Buying fabric at Walmart, Joann's, etc.....
08-25-2011, 08:32 AM
#91
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Here and there
Posts: 1,669
Ditto all who have said buy what you can afford and what goes with the project. Even in LQS and with some name brands you will find fabric that isn't worth the price and at WalMart, JoAnn's, Hobby Lobby, etc., you will find great pieces at reasonable prices.
Keep in mind the number of posts you see on this board from people who are tickled out of their minds because they found a ton of fabric at a thrift shop or a yard sale. They have no idea where that fabric originiated unless the designer/maker is printed on the selvage.
Go for it, woman! You've got more guts than most of us to try such a demanding project. froggyintexas
Keep in mind the number of posts you see on this board from people who are tickled out of their minds because they found a ton of fabric at a thrift shop or a yard sale. They have no idea where that fabric originiated unless the designer/maker is printed on the selvage.
Go for it, woman! You've got more guts than most of us to try such a demanding project. froggyintexas
08-25-2011, 08:44 AM
#92
Super Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 2,005
I have bought some very nice fabrics at both JoAnn and Wal-Mart and they all made nice quilts. That said, when I make a quilt for a wedding present or baby shower, I go to my local quilt shop. The fabrics are just different. JoAnn has great coupons, but without one, their fabrics cost very close to a quilt shop. If I see something for 8.99 or 9.99 a yard there and I dont have a coupon, it goes back to the shelf. You cant beat Wal-Mart for kids prints. Princess, Cars, Spiederman, etc. My Grandkids love them, they are not heirloom quilts and I dont expect them to last forever.
08-25-2011, 08:50 AM
#93
Super Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Monmouth, Oregon
Posts: 5,884
It depends if I am making an "heirloom" or quilt for competition I only use the best fabric I can find. If I am making a comfort or baby quilt I still want good fabric but will buy some @ Joann's. Just me :lol: :wink: :lol:
08-25-2011, 08:53 AM
#94
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: GREAT STATE OF TEXAS
Posts: 1,415
Recommend Kona Cottons ... they are very good quality solids, a large range of colors and neutrals. Hobby Lobby has a good selection and usually 30% off there. Joann's has some but it's hit or miss there. Many LQS carry them.
Good Luck with your project - Baltimore Album blocks are wonderful but very intensive !! :)
Good Luck with your project - Baltimore Album blocks are wonderful but very intensive !! :)
08-25-2011, 08:58 AM
#95
Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: North Central Kansas
Posts: 197
Oh my, I forgot about Hobby Lobby, but I do like their fabrics and almost every Sunday newspaper has a 40% off one item - which would be one cut of fabric - but it could be a big cut, or batting, or whatever.
08-25-2011, 09:42 AM
#97
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Silver Springs, NV
Posts: 2,404
Originally Posted by DogHouseMom
Because you are doing hand applique I think it will be important to choose fabric with a close weave. A fabric that has a looser weave is going to ravel more and will make needle turning difficult if not impossible (especially if your new at it). The looser the thread count the more difficult it will be to get good straight lines and make nice smooth curves.
You should be able to see and feel the difference between a tighter weave and a looser weave. Some extreme examples are a batik (tightly woven) and a homespun (loosely woven). Or to use your bed sheet example of feel and look - the difference between a 200 thread count and a 600 or 800 thread count.
I CAN feel and see the difference in some of the Joanne's Fat Quarters I recently purchased for a small wall hanging project. I would not ever consider using these for applique.
Batiks are typically a tighter thread weave, and batiks are dyed. Calico's and other fabrics are screen printed. The main difference in dye vs screen print is that dyed fabrics the fabric is either in a dye bath or liberally painted on and the color goes through the whole cloth.
Screen prints use a series of die plates (large rubber or silicon material - like a rubber stamp), there is one for each color used. The fabric moves through a series of these die plates and is imprinted with ink on the die plate. The color "sits" on the top of the fabric, it doesn't go through.
