Quality of Fabrics Question.

[davejack]

Howdy

I'm about to start my first quilt. I've read Eleanor's Log Cabin pattern book and one other. Love Eleanor's book.

I bought my fabric from one of the local chain store fabric shops. It was very reasonable in cost. Since then, I was at a shop that specializes in quilting and they carry fabric and quilting notions. Talked with one of the ladies who works there and she basically slammed the store that I had bought from saying that the material was inferior quality. She specifically said that the material that was printed on was just not good quality material. I told her I had already bought my material and asked if I didn't wash it much would it hold up. She said it would prematurely fade.

The material this quilting shop carried was beautiful but very expensive. Two to three times the cost per yard compared to that I had bought.

So my question is, is the quality level of the material in dedicated quilt shops really that much better than the chain stores.

Thanks in advance.

[Quiltmom]

It depends on what you are looking for. My favorite type of quilting fabric is 1800's Reproduction fabrics and I always buy them at my local quilting shop or online from quality fabric shops. It is more expensive but I have found it is worth the cost. I have bought some fabrics at JoAnn Fabrics when I am looking for bright or kids fabrics, and had no problems. I am interested in what others have to say.

Sherry

[Marilynsgrammy]

I have been to a "real" quilt store and seen thin fabric... and I have been to Joann's and seen higher quality fabric....

my Mother in law and her mother never had $$ for "real" quilt fabric and always shopped at Joann's or a non quilt store.. I still use their quilts and they have been washed a gazillion times..I have had to repair her seams but her fabric is in tact.

here's my opinion... buy the fabric you can afford. enjoy making the quilt top... sandwich it together, sit under it and have some comfort food... wash it when it's dirty and love it.... it's your first and will always be special...it's meant to be used...

if you are making a quilt for a gift for someone else still buy the fabric you can afford and everytime they use it they will love it and remember the special person who made it for them...

my other opinion... find a new and less snooty quilt store..

come join us in the sewin section and let us get to know you.

Chriss

[davejack]

Thank you for the comments. I appreciate.

I washed the fabrics over the last couple of days. I'm using red for my center block in the log cabin layout and I was worried about it bleeding against the lighter colors when washed so I washed it twice in hot water and everything else once. Anyhow, when I was ironing the fabrics, I couldn't help but notice how a couple of the pieces, the really light ones, were very thin, almost see through. In fact, I could barely see my hand underneath one of them. So I am really questioning whether I should replace it with another choice or not.

And I was amazed at how much some of the pieces shrunk. As I said, I did wash in hot water but only to make sure that after repeated washings, it would never shrink as a finished piece. I bought 4.5 yards of one fabric to use as the backing and it shrunk down to 4.25 yards. Wow. Worse than that, I noticed at the very end of it that you could see a transition in the fabric where they ran out of material during the production run of it and transitioned into a new piece. It's a subtle transition, but I noticed it. I've seen that before in fabric runs, but not very often. Guess I'll just have to watch out for that. The yardage called for 4.25 yards and I thought I was buying extra but now I'm not sure if I'll have the required yardage, especially if I tear a piece off on both ends to check for the grain. Guess this is a good learning experience for a first quilt.

Thanks again for the help. I do appreciate.

Dave

[FlorenceM]

Money has always been tight for me, so I am careful of how much I spend on fabric. I try to avoid businesses that slam or degrade other businesses. I myself am a small business owner and I do not slam my competition. When I do use lower quality fabric, I get extra. The owner of my local quilt shop suggested I prewash lower quality fabric because it may shrink more than higher quality fabric. She knows I do not prewash unless it is flannel.

[quiltingangel]

I do have to watch $$, but when doing something for someone else, I do tend to go to a quilt store. A lot of quilt stores do run specials and I do try to watch for that. I do buy baby fabric from JoAnn's and have never had a problem. Sometimes you do have to check through the fabric, but usually can find some good quality fabric. Hope this helps

[cindyg]

When I first started quilting I bought my fabrics from JoAnn's. I'd never heard of a quilt shop. I didn't know the difference. The quilts I made back then have all faded. I have always prewashed fabric since that's what I was taught when learning to sew. Now, I admit it, I'm a real fabric snob. I love the quality of quilt shop fabric - it has higher thread count and is more colorfast. The dark colors will bleed some in all fabrics and for those I use Color Catcher sheets and I might even soak them in vinegar water to help set the dye. My favorite is batiks and there is a world of difference between JoAnn's, Walmart, etc. fabric and the quilt shop fabric and, yes, quilt shop fabric is more expensive but when I go to the trouble of making a quilt and I give it away I want it to last. Right now I can afford the quilt shop fabric. When I retire it might be a different story and I'll have to go back to Joann's. I'd like to add that I look for quilt shop quality fabric on line and get it on sale for a great, reasonable price sometimes. I do like to shop at my LQS though so that I can help them stay in business. One more thing - I read an article in a quilt magazine that explained the difference in box store fabric and quilt shop fabric. It was talking about the fabrics that look the same. They use the same pattern for printing the fabrics but the box stores begin with a fabric of lesser quality. You can tell this if you buy some of each - there is a definite difference. Having said all that - quilting is our hobby and it should be fun. We should all buy the best that we can afford whether it's fabric, thread, notions, or machines and then enjoy the process of quilting that we love so much. What have I done with my JoAnn left over fabrics?? - I gave some of it away, made a couple of Locker Hooked rugs, and a little bit of it is still in my stash and I use it in scrappy quilts along with my quilt shop fabric. I really didn't have that much left over because I only bought fabric for my current projects so I didn't have much of a stash at all. I've written a novel - sorry.

[dforseth]

Invest in the best you can afford fabric, notions, thread and machines. Think of what our fore-mothers quilted with and many if tose quilts are still around. I look at the fabric and if it feels thin, cheap or cheesy I don't buy it. I have gotten thin cheesy stuff in quilt kits before, kits from LQS.
Enjoy your craft not stress over it.
Debbie

[fabricgirl]

Well Im not fortunate to have a quilt shop but I do have a Joanns and a fabric warehouse the fabric ware house carries printed treasures so Im more likely to go there if I go to joanns it's usually for batting or coupon Items .

Lois

[scrapquilter48]

Go girl, you chose that fabric. Negative criticism has it's pile of where it belongs. No two quilters are alike. Log cabin was my 1st quilt project. Even though I hated the pattern I learn plenty making it from lesser fabric.

Quilt is like fashion it changes every few years. I went the classic way, found it too difficult with lack of equipment, cried about it, till I realize some had the latest high tech machine.. No fair I said!

Then, other quilters me held me under their wing, and showed me scrap way.. Every donated thread, old clothes etc.. Yard sales, guild sharing.

A job came my way, few sew machines later... YIPPIE!
Learnt different ways, immediate family would critize always, and would challenge my happiness.. Now, those same people are telling me how lucky I am to have this hobby, that brings me joy... It just took a sibling diagnose with bi-polar to have them realize I'm not like him because of my sewing. OK? I learnt internet and saved like crazy to reach a laptop to learn about ebay, etsy and how to promote my sewing. Don't give up!