Which one to use I just don’t know. Eeny meeny miny moe.

Choosing fabric can sometimes feel like a difficult task. You are about to spend tons of time on creating this work of art and once you start cutting out and sewing together you are pretty stuck with your choices. There are things to do that can make the process easier.

When I am choosing fabric for a new quilt I try to think about a few things including; the quilt pattern ~ meaning the size and shape of the pieces and the way they will fit together, the fabric print & aspect ratio ~ so if it is a huge print or a polka dot that is spaced very far apart (in my opinion that print is wasted on a quilt with very small pieces). I think about color ~ I sometimes want a range of colors and sometimes I want the colors all in the same family, Lights and darks ~ some patterns are highlighted better by the use of lights and darks and some are beautiful when more monotone in hue. The majority of these choices are determined by the feeling and purpose I want my quilt to have. Do I want it to be; Sweet? Edgy? Peaceful? Bold? Fun? Scrappy? For picnics? For reading? To cuddle? For holiday fun?

There’s a lot to think about when planning a quilt. One of the easiest ways to decide is just find a line of fabric that you love. The designers usually include big and small prints, lights and darks, patterns and solids in each line. Sometimes a fabric line that I love has inspired a quilt. Another helpful tool in choosing fabric are great programs that give you the chance to put colors and fabrics together and into the actual quilt pattern. These give you a better idea of what your quilt will look like. However always remember that, whether coloring it on paper or designing it on the computer, The real quilt will look different and more raw than a rendering.

I am currently in the process of making a quilt. Surprise!
So, I’m really excited to start this project. The quilt I am working on is a charm quilt (which means that every piece of fabric is different). There are 480 different pieces of fabric that I have accumulated over the years. I planned the quilt and then changed the plan. Once the plan changed I decided to add sashing (that’s when there are lines of fabric separating the blocks). For a while I was thinking white sashing to make the colors stand out more… or at least that was the idea. I got this awesome white on white fabric and when I put it next to the squares it looked SO BORING! So, what was I to do?

My life since having children has been crazy and much more full of color. The color and life are bleeding into my style. I am in love with pattern and color. I began going through my fabric stash to find a sashing idea. I found two fabrics that I thought would be fun… a polka dot and a striped fabric. Harley was helping me decide. He was laying out his favorite squares and the backing he chose was the polka dots… My preference also. I took photos and texted them to my sisters for more opinions. I laughed when all four of us liked the same one. Polka dots! Great minds think alike… sometimes.

I love polka dots. I am excited for the outcome of this quilt. Let me know… What are the things you think about when choosing your fabric?