Para722

I have to agree that most of JoAnns fabric are not as good as the quilt shops. If you have to pay 9-12 a yard for fabric you might as well go to the LQS and ge the best. Most of JoAnns fabrics are made especially for them. Check out the end of the bolt. I use there coupons but only for notions and batting. i have had so much trouble with the fabric from JoAnns bleeding that I don't even bother with their fabic anymore.

Kathy Osterby

Since I make only wall sizes quilts and doll quilts I buy what I like . Being on limited income makes it necessary to buy where I can get the most for my money. I've bought at all the fabric shops and lqs and buy what appeals to me for the project I'm working on. My Wal-Mart never gave up their fabrics and since they are putting fabrics back in thier stores I find the quality is getting better. IMHO.

Anna.425

I never shop at Walmart just on principle. They pressure their manufacturers to outsource US jobs, don't get me started. I don't shop at Joann's because their fabric is inferior. Every fabric is made is three different qualities and that is influenced by thread count and cotton quality. If you have a good quality cotton fabric with a higher thread quality and feel it in one hand and a lesser quality fabric in the other hand it is easy to tell.

Holding out for better quality fabrics can take some work and time. I don't stash fabrics, I stash projects. That means that every piece of fabric that I buy is for a specific project. I plan my projects in advance so that means that I can buy over time and take my time to purchase fabric. If I come up with a project that I need to do quickly then I use the scraps, bits and pieces that are left over from projects. I don't know about anyone else but I usually have a few quilt tops hanging around that I can quilt up for a quick gift as well.

deenatoo

I buy fabric in both...JoAnns and LQS. You have to feel the fabric and make the decision. I have bought fabric at a LQS that is thinner than at JoAnns. I recently bought some Christmas fabric from a LQS and it was very stiff and didn't have a good feel to it. I picked it because I liked the way it looked and didn't realize it was so stiff until I got it home and went to cut it. My WalMart has started to carry fabric again, but it does not seem to be as nice as what they used to carry. When price is the object, you have to make that decision. The fabric at JoAnns is getting to be very expensive. I have see cotton there for as much as $12.99 to $14.99 a yard. If I am going to pay that much for it, I will buy it from the LQS.

Neena

I agree...know your fabric, know your project...it is what it is. They all are selling fabric, we make the choice on what we buy from whom

dcamarote

I have purchased a lot of fabric from my Joann's store. also, even more from my LQS. there is a definite difference in the quality, but that being said, some things I make, I am not concerned about the fabric as I am with other projects.
Our local quilt guild does a lot of charity work and I often purchase fabric from Joann's for these projects. But, there have been times I have purchased fabric that after washing has turned out to be really lousy. I guess it all depends on what you want it for and what you are going to do with it.

countrycousin

I found a quilt shop in Phenix, Virginia that is a must see for all quilters. They have a huge collection of everything you need to make a quilt. It is called A Thread Runs Through. QUITE A SURPRISE FOR OUR AREA.

scraphq

Folks. everyone seems to forget that Joann's is a business for many types of sewing. Most of the fabrics they carry are not at all suitable for quilting so why are they constantly knocked for their cotton fabric? Every person can pick and chose the fabric that suits them and their purse. I have no affiliation with Joann's but I get tired of the picking at a business that serves many of us very well

granny216

I buy most of my fabrics at quilt shops. I have purchased from other sources and you can generally feel the better fabrics. However I have not had any problems with any of these fabrics when making items. I have had several problems with fabric from quilt shops so I am very selective. Have had tons of fabric given to me and I don't know where the fabric comes
from. Washing it helps me determine if it is a keeper or a scrap to use for something else. Cheap is what cheap is but if it comes down to making a quilt (most quilt shop owners swear fabric is not as good a quality as theirs) I use what I
this is best. I luse anything for classes except now quilt shops are wanting you to buy their fabric if you are taking a class there!

Threadbanger

As I read all the opinions posted on fabric quality, I seem to be picking up on a theme here. "Quality" is relative to the project one is working on. If I"m going to make a pet bed to donate to the animal shelter, odds are I'm not going to spend $15/yrd on high thread count fabric. I'm going to buy the cheaper stuff. The dog that lays on the pet bed isn't going to care where I came up with the fabric, how high or low the thread count is, if the colors bleed etc. It's your quilt, your money, your fabric, your rules.