Have you looked at Oakshott fabrics? Michael Oakshott. The fabric if I remember right is hand dyed in India. They are in UK and have a wide range of solid colours.
I would also look at batiks.

last time I ordered from US my parcel was opened and returned to seller as Customs said it contained illegal substances. Lost fabric and money. I'm not sure about this but I think there is a £30 limit on parcels, just something niggling about £30.

Northcott solids called Colorworks are great...fabric is thick and colours are amazing,..they even have a regular black and a true black...

Wow.

You all from the UK should open your home to a quilting buddy for a week to spend the night (bed and breakfast) while they tour England. In exchange that person could (for the rest of her life), receive your packages for you, wash the fabric so it is no longer new and send it on to you at yard sale price as used fabric.

There really is no BEST with solids just like with batting. I have used Kona cotton since I first started quilting so I have just keep using that brand. Both Hancock of Paducah and Fabric Shack carry 330 colors and will ship internationally.

Customs look for Vat and duty on anything over £27.00 coming into u.k. I used to regularly buy stamping stuff from US (before I got into quilting) until they put this ridiculous level on anything coming in from U S.

I'm a Kaufman Kona Cotton fan. Best wishes.

For colors, I agree with Bella. For Black, White and Ecru/Natural, I LOVE Legacy Studios. Such a nice feel, great thread count, opaque and holds up really well. I especially like to purchase the 108" width because that gives me two for one in yardage. Example - 45" is usually $8-$9 and the 108" is $11-$12, so it is basically buy one get the next half price.

It depends on what 'best' trait you are looking for. Kona has by far the best choices for color matching (330 at last count) and usually the lowest price, but it has a lower thread count and coarser hand than some of the other brands.

In April I did a side by side comparison of solids at my LQS. I was specifically looking for a solid to use with batiks and wanted something closer in texture than the Kona I usually use. IMO, using Kona with batiks is a bit like mixing burlap and silk in the same quilt. It can certainly be done, but I wanted to see if there was something more suitable.

Having done a side-by-side, hand-to-hand, bolt-to-bolt comparison between several brands of solids and a quality batik, the winner, beyond any doubt, was Michael Miller Cotton Couture Solids. The other solids tested were Clothworks (American Made Brand), Kaufman (Kona), Moda (Bella), RJR (Cotton Supreme), Northcott (Colorworks Premium), and Marcus Brothers (Centennial). None even came close to the Michael Miller. All brands are mixed together by color at this shop and the MM bolts could be found by touch alone.

The Michael Miller is a 78x78 cotton broadcloth compared to Kona's 60x60. Moda Bella is also a 60x60 cotton broadcloth, it just has an added polish that softens the hand slightly. Thread count on the AMB solids is 74x78 and it is sold as a shirting, not a cotton broadcloth (different weaving process). As a comparison, regular quilting cottons are usually in the mid 70's for thread count; batiks are higher. (Side note on the AMB, it has a rough hand even at that thread count and there are many complaints of heavily fraying edges. I have not tried it for those reasons.)

My goal was somewhat narrow for that test (mixing with batiks), but I have used all but one of the brands I listed above. If color choice, price, and availability were the same for all of them, I'd go with Michael Miller, RJR, Northcott, Marcus Bros, Bella, and Kona...in that order. However, because those factors are NOT equal, I usually fall back on Kona for anything but batik combo works.

Hi Dotty,

My daughter who lives in Texas is coming home for a visit and she will be bringing the fabric for me!

Hugs

Caroline

Hi Guys,

As justifying has suggested........

Just let me know when you are coming so I can get the spare room ready - LOL LOL LOL! We live in beautiful Suffolk in a lovely town - plenty to see and the room is quite nice too!


Hugs

Caroline
Hugs

Caroline

QUOTE=justflyingin;7305271]Wow.

You all from the UK should open your home to a quilting buddy for a week to spend the night (bed and breakfast) while they tour England. In exchange that person could (for the rest of her life), receive your packages for you, wash the fabric so it is no longer new and send it on to you at yard sale price as used fabric.[/QUOTE]