Do inexpensive fabrics cost you more?

I pride myself at being frugal and price aware on most things I buy.  I am the type of person that will go out of my way to purchase an item for the best price.  But sometimes you can go too far and this is what I mean…..

One year I made a quilt for a co-worker that was of my own design, I was extremely proud of the creation.  It was adorable.  But due to my financial restraints at that time, I decided to purchase fabric that was at a great price, but not the quality I would normally have purchased.  It was also a blend 🙁 .  From the moment I started working with it, I knew I had made a terrible mistake.  It cut poorly, it shrunk when I ironed it, and after cutting my quilt pieces it was all misshapen.  I was horrified.  I had to push through because I just spent my allotment on the fabric.  So I completed my quilt and hoped that with extra stitching and quilting the piece would wear well.  I was wrong! After laundering, the piece would never sit flat, pilled, and with the combination of good quality fabrics and poor quality fabrics, it was a mess.

So here is my tip:  When choosing fabric to create a portrait, quilt or really any fabric project, spend the few extra dollars to get a good quality, 100% cotton fabric.  A blend will shrink, misshapen during the ironing process and cut poorly.  Quite frankly it is not worth the few dollars you saved buying it or the hours lost trying to fix the problems that arise.  It will ruin your project.  So go ahead and buy the good stuff.  You will take pride in knowing the project will last for years, even with heavy use.