Viking Quilter

If you are making a quilt that will become a family heirloom, it is worth it to buy the best quality fabric you can afford. The difference is the thread count. The more threads per inch, the better the fabric. Sometimes you'll see the better brands on fabric at Joann's, but it is printed on lower quality cotton.
I will use Walmart or Joann's on wall hangings or other sewing projects, but for the quilt you described, you should use the best you can.

audsgirl

When I buy fabric, I have to touch it. If it doesn't feel soft off the bolt, I don't think it will improve with washing and using. When I started, I was trying to buy cheaper fabs until I knew I was going to stick to quilting. Now I've gotten rid of all of it. If making an heirloom, you want it to hold up and be worth all your effort. I have bought from JoAnn, not from WM, but you have to be careful of the quality. Companies will print the same design on different qualities of greige goods, so you might think you are getting the same material, but you're not. There happens to be a store around here that sells mill ends, overstocks, etc. They have good fabrics for $5-$7 a yard. I can't trust myself in there!

D'Marie

Another thing to remember, since you are new at quilting, don't mix your materials.Use all 100% cotton or blends. Don't try to mix all cotton with a fabric that is 65% cotton and 35% polyester. Cottons will shrink and the other won't.!00% cotton makes for a much softer quilt.Some fabric has a large amount of sizing in it. This doesn't help the fabric any. Just be sure to wash your fabric before cutting it.I've mixed some expensive material with some cheaper but the feel and qtality appeard the same.

essaytx

My experience has been that with all the study and wonderful advice from quilter friends, it takes time to learn the different levels of quality among fabrics. I am a three-year quilter and am so much more confident about my assessment of quality, but only through time and hands-on experience. For an applique project such as yours, I would use only fine quality fabric, and for the small projects you may do along to learn technique and develop your skills, the lesser quality could suffice.

MissJMac

I think most quilters buy fabric that they can afford:
LQS usually independently owned and may cost a bit more (sometimes better quality, sometimes not). Quilters with more $$$ to spend and those shopping for fabrics for really special projects shop here. Sometimes LQS are the only fabric store available (poor souls)
Joann's, Hancocks, etc. bigger selections/variety and more moderately priced than LQS. Usually have a variety of fabric and prices.
Walmart is probably the place to go if funds are limited and quality is not your top priority.
I rarely shop at the LQS, unless I get a gift certificate from one of my daughters-in-law (they know it's special):>)
Joann's is a superstore in my area and too big for this senior citizen, so I mostly frequent Hancock and Walmart.
HAVING SAID ALL THAT, I'm beginning to shop at the online stores more and more - great prices, quality, customer service, free shipping - and I don't have to drag my walker around the store.
Just my opinion, folks.
Use the "search" button at the top of this page and type in the types of fabrics (calico, Batiks, etc)
Welcome to the group

mpspeedy

Hi Patty, Since you took a class with Mimi you probably know about Seminole Sampler. Are you a member of a quilt guild? Mimi is the founding mother of Village Quilters. They meet the third thursday of the month September through June at the FOP Lodge just at the edge of Ellicott City on Frederick Rd. The meeting starts at 10:00 a.m. It also includes a pot luck luncheon. You are more than welcome to come in September. It is a wonderful group of ladies of all ages and experience levels. I'll be the lady in the hat at the far left table when you come in the back door off the parking lot. You are more than welcome to join us.

sewtruterry

I am with everyone else on this one shop where you can afford to get the most fabric whether this is at Joann's Walmart or any other mart there is. Our grandmothers and great grandmothers used to use old clothing or feed sacks to make quilts because that is all that they had. It is only in the last 30-40 years that the quilt police showed up and told us what was and wasn't correct. I suspect that those police were in some way connected to the big fabric houses and wanted to sell more of their highly priced goods.

Andrea

If you use inexpensive fabric just be careful it will wash well. My saddest tale is that I completed a quilt and only later wondered about the quality of the muslin I'd used. (It's a 30's quilt with muslin serving as the alternate block.) The muslin was just some muslin I had on hand.

So I finally dug up what was left of the muslin I used, cut a 5" square and tossed it in the washing machine (warm water). When it came out of the dryer it was at least a full inch smaller and was horribly wrinkled and felt like cardboard. Since then I have been "unsewing" the whole quilt and replacing the bad muslin with good muslin. So do what you want -- but BE CAREFUL.

vschieve

I buy at LQS, JoAnn's, HobbyLobby, WalMart and Hancock's depending on what I am making. When it comes to batiks LQS wins out although I have seen some really splendid batiks at JoAnn's. However, without a 40 to 50% coupon, JoAnn's batiks are over the LQS store prices. Most LQS around here price per yard for batiks are $9.25 to $10.95. JoAnn's batiks are running $12.99/yd. On Sewing Club day or a class day at LQS I can get another 15% off, so I do better in LQS for batiks.

auniqueview

Every day I learn something new, or see something differently. Until I came on this board, muslin was something I bought (lots and lots of) for cooking and baking, and the quality of it was never an issue. I have a good sized stash of it.

When I needed to make a pattern for a service dog vest for my two girls, I used the muslin for the patterns. I have always just sort of thought of it as a "scrap" material. I will now be showing it more respect, and paying more attention to the quality of it. Thanks.