World Wide Quilting Page
Question of the Week
Question for the week of December 1, 1997:
Our question this week comes from Pugmire
What are the difference in quality of 100% cottons at a
typical fabric store vs a quilt shop besides price?? Is it worth the tremendous price difference???
Terry :
What I have found in the fabric vs quilt stores here in Portland is that price is it. For example, one large non-chain fabric store here carries RJR fabrics for 8.95/yd and the quilt store 2 mi east carries it for 11.95/yd.(And 3-4 times a year all the fabric in this large store goes on sale for 30% off!) I do sometimes shop the quilt stores for fabrics only if no other fabric store has what I think I want and usually the quilt stores won't either. What the quilt stores do have is more books, tools, and ideas. Plus reliable help & advice.
hilda :
cottons at quilt store have more threads per square inch. better quality.
Another Opinion :
Yes and no. There have been so many other good answers I will answer on the fading issue. I made a small pot holder out of scraps of fabric, and it happens to sit in the sun. Some fabrics faded badly others didn't. This mostly corelates to cost, but there was one piece of discount fabric that held up great that I only paid $2/yard or so for. I think the best advice is go with your instincts, and the best you can afford, but also have fun trying to find a bargain, and then use your instincts to decide the quality.
Mrs. Snuffy :
Yes, it's worth it. My experience of buying a Jinny Beyer print at a crafts store and having the red dye run and run through all attempts I made to "set" it made me question a quilt shop owner as to why it might have happened. She told me that the larger chains often buy "seconds" from the distributors. These are fabrics that have been slightly misprinted or may have missed an essential step in the dyeing process
such as the fixative needed to set the dye properly.
Karen :
I buy both but think the quilt shop is probably worth the price. I had a fun time bargain hunting trying to spot the "documentary" fabrics at the "Mill End" store amongst all the junk. Maybe they were from the "end" or beginning though? Anyway the bolts aren't labeled by the selvage contains the manuf. and series.
And among the regular fabric stores: I was a bit surprised when I saw the relatively new series "my father's ties" (VIP) at Fabricland all grouped together on their own special circle and priced at around $8. I thought what a neat idea to duplicate the classic "tie" prints, but in 100% cotton for quilters. If I hadn't seen that display, I might not have noticed the some of the same collection scattered amidst Joann's $2.99 calicos. But maybe like Susan's post here said, even though the selvage reads the same it may be a slightly lesser quality. (or not)
makedo :
yes,yes, go for the best quality you can afford. It makes a big difference in the sewing and in the overall appearance. go fer it.
Kayce :
While quilt shops DO have better fabric on the average, take the time to look in your typical fabric store. Some of their fabrics on sale are actually 'last year's' Hoffmans. At least at Hancock's. I have found VIP, hoffman, Kona, and several other 'designers' there - also the Colorworks series. If these were seconds, you couldn't tell it. I ran out of a quilt shop Quilter's Gold fabric and found the same fabric on sale at Hancock's. Of course, I bought more than enough to finish my project and you couldn't see or feel any difference either before or after washing. It may be the chain, but you CAN find good fabrics in fabric stores - you just have to look closely and avoid the junk.
Anthony :
A friend asked me why I pay $300 to would buy a quilt from a local quilter when I could go to WalMart and get one for $19.99. Re your question. same as any speciality shop; quality, selection & style. Between similar quality stuff, there isn't a "tremendous" price difference. JoAnns has a calico section with $2.99 yd fabric, but it usually rather flimsy and flat in color and you have to check it closely cause some of it is truly garbage. Still, you can find bargains, it's like any discount house, search it out and make knowledegable choices. But really most of the fabrics we quilters like to use is the fashion or designer sections of the stores. At my JoAnns, the prices of the good stuff is only slightly less than the shops. And the quality is slightly less as well. It may look the same, but feel it. Mine carries seconds that look like Hoffman Bali batiks. But one touch and you knoww the greige or base goods are not the same. It's a good fabric, but it's no Hoffman. And the selection is limited. Still you can find bargains if you know what you're getting. On the other hand, shops tend to have much wider choices, higher quality, more variety and the very latest in the other goodies that we need. When you make a quilt, the most valuable thing you put in are the 80 to 100 hours or more of your time. To skimp on your raw materials is false economy. Besides quilting is a community and independent retailers are valuable members. They support our hobby and have really nurtured this industry. I think they deserve our support.
Julie Hirota :
Although I tend to agree with most, that the quality of fabric from a quilt store is above that purchased at a chain fabric store, I do believe you should always buy the fabric you like! Additionally, even if the quilt shops provide fabric with a higher thread count, sometimes they are harder to quilt through.
Patti Johnson :
I am inclined to buy the quilt shop fabric for a bed quilt that will eventually be an heirloom. I don't think it's all that important for a wall hanging or small table runner to have a sew shop fabric in it.
You get what you pay for, but analyze the use of the quilt you are making and go from there.
Susan :
I think the quilt shop fabrics are worth the price difference. I didn't used to think so but 3 things changed my mind. One local quilt shop has tacked up on their bulletin board a swatch of fabric from the quilt shop and the same piece of fabric from a JoAnne's (or NY Fabric). You can SEE the difference in the color, thread count, opacity and even feel the difference. The second was that another quilt shop owner explained to me why the quilt fabrics are so expensive. Quilt shops get the "middle" run of a fabric which is the best part. All the colors are in registration and the weave is perfect. JoAnne's gets the beginning and end runs where colors and weave can be off. And lastly, I was given 2 quilts as Christmas gifts 10 years ago from my parents and my future husband. The quilts were inexpensive tied quilts and after 2 years the seams started to come apart. I started repairing, but at this point, they are beyond repair. They used 1/4" seams but because the weave was so loose, after a few washings, the thread had nothing to hold together. I'm heartsick that they spent so much money for these quilts and they are falling apart. If I'm going to put that much work into a quilt, I surely don't want it falling apart and ruined after a few years.
Colet :
Having worked in a fabric shop, I found great differences in the quality of 100% fabrics. Take a close look. You'll see that "cheap" cotton is often sold as a "special value" for a small price. The weave is often out of line and has fewer threads per inch, creating a coarse feel. I don't go near these fabrics. Why put all your hard work and time into a project made with material that will not last, fade or wear prematurely? On the other hand, higher quality cottons will have a smooth feel and colors will not fade as readily. Quilt shops carry high quality cotton fabrics. The increase in cost over sew shop fabrics can be due to factors such as small shops cannot buy in large quantity like chain stores can and the patterns in quilt fabrics are now almost custom in nature. You won't find many of them in chain stores.
Beverley Gilchrist :
I don't think there is any difference in the quality of the 100% cottons. You may just have more range and no, I don't think it is worth the great price difference.
Jeanette :
Quilt shops will carry quality l00% cottons, whereas chains go for cheaper price. Thread count is very important, the more thread woven in the fabric the more it will cost, but it will be better quality fabric. You get what you pay for...
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