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Member since 9/4/14
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Posted on: 10/14/15 2:13 PM ET
I know it does. I know the beautiful fabrics I love from good quilt sources are better than the chain/cheap stores.

How much difference does this make in the life of a quilt? There are a couple I'd like to make for holiday gifts but calculating out the yardage I just don't think it can happen even with the sale at one of the quilting stores. I don't add up how many the last couple cost bc they were gifts with huge sentimental value and we'll enjoy them together forever.

But I don't want to give something to one of the kids' SO's that is threadbare in a few years. I went to Hancock's yesterday for something and they had a great array in the colors I wanted for one, not sure how theirs compares to Joann's. I made DH a couple of batik shirts years ago from J's batiks and the color didn't hold over a long time. The fabric integrity was fine, but some of these quilt fabrics from these chains just look thin. Some I know are way too thin, really, you can practically see through them - who invests the time and other materials in something that look like that from the start? Maybe for a baby quilt you know will be used/washed/worn to death in just a couple years and don't expect it to be looked back on 25 years down the road...

Anyway, just some rambling. But if anyone can say yep 10, 20 years ago I made a quilt from (chain/cheap place) and another from (good quilt store) and here's how they compare with similar wear... I'd like to hear. Of course the fabric available could've changed in that time too as big chains try to keep costs down an plan on only selling at sale/coupon prices.
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Member since 2/19/13
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Posted on: 10/14/15 2:26 PM ET
I shop at Hancock's frequently, and I can usually find some pretty good quality fabrics in their quilting cottons - you just have to feel them. I haven't been quilting long enough to know how long these things last, but I really don't care how it holds up over many years. That being said, I won't buy it if it feels stiff and cheap. Of course everyone's concept of what price is fair will vary, but I find many fabrics on sale at equilter.com and hawthorne threads that I find reasonable. Fabricshack is also a good source for name brand fabric at a good discount.
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maminstl
  
Member since 9/4/14
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Posted on: 10/14/15 2:53 PM ET
I have bought from equilter and what I purchased was good, but I wasn't using it for quilting then.

I DO care how it looks and holds up years down the road, I know I can and have found a lot of good fabrics color/print wise and can detect differences as you say, I also avoid stiff, crisp, it seems to never soften, have only used it for a couple crafts -
but I would really like to hear from anyone out there who's used some of the fabrics/sources noted and watched the wear of the quilt over at least several years. The cost of my time and other materials for something that's going to fall apart or wear through in a couple years just isn't worth it, I'm better off waiting until I can invest in materials that will be longer lasting. It takes the same amount of construction time for either.
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Member since 5/28/07
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Posted on: 10/14/15 4:48 PM ET
I will buy silk dupion when it is on the bargain table at spotlight usually in strange shades of green or brown. It is much thinner than silk I've bought in other places but even though it's a bit thinner and harder to work with fray wise, for appliqué pieces or wall hanging blocks it doesn't matter so much. I also use linen in quilts where I may use a solid just for texture. I'm a bit fussier with linen quality but still you get bigger variety at Joan's type stores than LQS. I've never had a fraying problem after its been sewn or quilted.


The worst thing I have had is pilling from polar fleece I once used as a backing. It was a baseball themed quilt and I got yankee's themed polar fleece from an online shop that wasn't cheap. Looked great but after washing about a year or two in the polar fleece pilled. That quilt gets a lot used and a lot of washing though.

I bought a while back something called quilters lame and I loved the look in a Dresden plate block but I did notice in a few places it was pulling at the seams. I didn't predict a long life but as a wall hanging probably didn't matter, and that was expensive and from LQS

I think trust your instincts on the feel of the fabric but you can get good fabric at larger stores and always it depends on the project and how much use it gets.

-- Edited on 10/14/15 at 4:49 PM --
  
Member since 10/27/10
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Posted on: 10/14/15 5:41 PM ET
One way I see how fabrics are going to hold up is by making pj bottoms or a pillowcase. They get worn/used and then washed much more than a quilt. So if they hold up, I figure it's safe to make a quilt from that line.

Accidental discovery, actually. When my sons wanted a quilt with some theme, I made pj bottoms or a pillowcase first.

