So how to you tell?

I feel it and (believe it or not) I smell it. It shouldn't have any strong chemical smells.

Linda PATCHogue, NY

Well said, Diana. The only thing I would like to add is to brag on my beginner quilter. The 2nd thing I taught her was how to judge a fabric's quality. (The first thing I taught her was that there are no rules.) Anyhow, that girl's a world-class bargain finder. Today she brought in a new bolt of fabric that we all would recognize that she got for 40 cents a yard. The bolt was still plastic wrapped and just lovely. She does me proud. Actually, she outdoes me. Polly

1. Hold it up to a strong light. If you can see through it, you don't want it. Also check for darker spots where the thread is uneven or slubbed.
2. Turn it over. Really good fabric will look pretty good on the back. You want good dye penetration.
3. Check the print. Bargain stores sometimes sell seconds, where the design is a little off, or the fabric was creased during the print run. Finding the same print in 2 different stores at very different prices does NOT always mean you're getting a bargain.
4. Does it feel like something you'd like next to your skin? Cheap, low thread count fabric is sometimes bulked up with sizing. It feels heavy and crisp on the bolt, but washes out to a limp rag.
5. The more colors involved in the print, the more expensive it tends to be. This doesn't help you if you're not looking for multi-color prints, but manufacturers often don't "waste" such designs on poor fabric. Go to a LQS and find some of the most expensive stuff in the store. Do all the above tests with it and pay attention. Then go to your cheapest local fabric source and do the same to the cheapest stuff you can find. Educate your fingertips. Do you see a difference? Roberta in D

Oh wow!!! Where did she find a deal like that?? Diana

If the fabric seems to be good quality except for the print being off a bit, it may be a bargain if you can cut around the bad spots. Piecing a quilt top requires that the fabric be cut into relatively small pieces; it is often quite easy to avoid flaws in the printing.

Julia in MN

Good suggestions Roberta. Thanks

Carole Champlain, nY

Howdy! Great answer! Thanks, Roberta.

Here's mine: Research! Same way I found my car, house, and all other major purchases: research! Know what you're buying, know what they're trying to sell.