Originally Posted by Mad Mimm
Patty, when I am looking at fabric I will hold the fabric up to see if I can see my hand through it. If you can, it means the weave is looser and the fabric will shift more and probably fray. Another thing to check is the "feel". Quality fabric should have a smooth feel, not lumpy or knotty. You can take the fabric in your hands and check it for stretch, both on grain and on the bias to see how much flex it has (again you are looking for a tighter weave so not a lot of flex, though bias will always have flex to it). Another thing to look at is the print - rub it with your fingers and see if any dye rubs off. Is the pattern printed straight and is the printing evenly colored throughout? These are some things you can look for when checking fabric for quality. Generally speaking, if you are shopping at LQS you will have only good quality fabrics being offered. But if you go Joanns or Walmart or another big box store, you can check the fabric using these guidelines.
Sorry for the long response. I am really picky about my fabric, so I don't buy from Joanns or WalMart. I would rather buy less, pay more, and get good quality from my LQS. Hope that helps!
I can't buy online either, because I have an elaborate petting ritual I must observe when fabric shopping :lol: But if I have one in hand I like, I will reorder it online if I need to.
I was agreeing with you until you got to your comment about JoAnns or WalMart.
Your suggestions of what to look for in a "good quality fabric" are excellent.
Experience is wonderful - I don't think there is a short-cut around it - your suggestions of what to look for are a good place to start from.
However - I have found SOME wonderful fabrics at WalMart that I would compare favorably to some of the so-called "better" lines. I've also gotten SOME LQS fabrics that were a disappointment to me. I have also gotten selective after over 50 years of buying fabric!
I have never noticed a selvage that says "WalMart Fabric" - any more than I have noticed a "WalMart Brand Toaster"
WalMart and JoAnn both carry several types of fabrics. So it is necessary/helpful to buy something that is suitable for the purpose intended. I think it is unreasonable to knock the store for carrying a fabric (or other item) that was not appropriate for something I intended to use it for - and I was dumb enough (or uninformed enough) to buy it. Or too "cheap" to buy some of the "better" lines available.
Most LQS do carry a much greater selection to choose from - but even with many bolts to choose from - sometimes one has to go to another store to find the last "perfect" piece for a project. (One of the excuses to have a stash!)
Back to the OP question:
Depending on the LQS you go to, you should be able to get some nice fabrics in the $8.00 to $10.00 price range. If there are several shops near you, it might be worth the time and effort to visit them all and compare prices.