Annaquilts

Usually not. I find a lot of the newer fabrics fray, shrink a lot, is not soft and has low thread count.

Onebyone

At one of the hundreds of classes I have taken over the decades, the instructor said something that stuck in my mind. She said white background with colorful print is the best choice to have in your stash all the time. It can be used with about every color of blocks. PeaceandJoy your background is an excellent example of that.

Onebyone

I have lots of fabric bought at Handcocks of Paducah back room sales during quilt week from early 2000 that still has the receipt with the yardage. $3.99 a yard. Most of it Moda and lots of Kaffe Fassett. I didn't even know about Kafee then but loved the colors.. Lots of fabric from Quilt in a Day tent, $2.99 a yard for color of the day fabric. Every year the prices went up a $1 or $2 a yard. When the sale table went to $6.99 a yard that was the last time I remember the yardage tables being in the back room. Now it is all precuts and kits. The back room yardage tables and tents were so much fun. A room packed with quilters having the biggest pile of fabrics to go through.

WesternWilson

This is true, and fabric has always been more expensive in other countries, so we are fortunate in the US.

While fabric is one of the heftier parts of my quilting budget, it is worth it for me. I keep an eye out for what I consider exceptional fabrics for my preferred style of quilting, and use my fabric budget to get the best of those I can afford. I will not buy fabrics that are poor quality.

I keep a big stash because it suits my style of quilting. I frequently find that, when searching for the "one perfect fabric" to complete a quilt, it turns out to be one I bought years ago without a specific project in mind: it seems a fabric you find truly outstandingly beautiful never goes out of fashion.

I know it is tough when you are working with a limited budget, but if I don't love a fabric, I don't want it in my quilt, no matter what the price.

KalamaQuilts

for those of you that have a stash of precuts you've been paying these prices for years.

Onebyone

I remember the precuts other then fat quarters, first came available. They were the less expensive way to have all the fabrics in one line and less then the price of the yardage Not anymore. My stash still has lots of two fat quarters for $1 in it.

peaceandjoy

Thanks, Peckish. I won't be home until Monday, but will check then.

peaceandjoy

Yes; there is a different neutral that is a very subtle white and gray print in the middle of the one with the spots. it was a fun quilt, and I considered making it larger, but all of those odd seams!! The class was on making an easier "y" seam, but I didn't love the method - so it's a throw size and that's that.

peaceandjoy

Thanks! I've followed Bonnie Hunter (quiltville.com) for many years; her "neutrals" have definitely influenced my choices. I absolutely love this fabric, but that price about choked me. Then, I realized that other than fabric, there's really very little I buy or do strictly for myself and just went ahead with it.

I do love Hancocks of Paducah for their sale fabrics, especially when I need a lot of something - like for a backing. I don't mind seaming a backing at all - it's only a long, straight seam and takes just a few minutes. When I finished Rhododendron Trails (another Bonnie Hunter quilt) and needed backing, I got RK Batiks from HOP for $3.99/yard. Can't beat that with a stick. It was a little brighter green than I wanted, but at that price, it's absolutely fine. It wasn't long ago that everyone used plain old muslin for backing. Now, when I read that people need the same fabric for backing as in the top, I just roll my eyes. Who really sees it?

As far as pre-cuts - I rarely buy them, either. Even when I love some of the fabrics in a line, there are always a couple that are just plain duds.

peaceandjoy

Oops - meant to add a photo of that backing I used on Rhododendron Trail.