I did make a small "Cars" quilt kit from JA. I had to substitute for a fuzzy fabric that stretched and shed like crazy. I added a hidden zipper pocket. That thing got washed like crazy, including hanging to dry in the sun in Africa. Still in fine shape and not terribly faded. I made an I-Spy quilt from a mix of JA and quilt shop fabrics that was frequently washed for several years. No obvious difference in the wear on the fabrics. I'm not saying there's no difference, just that there's a mix of quality at JA, some better, some worse. You can usually tell.

Connecting Threads has fabric for less than most quilt shops, which seems better than what I usually find at JA.


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Posted on: 10/14/15 5:43 PM ET
In reply to kaysheri
Try Connecting Threads for fabric. Decent prices for much better quality than JoAnn's for the most part.

If the quilt is for a kid I wouldn't worry about it lasting for decades- especially if it is washed often. Some of the threadbare ones are the most treasured!
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Sewing: A creative mess is better than tidy idleness. ~Author Unknown
  
Member since 1/25/09
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Posted on: 10/14/15 6:40 PM ET
So glad this came up. I forced myself to pass up the last day of the 25% off sale at Bernina/fabric/quilt store. I'd love to make a quilt for DS1's gf, her bd and Christmas are very close, but then I'd probably have to make one for the other too, then there's DD's bf... well he could get a bunch of goofy boxers like my boys... then I decided I better finish my Christmas quilt for DG and I from year before last!

But - I have wondered the same thing. I found a few home dec fabrics at Hancock's that matched new furniture perfectly for pillows and wandered through thinking about this. I had forgotten Hobby Lobby for home dec but I have no problem going there either. I would prefer to support indy shops but even doing these may be a ridiculous game plan now.

But it's good to know about other sources. I could always (when time permits) mix sources and spread the resources.

That idea about making the pj's or pillowcases is excellent!
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Member since 8/3/08
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Posted on: 10/15/15 2:18 AM ET
Also you could try Hancock of Paduchah (spel), Keepsake Quilting, or Connecting threads and go to the clearance area. Sometimes you can find really nice quilt fabrics that are on clearance. Probably won't find any sales on Christmas fabrics until late November though. The fabric really does make a difference -- I used some poor fabrics for bindings on several of my quilts and they have frayed edges. That being said, I made my son a quilt when he was in kindergarten out of nicer fabrics, and he is 16 now, and it's almost perfect. It has been camping, thrown up on, bleached, etc., and it still looks great, albeit a little faded.
  
Member since 9/4/14
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Posted on: 10/15/15 7:37 AM ET
In reply to NevadaGrace
Quote: NevadaGrace
Also you could try Hancock of Paduchah (spel), Keepsake Quilting, or Connecting threads and go to the clearance area. Sometimes you can find really nice quilt fabrics that are on clearance. Probably won't find any sales on Christmas fabrics until late November though. The fabric really does make a difference -- I used some poor fabrics for bindings on several of my quilts and they have frayed edges. That being said, I made my son a quilt when he was in kindergarten out of nicer fabrics, and he is 16 now, and it's almost perfect. It has been camping, thrown up on, bleached, etc., and it still looks great, albeit a little faded.

Thank you - THAT is exactly the kind of info I was looking for! I do know all these other resources, Connecting Threads was new to me, and I do want to support local stores - but while there obviously seems to be varying quality within the chain fabric, if I'm not good enough at determining which is better I could end up with the fraying issue (which I hadn't considered) or the fabric just being thinner or having "show through" over time.
  
Member since 2/8/13
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Posted on: 10/15/15 2:27 PM ET
If you like scrappy type quilts, try the scrap packs at Hawthorne Threads. I bought 2 from her a while ago, partly to make a quilt, partly to build a stash, partly for my DD to have fabric for doll clothes, and mostly because I was overwhelmed by the choices online and the cost. I got the equivalent of 4 yards, I would call the cuts skinny eigths or so, end of bolt type-fantastic quality- $14. The downside is you can't choose what you get, you choose tones, but it is fun to play with what you get too. And you can't beat the cost for gifts.

This is the quilt I made. Two of the prints are left over fabric from dresses I made, but everything else was from the scrap pack. I still have at least half the fabric remaining and DD has made 3 skirts and a shirt for Shannon (doll). quilt.
  
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