the woes of bargain fabric

[Shandi]

so I found some cool two toned brown fabric at Walmart at 1.50 a yard loved the color, soft fabric synthetic, figured it's light weight enough to be cool and I really like the color ....so I get home and wash it and the stuff now feels like fiberglass against the skin!! WTH?? so I washed it again with more fabric soften still scratchy as hell. Now I'm just bummed. Sometimes the bargain stuff isn't such a bargain

[Lady Kathleen of Olmsted]

Any synthetic fabric that feels soft in the beginning, then is washed, will not cooperate. Washing the fabric changes its character. Nor are 100% synthetic fabrics breathable.

I am of the school of thought that natural fibered fabrics are worth the extra money for garb. Less hassles and better results over time.

[isabelladangelo]

Always, always, always use natural fibers for garb.   Muslin is dirt cheap and makes awesome chemises to wear against your skin.  Cotton, silk, wool, and linen will make you far happier in the long run anyway.  Like Lady Kathleen said, synthetics do not breathe.   I only use synthetic fibers in my cloaks and that's only fleece.  Anything else, I won't use anymore.   

And you especially want natural fabrics if it's going against your skin.   Otherwise, you minus well wear a garbage bag because it will feel about the same.

[Syrilla]

Also, with the bargain fabric it may be off grain and only look on grain with the sizing that glue on.... Sigh... and when it's washed

[GirlChris]

Sometimes the bargain stuff isn't such a bargain

On the other hand, I just got a 1.2 meters of 140 cm wide mauve dupioni silk from the remnants bin (That's about 1.3 yards at 56" wide for the metrically challenged). Normally $36, I paid $9. Sometimes you can find AMAZING bargains in the cheapy bins.

And yes, I'm posting this just because I want to brag about my awesome buy. Now what the heck am I going to MAKE with it?