to be doing fine. I could not be quilting at stictly quiilt store prices. Thank goodness for sales and some good fabrics at big box stores.

IT is very hard for me to buy the expensive fabrics, so I head for sales when I want to buy fabrics. I am disappointed by Walmart and by Joann's. IT just isn't what I was expecting. Good advice for using good recycled clothing. Many times these are really nice fabrics and you can get them for a lot less money. Buy when you find a good fabric at a good price for you and save it for your inspirational quilts. Have fun and play with the cheaper fabrics. I often use the junk fabric to back my quilting blocks before finishing into a quilt or pillow. I just don't buy the real cheap stuff anymore.

I do not buy expesnsive fabrics, I have away most of my quilts and don't know how well they will be treated. I also don't make heirloom quilts and don't plan to. I buy fabrics I cn afford and clolrs I like. Just how I do it.

A good tip, Tartan, to take a good quality fat quarter with you to compare the feel of less expensive fabric at Walmart or JoAnne's.

I also feel recomending to a "newcommer" to buy expensive fabrics must have come from the fabric manufacturers. Or someone in the fabric buying field. They get all their fabrics for free, so they don't have budgets like us real folks. After reading this thread, I would some up by saying buy what you like, that you can afford & start with smaller projects & work your way up. I also started with patterns that are more forgiving, like "wonky stars" and D9's. I also found investing in good rotary cutting tools & templates (like Fons & Porters) helped & keep changing the blades & the needles helped my projects go smoother & give me more confidence.

This is exactly how I get fabric, other then some walmart are what someone gives me, and it works fine for me.. :)

Well I managhed to mess up free motion quilting today on a childs size quilt, and that one was with inexpensive fabric. I am not very good at free motion, meandering or stippling. I think i will stick to straight stitch and save the fandier stuff for small pieces i can fit in may machine and have control. I have to agree with everyone's comments on board. My choice is to PRACTICE on less expensive stuff that probably won't be given away.