Thrifty Quilting - Where to shop for your favorite Solid Fabrics!

Waaaay back in October of last year I posted my first Thrifty Quilting post entitled Thrifty Thread Shopping. It was well received, and yet I somehow never got back to it. When I did try and come up with something else to look at I was at a bit of a loss. There are so many different styles of quilting, and I know everyone has their own favorites, but one thing I'm fairly sure of is that quilters buy solids! Now I know not all quilters buy solids quite as compulsively as I do sometimes, but nonetheless they are a staple in many quilters stashes. So here it is....

So I would explain in detail all the 'stuff' about this project, but if you are wondering where the idea comes from I recommend going back to the Thrifty Thread post one more time. Those of you that saw that one, or just want to skip on to the nitty gritty, here we go!

First up is Robert Kaufman's Kona Cottons. Available in 271 glorious colors this seems to be a go to staple for many quilters. It's readily available both in stores and online, but today's post is focused on primarily online retailers. The results? Fabric.com ended up on top of this one, with a smaller retailer Delta Patchwork a close second. All 16 retailers I looked at for this category came in under $8.00, so I can see why this is so popular. 

Next up, MODA Bella Solids. These happen to be my favorites at the moment (yes I change my mind A LOT). They just work well for me and I love the color selection. I don't think I've ever looked and thought "Wow, I really wish that had this color." The results for this one surprised me a bit. Up on top of the list is Thousands of Bolts. Equally as surprising was the price, just $4.99! I went back to double check and sure enough there it was. Not only that, but there is an incredible selection! I picked a few colors at random and sure enough they were in stock! 

The next few options do not seem to be as readily available, but they can be found. The other great things is that many of them come in slightly different shades than the more popular Kona and Bella and that can really come in handy!

Michael Miller Cotton Couture Solids

 Riley Blake Design Basics Solids

  Free Spirit Designer Solids

 Northcott Clothworks Solids

 This last one is not a solid, but I wanted to add it anyway. Robert Kaufman's Essex Linen is quite popular, and although I have not used it much I wanted to see the price difference (I'm endlessly curious)!

Now, if you are not brand baised, and just looking to break into using more solids, I have pulled out the top 25 from all the prices above. There is a bit of variety in the fabric manufacturers, but the main point is that they all fall in at under $7.00 per yard!

After all those numbers, here's the real deal. It is your choice who you shop with. Some people prefer a larger retailer that has a huge selection and rarely goes out of stock, while some people (like me) prefer to shop small business even though it may cost just a it more. The choice is yours! I am simply providing the facts and letting you make the choice! 

Have a store you love, or a different solid fabric you would like to recommend? Add a comment or shoot me an email and I will be sure and share your info! 

Here is where I put all my personal disclaimers:

1. I have not ordered from all of these suppliers, so I can in no way vouch for their personal delivery time, condition, quality, etc.
2. These prices to not take into account sales, coupon codes, shipping charges, etc.
3. I was not paid or asked to write about any of these stores. I do not have any sponsors or take any gifts to write these posts.
4. These prices are a reflection of the point in time that I looked at the websites prices. Most likely over the past 2 - 3 days. 
5. I semi randomly chose vendors from my giant Online Fabric Shopping List. Some I knew carried these solids, some I have ordered from, and some just seemed like the right fit!

Finish it Friday – Bay Area Modern BOM #1

It's not a finished quilt, but any finish in my book is a good one!

In an attempt to get my creative juices flowing on a more regular basis I’ve decided to jump on board with a new Block of the Month (BOM) project. I ended up choosing the Bay Area Modern Block of the Month. You can take a look at all the blocks HERE.

The first block up is the film strip block, which can be found HERE. I’m generally not a big fan of fussy cutting fabric as I like to really be able to see the fabric more as a whole. However, I am trying to branch out, so I jumped right in.

My first mission was to find some fabric in my stash with a small enough scale to cut down to 2 3/4" x 2 3/4". I thought that would be the easy part, but apparently I’m not a fan of small scale! I finally found this Alexander Henry fabric (I want to say it's called Starling from the Fashionista collection, but i will double check if anyone is interested) hidden in the back. I remember buying it forever ago not knowing what I would use it for, so it worked out perfectly.





After I cut out my ten little birdies I followed the super easy tutorial step by step until I had my strips. Sadly a few of my baby birdies lost their tails and/or heads. Oops! I think enough of them made it through unscathed to be a decent representation.





I really did try and move towards a different background color, but went back to my favorite Kona Solid, Coal. I went back and forth on the layout for a bit, but in the end I followed the leader (might be the first time ever).






Ta Da, My very first Modern BOM! I must say, I wasn’t sold on this, but now that I see it all together I really like it. I’m looking forward to the rest of the blocks, and the challenges that I’m sure will come my way.

Carly Ann

p.s. Not so shocking, I’m behind! If you are interested in joining in on the fun, the BAM-BOM #2 is already posted HERE! It’s the feather block from Anna Maria Horner’s amazing Feather quilt (tutorial and templates HERE. LOVE!