Quality or Frugality?

A long time ago, I decided I wanted to make a quilt for my in-laws' 30 year anniversary.  I have had my design picked out for forever now and just needed to buy fabric and start cutting into it.  This "buying fabric" process has been SO HARD!  I don't know what my in-laws will like!  I know what I like, but I don't want to overwhelm them with my love for all things bright and colorful.  I scoured the online fabric world and finally came up with these four prints from Kate Spain's Fandango:

Not too bold, right?  Well, then I scoured the fabric stores some more until I found a killer deal on these.  Buying fabric online is expensive!  And I am not too familiar with any quilt stores in my area yet.

SO.

I put the Fandango fabrics in my cart and left them there for a few days.  I wanted to go to JoAnn's JUST to be sure I was getting a good deal and that I couldn't find anything similar for cheaper.  BIG MISTAKE.  I spent, like, an hour in there perusing all sorts of different combinations of fabric.  I realized that, even with the great deal I found online, I could still save a bundle of money by shopping at JoAnn.  So I set about looking for something ELSE that might match my in-laws' "mystery" style.  And do you know what I did?  I ended up buying bright fabric!  Stuff that I like!  I hope it's not going to be too much for the in-laws, cuz I really love them and want them to be happy with the end result.  This is what I came home with:

 

Pretty different, eh?  I KNOW!  As much as I love these fabrics, I'm starting to wonder if I made the wrong choice in ditching that beautiful Fandango fabric.  I just have a hard time justifying it when it costs twice as much (okay, not TWICE as much, but close to it!).

So what do you do?  Do you choose quality fabrics that cost more, or do you go with frugality to keep your marriage in good standing?  My husband is still getting used to this new-found hobby of mine - I don't want to overwhelm him too much by spending hundreds of dollars on fabric.  I probably could have gotten away with the expensive fabric if I were making a smaller quilt - but this quilt is planned to be queen size.  Sigh.

What do you think?  Did I make the right decision?

On an unrelated, but slightly related note (think "frugal"), look what else I did!

This picture is from our engagements (sorry it's not the best one...).  I was looking through them the other day and I just can't believe how little we were then!  Most people would probably still say we are "little" (as in - young) but it seems like we were just kids back then.  Not to mention the fact that both of us were a "little" bit... smaller.  

See that blue shirt the hubby is wearing?   It has been one of my favorites of his for the past 5 years.  So he kept wearing it.  The other day it finally suffered a terrible fate.  It just doesn't fit anymore.  There were rips in the sleeve.  Hubby was going to throw it away and I made some side comment about how I could cut it up and add it to my fabric stash and he said "go for it."  So I did.  I know this picture still looks like a shirt, but it is not anymore.  The fabric is still in really good shape.  I felt bad cutting it up - I've never cut up clothes before.  I'll have to use this one is something good.