Looked for fabric stores other than JoAnn's around here only to read reviews and farewells from the ones who have gone out of business. I get to NYC twice a year and will go to the garment district next time. I see Mood sells online but they seem a touch pricey perhaps due to their fame from "Project Runway."
Have been making pajamas and have seen ads for pajamas made with "portugese flannel" -- not sure what makes it better but would love to find some for comparison to what I have been buying -- JoAnn's "cozy" at $2.50/yard. I have been making items in navy and I find that there is a noticeable difference from one bolt to the next, with many not dark enough for the effect I like -- classic navy blue with white piping. Tried making a set of top and bottom for a relative for Christmas and couldn't get more of the darker stuff in time so I will buy bolts next time (8 yards each, about $20).
I think working with the more difficult fabrics will help clean up my technique as I return to the easy stuff -- I have been sewing a lot of the flannel without pinning because it doesn't slip at all. I cut up a tuxedo shirt that I got free from a local thrift store. It was white Brooks Brothers egyptian cotton and I made a neck placket for a nightshirt out of some that I cut from the sleeve but I wasn't all that precise in the folding and alignment of the layers. Learned the placket from this video and plan to use it again:
Quilting is something I have no exposure to. Is it limited to making quilts (as the name would suggest)? and are a fabrics labelled 'quilting' better than others?
= new reply since forum marked as read