Fabric selection is crucial to every quilt, but it might be scary if you are new to quilting. When standing in the middle of hundreds of bolts of fabric, many a beginner quilter has become immobilized with uncertainty, but it can also happen to veteran quilters!
Today, we’ll look at some fabric selection recommendations for your quilt shopping. You may still be unable to choose between two various colors of blue, but these pointers will assist you in making the best decision.
How to choose the best quilt fabrics?
Choosing quilting fabric might make you feel like Goldilocks in the Three Bears’ home. It should be neither too heavy nor too light, neither too elastic nor too rigid. While it’s crucial to remember these things, there are a variety of methods to include surprising fabrics into your quilts.
Try a pre-cut collection:
Why not start with a collection of fabric pre-cuts while learning how to quilt? They’re a little more expensive, but they’re the simplest method to learn how to put together a quilt fabric collection. Many collections will include a selection of fabrics in various print sizes (scales) and color combinations.
This is more of a guideline for many collections than a hard and fast rule. Following this framework will allow you to select your own textiles from a number of collections in the future.
Fat quarters:
Quilting cottons come in a rainbow of hues, and you’ll want to experiment with them all. Thankfully, there are cost-effective options available. Fat quarters are sold at quilt stores that specialize to quilters. These are quarter yards of fabric cut in a squarish form rather than a long thin strip, as opposed to the typical cutting-counter approach. They’re great for cutting into pieces for quilting and are fairly priced as a result. A typical quarter yard cut off the bolt, on the other hand, can be even less expensive, so if your design doesn’t require big sections of fabric, consider getting it off the bolt.
Pay attention to scale:
It’s crucial to consider the overall scale or size of the design printed on your cloth when picking printed textiles. Small designs that nearly read as a solid work well in some quilts. These are fantastic since they give your quilt a bit more interest.
Bigger quilt pieces may be a terrific way to draw attention to a larger image. Imagine something unique in the middle of a quilt block, and then frame it with contrasting sashing.
Measuring the pattern repeat in the cloth is one approach to measure scale. This will assist you in deciding how to best utilize a piece of cloth.
Start with one fabric:
Choose one fabric that you adore and work your way from there. “Focus fabric” is the technical phrase, but whatever you name it, discover that beginning point. This is usually a print that incorporates a handful of various colors, making your other decisions easier. You may design your project around that one cloth by auditioning others.
Use camera:
When you’ve decided on your fabrics, lay them all together and snap a photo. Take a look at the image first. You’ll be surprised at how different things appear this way. If you’re still satisfied with your choices, convert the image to black and white and examine it again. This is an excellent technique to avoid being distracted by the colors and focus on the shades – light, medium, and dark.
Try with Sashing:
When you’ve chosen your fabrics, lay them all out and take a picture. First, have a glance at the image. You’ll be shocked how different objects seem when seen in this light. Convert the image to black and white and inspect it again if you’re still happy with your choices. This is a great way to stay away from the colors and concentrate on the shades – light, medium, and dark.
Final thoughts:
There is no alternative for practice when it comes to selecting material for a quilt. Understanding the color wheel is, in my opinion, the best place to start. You should then try experimenting with some leftovers. It’s time to go to a quilt store and start evaluating fabrics after you’ve developed some confidence. The best part is that fabric paralysis is no longer an issue.
