Where to Start
When learning how to make a patchwork quilt, choosing your fabric can be one of the most fun parts, or the most daunting. One of the common phrases I hear in the patchwork shop where I'm employed is "I will know what I need when I see it". Considering there may be more than 12,000 bolts of fabric in the shop, they could be looking for a quite a long time.
What I advise is that you ponder it before you go looking to avoid getting overwhelmed. For example, What's your favourite color? Do you like florals? Geometrical designs? Batiks? Plains (like Amish colors or soft colors? This will help to offer you a starting point and the sales helper will be in a position to guide you to the best fabrics for you.
Selecting Fabrics
When you are beginning quilting, I suggest you start by selecting a patterned fabric in your favorite colour. That way, you most likely like working on the you'll adore it for a long while after it's finished. Then you can choose some complementary fabrics to go with it. Maybe the easiest way is to pick other fabrics in the same Range. Most often manufacturers design a "Range" of co-ordinating patterns and colors round the same theme, including big and small patterns and a couple of colours. If you choose your fabrics from the same Range, you know they may all work in together in your cannot find other fabrics in the same range, look down the edge of your selected fabric (which is named the selvedge) and you will see the designers name, plus one or two little numbered circles. These contain all the colored dyes that've 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 can 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.
Add A Touch of Adventure
These are safe options that you can be certain will work. However if you would 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 fantastic and vibrant.
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.
When you're choosing colors, make sure you "audition" them. Take the bolts off the shelf and test them together, take one away and see if it looks better or worse, put in a darker one, or an accent color. Take away any which don't "go together". The ones that don't match may be because they have got a cream background rather than white, or because it's an orange-red instead of a blue based red.
When learning how to make a patchwork quilt, choosing your fabric can be one of the most fun parts, or the most daunting. One of the common phrases I hear in the patchwork shop where I'm employed is "I will know what I need when I see it". Considering there may be more than 12,000 bolts of fabric in the shop, they could be looking for a quite a long time.
What I advise is that you ponder it before you go looking to avoid getting overwhelmed. For example, What's your favourite color? Do you like florals? Geometrical designs? Batiks? Plains (like Amish colors or soft colors? This will help to offer you a starting point and the sales helper will be in a position to guide you to the best fabrics for you.
Selecting Fabrics
When you are beginning quilting, I suggest you start by selecting a patterned fabric in your favorite colour. That way, you most likely like working on the you'll adore it for a long while after it's finished. Then you can choose some complementary fabrics to go with it. Maybe the easiest way is to pick other fabrics in the same Range. Most often manufacturers design a "Range" of co-ordinating patterns and colors round the same theme, including big and small patterns and a couple of colours. If you choose your fabrics from the same Range, you know they may all work in together in your cannot find other fabrics in the same range, look down the edge of your selected fabric (which is named the selvedge) and you will see the designers name, plus one or two little numbered circles. These contain all the colored dyes that've 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 can 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.
Add A Touch of Adventure
These are safe options that you can be certain will work. However if you would 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 fantastic and vibrant.
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.
When you're choosing colors, make sure you "audition" them. Take the bolts off the shelf and test them together, take one away and see if it looks better or worse, put in a darker one, or an accent color. Take away any which don't "go together". The ones that don't match may be because they have got a cream background rather than white, or because it's an orange-red instead of a blue based red.
About the Author:
To read heaps more clever hints for how to make a patchwork quilt, go to Maree Galt's patchwork quilt blog right now!
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