Why I don't buy fabric at chain stores

How To Choose Fabric


Fabrics are run three different times at fabric mills. The first run is done on loose-woven greige goods. Greige goods is the fabric before any printing is done. This first run is of the poorest quality cotton blend. This run is to adjust the registration of colours. These fabrics end up as flat folds in discount stores and chain stores. These fabrics are hard to work with. They tend to feel stiff and rough. Threads will pull out easily and they tend to shrink a lot. They are coarsely woven. They are very hard to work with in quilting, shifting under the presser foot. Seams can tear out easily and they ravel easily. They use a watered down dye process and the colours tend to bleed. Much cheaper to buy.
The second run of greige goods is done on cotton fabric that is better than the first run but not the best quality fabric. They adjust the dyes again with this run and they also can bleed more easily. You will find these fabrics done by many manufactures wrapped on bolts. They cost less than top quality cottons and they are found in the chain stores. This is why you find major fabric companies selling name brands to chains on bolts. The dyes are not as sharp and clear as your top quality fabrics. They are cheaper and they tend to shrink and wrinkle more than top quality cottons. Less costly than top quality.
The final run of fabrics are the best quality cotton greige goods done by the manufactures. The colours are clear and bright. The cottons shrink less and usually do not bleed. All errors in printing have been adjusted and corrected. The fabric is much nicer woven. You will find these fabrics sold in independent fabric shops and quilt shops. It is the top quality fabrics that you will find easier to work with. The fabric will hold up well and the colours will be clear and bright. There is much less shrinking of these fabrics. Higher in Price but the best you can buy.
Even though you may find bolted fabrics at chain stores to look like the top quality bolts sold in independent shops, if you compare the two together you can tell the difference. Both in the feel of the fabric and by looking at the quality of the dye printing. The brightness of colour you can see right off with the top quality runs.
Marilyn J Lynch aka Sunny Helpful news I read on in:

http://www.quiltcampus.net/NewsLetter.html