Discount Quilting Fabric Isn't Always What It's Cracked Up To Be

Fabric Shopping
Do's and Don'ts

This site is where you will able to find great information about fabric for quilting. There is so much to learn about fabric, grain of fabric, types of fabric and discount quilting fabric. You really have to be cautious so you don't waste time and money buying the wrong fabric.

Discount quilting fabric sounds like a great idea, right? No, not always. I have found some discount fabric that hasn't even lasted through three washings - very disappointing after spending so much time creating your quilt.

How do you know what is good fabric or not? Feel it, does the fabric seem stiff, how about waxy? These are not good discount fabrics, but if the fabric feels very smooth and just has a really nice feel, you are on the right track, it might even have a slight sheen.

If you are buying your fabric from a quilting shop, you can bet it is good quilting fabric. Check out Connecting Threads for beautiful quilting fabric only $5.96 per yard. Great deal!

This isn't to say that you can't find great discount quilting fabric. You will always find sales at your local quilt shops. There are tons of fabrics available on the internet that are a wonderful quality.

You will usually find the less than great discount quilting fabric at some of the discount houses (Joann's, Michael's and Walmart) but you can also find some great fabric there too, just know what you're buying or even knowing the fabric manufacturer will be a good way to tell. Good choices would be Michael Miller, Moda, Keepsake Quilting, Timeless Treasures and Robert Kaufman to name a few. You cannot buy from them directly, but you can find them at your local quilt shops.

Often you will find references to the grain of fabric in your quilting patterns. The grain refers to the way the threads are arranged. Grain determines whether your block assembles effortlessly or whether they won’t fit together smoothly.

Here’s a basic look at fabric grain:

• Warp Threads – Long warp threads are the fabric’s lengthwise grain. If you look at a piece of fabric, the warp runs the same direction as the selvedge.
• Weft Threads – Shorter weft threads are the crosswise grain. These are woven back and forth and run perpendicular to the selvedge. Cut your fabric along the weft.
• Straight Grain – The crosswise and the lengthwise threads are both called straight grain.
• Selvedges – The white bound edge that runs along the entire bolt of fabric. These edges are bound very tightly for about a half inch or so. This keeps the fabric stable on the bolt.
• Bias – When you place your cut across the fabric at an angle. This causes your fabric to stretch. Quilting instructions use this to create circles and curved pieces. You will usually cut at 45° but any angled cuts are considered “cut on the bias”.


To Prewash or Not?

Once you’ve chosen your fabric for quilting, discount quilting fabric or not, you’re going to have to decide whether or not to pre-wash it. This is an individual choice. Personally, I do not pre-wash my quilt fabric. I prefer the feel of the fabric with the chemical treatment from the manufacturer. It just feels better to me, it's a little stiffer and easier to work with. Go figure…

When I am teaching my classes of quilting for beginners, I am always asked if they should prewash their fabric. What I have found is that the majority of people don't pre-wash their fabric. I always prewash when I am putting flannel with cotton, they shrink differently and I want a more even look.

Some folks are sensitive to the dyes and chemicals in the fabric. If this is you, then go ahead you might want to wash them.

If you do choose to wash your fabric you will need to use spray starch or sizing on your fabric after it is dry. This gives it enough body to work with and removes all the wrinkles.

I would strongly suggest if you wash your fabric, iron it as soon as it is dry, then store it. If you wait, the wrinkles might become permanent part of the fabric plus ironing the fabric is will help it fold up much more compact.

If you are creating something that needs to be a specific size like a bed quilt, prewash your fabric. I made a king sized Double Irish Chain for my bed (see below) and once I washed it, it was too short on the sides and didn't have enough drop. How disappointing! It was such an big quilt, I am not sure I have the heart to make another right now.

Enjoy building your "fabric stash" or the term more pleasing to husbands everywhere, "fabric resource center". This term let's me get away with more fabric buying...and don't forget every time you pull a piece of fabric from your "fabric resource center" you mention it in their hearing. Husbands will certainly understand, just have them look in the garage for the different sizes of wrenches, screws and hammers.