In Germany, we had a lovely MWR-run craft store. They had the most beautiful fabric I had ever seen. Coming from the land of Hobby Lobby and Joanne's Fabric, let's just say I experienced a bit of sticker shock. Ten dollars a yard?! Of quilting cotton?!?! Yes, ten, sometimes more, sometimes on sale, (sweet sweet Black Friday fabric sale) but this stuff, I had come to find, was worth every penny. See, quilters spend a whole heck of a lot of time and effort to make a quilt, and it is a worthwhile investment to use high-quality materials. Could you imagine the heartbreak of putting hours into a quilt, and washing it three times before it started to disintegrate? *full body shiver*
Well, I don't quilt. I think the people who do are math geniuses, and I bow down to them in all their glory. I DO make items that are handled a bunch though. Purses, toys, and clothing need to withstand a lot of abuse! That's why I've embraced the extra cost. If a few more dollars means years added to the lifetime of what I make, it's a small price to pay.
Why bring this up now, you ask? I was a little bit traumatized on a recent trip to one of the aforementioned big-box fabric stores. It was made alarmingly clear to me that *gasp* all fabrics are not created equal. I thought that, perhaps, the price difference had to do with buying in volume, these stores had discounts because they're national chains with tons of buying power!... WRONG! They are cheaper because they sell cheap fabric. Cheap like lousy quality. Like... see for yourself :
(I took all of these pictures using my iPhone to maintain an equal representation)
Exhibit A:
Exhibit B:
Exhibit:C
Exhibit: D
Exhibit: E
Exhibits C, D, and E are $12.90/yard Minky Dot, often less on sale. I buy this online from Fabric.com. This is what it looks like after being machine washed and dried. The pile is consistent, the dots are raised and uniform, and perfect even when the pile is petted against the grain (Exhibit:E).
As I launch my business, I want everyone to know, that while I could make what I make with supplies that cost only a few pennies, I choose not to. It's not worth my time, or the buyer's for me to do that. There are certainly people who can make what I make and charge half as much! Just take into consideration the QUALITY of said item. It makes a world of difference!
Pin It
:) I like nice fabric. I'm glad you do too!
ReplyDeleteMonsoon season in India, when there is intense and extensive rainfall, is upon us and the weather is showing its fury with thunderstorms at regular intervals. Monsooned coffee is a coffee that does not seem to have been properly washed and dried and has become soggy, or at least a little bit droppy, after sitting under the rain. If you are a coffee connoisseur, you may have known that it doesn’t take a lot of rain before a coffee starts to get soggy. What is monsooned coffee?
ReplyDelete