Selecting the Quilt Fabrics

"How do you choose fabrics for a quilt?" For me, it all boils down to what feels right. When you look at all of the fabrics, do you like it? Does it jump out at you and make you want to sew? Does it make you happy? Excited? If the answer is no, then you need to keep trying different combinations until you are happy with it.

When choosing you fabrics, keep in mind several things: is there a color scheme you are trying to fit with; is the quilt traditional, country, replica, or modern; what are your primary colors and coordinating colors; and try for different prints and textures in the fabrics to give interest and movement. When you have a pile of possible choices, stand back from them and see if any one is too dominant or pops too much from the rest. You may want to pull it out of the mix or try adding more fabrics with that same intensity or color to help your colors harmonize. Remember - go with your gut instinct and if you don't like it in the store, you won't like it at home!

For this quilt, I started with a Michael Miller Design fabric called Carnival Bloom and found a great coordinating stripe to compliment the colors. The stripe contrasts nicely with the bold floral print and will give it some movement.

Next, I wanted to bring out the great pink in the print, so I want to use a polka dot pink fabric. Again, the dots will contrast with the floral and the stripe keeping with the very modern feel of the quilt pattern I am doing.

The hard choices for me were what to pick for the last two fabrics. What colors should I bring out? Green? Blue? Yellow? I laid out all of my choices and draped the Carnival Bloom fabric across them to help me choose. Right away the light green polka dot on the end had to go - too boring and light. And the lighter blue matched the print better than the darker.

How to Wash and Iron Your Quilt Fabric

Different quilters will tell you different things, but I wash and iron all fabrics when I bring them home. Do not use any fabric softeners or dryer sheets. Use cold water, a perfume and dye-free detergent, and dry the fabric regularly in the dryer. If you have any really dark colors like navy blue or red (especially red!), squeeze a white piece of paper towel in the damp fabric before you put it in the dryer. Then hold the paper towel to the light and check for any color bleeding. If there is color, wash it again. This way I know that I can later wash my finished quilt the same way without any problems.

Iron the fabric on a cotton setting going parallel to the selvedges (factory finished edge). Do not iron side-to-side as this can stretch your fabric and warp the grain and pattern when you cut. Fold it so the selvedges match and put a crease down the middle. It should look just like it did when you bought it off the fabric bolt at the store.

I use an all-cotton or a blended cotton batting in my quilts. I find it best resembles the look of antique heirloom quilts and is easier to work with than the polyester. Other quilters will swear by the polyester - all I can say is try it and see what you like. With the cotton battings, I always pre-wash them. The manufacturer will say on the packaging how to best launder the batting. I freely admit I don't follow the rules! My cotton battings go right in the wash and right into the dryer just like the fabrics. Now a couple of things may make this possible for me and you may not have as good a result. First, I have a front loading washer and second, I use Warm and Natural batting. So whatever you decide to do, know that I have experimented with my batting and I know what works for me - it just might not work for you!

Now that all of the quilt fabrics are ready, it is time to measure and cut!