The theme for this week's link up for
Sewing With Certainty is
Choosing Fabrics. I've been thinking about it all week--How
do I pick fabrics for my quilts? Short answer: I just pick things I like and then pick other fabrics that coordinate without adding craziness. And then adjust as needed.
There have been quite a few quilts that were from precuts. These are easy because someone else has already put together a bunch of pretty fabrics that match and/or coordinate! Usually I dig through my stash and add more coordinating fabrics though.
A couple of times I've gotten a fat quarter bundle for the same reasons:
 |
Tula Pink Salt Water bundle with a few coordinating solids added for the triangle quilt. |
 |
Tula Pink Salt Water on Kona Navy, with two added coordinating fabrics (far left) from my stash for the SquarePants quilt. |
But a lot of my fabric choices are based off some idea I had, and then I dig through my sash until I have a good selection.
And quite often I just have an idea on a quilt I want to make, without colors in mind, and I go through my stash looking for fabrics to use, that match or coordinate in some way.
Many times I'll start with a pile of fabrics, and during the cutting/piecing stage the fabrics change. For the
Forest quilt I started with this stack:
And ended up with this quilt:
So, what's your favorite way to pick fabrics for a project?
What gorgeous fabrics you have, Renee! I pick fabrics in many different ways but usually start with one 'bossy one' and then build around it - also depends on who the quilt is for or if I have been asked to use a specific colour ... love the start of every quilt :)
ReplyDeleteI agree! Using a fabric line sure makes life a lot easier. I have just started getting into precuts and am looking forward to creating more with them! Great post, Renee! Love all your quilts. It is nice to see the before (fabric picks) and after (finished quilts) photos. Amazing work!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your process. I like the bundles or collections myself, but sometimes I just dig around too or I use a like color selection in a bundle, but pick my own.
ReplyDeleteIt's always good to keep an open mind about the fabric - I'm glad you mentioned that you change it up :) Look at you and your extremely helpful stash! I've been trying to grow my "helpful" prints lately.
ReplyDeleteYummiest fabrics. I love to mix solid fabrics and prints for my projects.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your process! I love your choices :-) I don't know that I have a particular method. I do try to do something a little different with each quilt. Something I've never tried before. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't!
ReplyDeleteGreat fabrics, I usually buy pre cut bundles, jelly rolls or stay with one fabric line I have a hard time deciding what colors and prints to choose.
ReplyDeleteI do all sorts of things. Sometimes I buy collections not always because it is easy, but often because it they are beautiful together! I don't keep much of a stash which is fun - I start at the beginning almost every time! :)
ReplyDeleteI mix it up, too, when it comes to fabric selection process. I have a lot of collections in my stash, but rarely to use all together for a project. Love all your Tula Pink stash!
ReplyDelete