And then there are homespuns, mostly plaids, and these are made by weaving different color threads - so like a batik the color is all the way through. These may still be quality fabrics, using quality cotton - but the nature of the weave lends them to a limited number of uses - typically not applique, but they are used quite often in pieced quilts. Although come to think of it, I have felt some homespuns that are a nice tight weave that I would use in applique.
The quality of the fabric has more to do with the type of greige (raw material) used, and the process used to weave it.
Some fabric, a lot of the Asian prints come to mind, are a thicker greige/weave, a bit stiffer to the hand. I personally wouldn't want to needle turn one of these.
If I were going to take the time to hand applique a Baltimore Album I would use the best quality I could find.
I'd start by visiting a LQS - finger all the different type of fabric. Purchase what you think feels like good quality, nicely woven, soft fabric. Buy a fat quarter of one batik and one screen print. Then go to Joanne's and do the same thing. Take them home and make small tests blocks of each of them - just cut a simple applique of a heart (has curves, straight lines, and points) and hand applique it to muslin (or the other half of one of the fat quarters) and see how each of the fabrics behave. You'll know more by working with each of them than you will from any of us talking about it.
And I have to add ... new to quilting and wanting to do Balitmore Album. You go girl!!!
You should be able to see and feel the difference between a tighter weave and a looser weave. Some extreme examples are a batik (tightly woven) and a homespun (loosely woven). Or to use your bed sheet example of feel and look - the difference between a 200 thread count and a 600 or 800 thread count.
I CAN feel and see the difference in some of the Joanne's Fat Quarters I recently purchased for a small wall hanging project. I would not ever consider using these for applique.
Batiks are typically a tighter thread weave, and batiks are dyed. Calico's and other fabrics are screen printed. The main difference in dye vs screen print is that dyed fabrics the fabric is either in a dye bath or liberally painted on and the color goes through the whole cloth.
Screen prints use a series of die plates (large rubber or silicon material - like a rubber stamp), there is one for each color used. The fabric moves through a series of these die plates and is imprinted with ink on the die plate. The color "sits" on the top of the fabric, it doesn't go through.
And then there are homespuns, mostly plaids, and these are made by weaving different color threads - so like a batik the color is all the way through. These may still be quality fabrics, using quality cotton - but the nature of the weave lends them to a limited number of uses - typically not applique, but they are used quite often in pieced quilts. Although come to think of it, I have felt some homespuns that are a nice tight weave that I would use in applique.
The quality of the fabric has more to do with the type of greige (raw material) used, and the process used to weave it.
Some fabric, a lot of the Asian prints come to mind, are a thicker greige/weave, a bit stiffer to the hand. I personally wouldn't want to needle turn one of these.
If I were going to take the time to hand applique a Baltimore Album I would use the best quality I could find.
I'd start by visiting a LQS - finger all the different type of fabric. Purchase what you think feels like good quality, nicely woven, soft fabric. Buy a fat quarter of one batik and one screen print. Then go to Joanne's and do the same thing. Take them home and make small tests blocks of each of them - just cut a simple applique of a heart (has curves, straight lines, and points) and hand applique it to muslin (or the other half of one of the fat quarters) and see how each of the fabrics behave. You'll know more by working with each of them than you will from any of us talking about it.
And I have to add ... new to quilting and wanting to do Balitmore Album. You go girl!!!
08-25-2011, 10:00 AM
#98
Junior Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Marquez, Texas
Posts: 203
I love going to LQS and buy fabric their fabric, but sometimes I have to go to Joanns when I cannot find what I need. I find Joanns fabric is the same price as LQS and I only buy with coupon. Depends on the project.
08-25-2011, 10:44 AM
#100
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Granbury Texas
Posts: 321
You came to the right place to get an answer about any quilting question. I use fabrics from all types of fabric stores and with experience, you will learn to "feel" for the best quality. I have some fabric in my stash that was purchased when I first started this "obsession"; I don't use it for quilting anymore becuase it just isn't up to my standards for a quilt project. Good luck with your new endeavor.
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