Choosing The Right Fabric For Your Patchwork Quilt
Where to Start
When learning how to make a patchwork quilt, picking your fabric can be one of the funnest parts, or the most difficult. One of the most common phrases that I hear in the patchwork shop where I work is "I'll know what I want when I see it". Considering there are over twelve thousand bolts of fabric in the store, they might be looking for a a long while.
What I suggest is that you think about it before you actually go shopping to avoid being overwhelmed. As an example, What is your favorite colour? Do you like florals? Geometric designs? Batiks? Plains (like Amish quilts)? Bold colours or soft colours? This is going to help to give you a starting place and the sales aid will be able to steer you to the right fabrics.
Choosing Fabrics
When you are beginning quilting, I suggest that you start by selecting a patterned fabric in your favorite colour. That way, you'll enjoy working on the you'll like it for a long time after it's finished. Then you can choose some complementary fabrics to go with it. Maybe the simplest way is to choose other fabrics in the same Range. Usually manufacturers design a "Range" of co-ordinating patterns and colors round the same theme, including large and small patterns and several colours. If you choose your fabrics from the same Range, you know they will all work in together in your can't find other fabrics in the same range, look down the edge of your selected fabric (which is called the selvedge) and you will see the designers name, plus a few tiny numbered circles. These contain all the colored dyes that have been used in the printing process of that fabric. You may then use these colour spots to match with other fabrics to go with your main fabric, knowing that if you use those colors they'll definitely go together.
When picking fabrics, choose a selection of smaller, medium and big prints for contrast. Also remember that depth of colour is significant. If you select a mixture of light, medium and dark prints you'll have good contrast and the quilt you have selected to make will have life e.g. completely of pale pink, medium sized floral fabrics could be really dull. Add in some deeper shades, maybe some green, and maybe some spots or stripes, and suddenly you've a quilt that's engaging.
When selecting fabrics, select a range of little, medium and large prints for contrast. Also remember that depth of color is critical. If you choose a mix of light, medium and dark prints you will have good contrast and the quilt you've chosen to make will have life e.g. A quilt made entirely of pale pink, medium-sized floral fabrics may be terribly boring. Add in some deeper shades, perhaps some green, and perhaps some spots or stripes, and all of a sudden you have a quilt that is interesting.
These are safe options that you can be certain will work. However if you'd like to be more adventurous, learn all about the color wheel and try some different color combinations e.g. A "Complementary colour scheme" incorporates colours that are directly opposite one another on the color wheel like purple and yellow, or blue and orange. Quilts made of these colours can look stunning and colourful.
When you are selecting colours, ensure you "audition" them. Take the bolts off the shelf and test them together, take one away and see whether it appears to be good or bad, put in a darker one, or an accent colour. Take away any which don't "go together". The ones that do not match could be because they've a cream background instead of white, or because it is an orange-red rather than a blue based red.
As a sales helper I would much rather have to put away extra bolts of fabric, than see a customer leave the store not wholly pleased with her purchase. And do ask for help if you can't decide, but do not let yourself be bullied into selecting something you are not pleased with. While it is eventually your decision, sales assistants are there to help with opinions, to suggest options you had not considered of, and perhaps, to find that evasive bolt of fabric that's "perfect" for you.
As a sales assistant I'd rather have to put away additional bolts of fabric, than see someone leave the shop not entirely happy with her purchase. And do ask for help if you cannot decide, but don't let yourself be bullied into choosing something you aren't happy with. Although it is in the end your call, sales helpers are there to help you with views, to suggest options you hadn't thought of, and just maybe, to find that elusive bolt of fabric that is "ideal" for you.
When learning how to make a patchwork quilt, picking your fabric can be one of the funnest parts, or the most difficult. One of the most common phrases that I hear in the patchwork shop where I work is "I'll know what I want when I see it". Considering there are over twelve thousand bolts of fabric in the store, they might be looking for a a long while.
What I suggest is that you think about it before you actually go shopping to avoid being overwhelmed. As an example, What is your favorite colour? Do you like florals? Geometric designs? Batiks? Plains (like Amish quilts)? Bold colours or soft colours? This is going to help to give you a starting place and the sales aid will be able to steer you to the right fabrics.
Choosing Fabrics
When you are beginning quilting, I suggest that you start by selecting a patterned fabric in your favorite colour. That way, you'll enjoy working on the you'll like it for a long time after it's finished. Then you can choose some complementary fabrics to go with it. Maybe the simplest way is to choose other fabrics in the same Range. Usually manufacturers design a "Range" of co-ordinating patterns and colors round the same theme, including large and small patterns and several colours. If you choose your fabrics from the same Range, you know they will all work in together in your can't find other fabrics in the same range, look down the edge of your selected fabric (which is called the selvedge) and you will see the designers name, plus a few tiny numbered circles. These contain all the colored dyes that have been used in the printing process of that fabric. You may then use these colour spots to match with other fabrics to go with your main fabric, knowing that if you use those colors they'll definitely go together.
When picking fabrics, choose a selection of smaller, medium and big prints for contrast. Also remember that depth of colour is significant. If you select a mixture of light, medium and dark prints you'll have good contrast and the quilt you have selected to make will have life e.g. completely of pale pink, medium sized floral fabrics could be really dull. Add in some deeper shades, maybe some green, and maybe some spots or stripes, and suddenly you've a quilt that's engaging.
When selecting fabrics, select a range of little, medium and large prints for contrast. Also remember that depth of color is critical. If you choose a mix of light, medium and dark prints you will have good contrast and the quilt you've chosen to make will have life e.g. A quilt made entirely of pale pink, medium-sized floral fabrics may be terribly boring. Add in some deeper shades, perhaps some green, and perhaps some spots or stripes, and all of a sudden you have a quilt that is interesting.
These are safe options that you can be certain will work. However if you'd like to be more adventurous, learn all about the color wheel and try some different color combinations e.g. A "Complementary colour scheme" incorporates colours that are directly opposite one another on the color wheel like purple and yellow, or blue and orange. Quilts made of these colours can look stunning and colourful.
When you are selecting colours, ensure you "audition" them. Take the bolts off the shelf and test them together, take one away and see whether it appears to be good or bad, put in a darker one, or an accent colour. Take away any which don't "go together". The ones that do not match could be because they've a cream background instead of white, or because it is an orange-red rather than a blue based red.
As a sales helper I would much rather have to put away extra bolts of fabric, than see a customer leave the store not wholly pleased with her purchase. And do ask for help if you can't decide, but do not let yourself be bullied into selecting something you are not pleased with. While it is eventually your decision, sales assistants are there to help with opinions, to suggest options you had not considered of, and perhaps, to find that evasive bolt of fabric that's "perfect" for you.
As a sales assistant I'd rather have to put away additional bolts of fabric, than see someone leave the shop not entirely happy with her purchase. And do ask for help if you cannot decide, but don't let yourself be bullied into choosing something you aren't happy with. Although it is in the end your call, sales helpers are there to help you with views, to suggest options you hadn't thought of, and just maybe, to find that elusive bolt of fabric that is "ideal" for you.
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To get more great tips about how to make a patchwork quilt, check out Maree Galt's patchwork quilt site now!