What is the scoop with Joannes fabric vs QSQ?
 

I started quilting 13 years ago. I was teaching myself with phone tutorials from my sister and Aunt. I shopped at Wal Mart, Hobby Lobby, and Joannes.

When I moved back to my home town, my Aunt told me that Joannes fabric was of an inferior quality, and that I should not use it. I was on a budget, and opted for what I could afford for learning, and continued to shop sales and coupons at Joanns.

After having kids, I didn't have time to sew, and have just started getting back to quilting after about a 6 year break. I notice that the quilts I made with Joann fabric are not holding up. The stiching is great, but some of the fabrics are disintegrating away. With all the work put into a quilt, I'd like them to last longer, so I started buying sale fabric at quilt shops.

When I go to Joanns now, I notice that the fabric is not really priced cheaper than the quilt shop stuff I am getting. The items in the quilt section are $9 to $11 a yard. Have they made a change in quality? They don't seem to carry the designers that the quilt shops have; all the lables are "produced for Joanns fabrics".

So, my question is, what is the deal with Joann Fabric currently? Have they started to carry better quality stuff, or is it just more expensive than before? Frankly, I try to only buy sale stuff form the online quilt shops, so I get god deals anyway, but to not have to pay shipping, and to not have to wait, would be great!

Their prices certainly have gone up in the past year or so. But you can still get coupons via email and/or snail mail and save that way at their stores. I think most of their fabrics are very good quality but some are NOT. Those are easy to tell because they feel very thin and the weave is loose. I still shop at Joanns but I also shop online and find great prices there.

I don't buy a whole lot at JoAnn's. I get more at Hancock's and they have a fantastic sale going on through the 9th. I bought some "really good fabric from Moda's" and yes it was on sale but I didn't expect it to be irregular. Snag/runs in each piece. I took photos and asked for my money back. I had spent $60.00 which is a lot for me at onetime purchase. Also took photo of the invoice. They sent me more of the same but no snags/runs. Wish they would've let me select something else but that's ok.

Thinner, looser weave fabric are one of the reasons I stay away from online shopping. I like to pet the fabric before I buy it. Some of the JoAnn's stuff is okay...some, not so much. No Hancocks or Hobby Lobby here (although I just noticed a sign for one near here last night) so it's the LQS for me. Then again, I'm not too far from Lancaster, PA and usually shop there as I normally only buy for projects not stash. I've only bought online a couple of times when buying more of something I already have and know what that fabric is like. Call me a dinosaur but it works for me.

I stay away from Joann's fabrics. I think that while their prices have skyrocketed, their quality has not followed suit. Even with a coupon, you're still getting an inferior product, you're just paying a bit less for it, and don't you want your quilt to last throughout the years? I say, if you're going to go through all the work of making a quilt, why not make it out of the highest quality fabric you can get. On the other hand, if you're only making pot holders or pillow cases then I suppose Joann's is fine.

they have not become better quality- buy the best you can afford- I can find much better quality fabrics at quilt shops for much less than the inferior fabric offered at the local joann's. I go there for supplies, notions, items to use coupons on- I never spend my hard earned dollars on their fabric.

I think that some of Joanne's fabric has increased in quality as well as in price. Some of it, not so much of an increase in quality. One really needs to look at and feel the fabric to determine if it is of a high enough quality for your quilting.

I was at a new JoAnn's Sat. The sale quilting fabric was $7.99 a yard. I can get quality fabric online for much less.

When I first started quilting in the early 90's I also bought from JoAnnes. I hand quilted those quilts and one is in my guest room so gets very little use. Like you, the fabrics in my quilt have also started to disintegrate away and faded way beyond what I consider reasonable. If it takes me years to complete a quilt, I want it to last decades!

I find JoAnne's pricing tactics unfair and I don't find many of their fabrics to be as nice as name brand stuff, such as Hoffman, Kaufman, Moda, etc. The prices are inflated so they can offer those 40 to 60% off coupons. I just get a bad taste in my mouth from that so I only shop JoAnn for notions and cutting tools when I have a good coupon or they are having a killer sale. I am much happier with fabric I can find on line on sale or at an LQS. I aslo do an annual pilgrimage to Mennonite shops in the finger lakes which are very reasonably priced. I have gotten great deals on line and I have never been disappointed in the quality of the fabric I receive. Sometimes the color isn't exactly what I expected. In those cases it goes into stash. I mostly stash shop anyway. Then when project time comes I pull from stash and maybe have to go to the LQS for one or two fabrics for the project.

I keep telling people, come to the Finger Lakes!

Edgewood recently expanded significantly, and is now open on Wednesdays. They are having their tent sale this weekend, where fabrics start at $3.50/yard.

Golden Lane is moving; they will close 11/1 and reopen on 11/10. Ada's prices are a little more, but still well under $10/yd.