5 Tips for Choosing Fabrics: 2022 Summer Quilt Along
This blog post about choosing fabrics is part of the 2022 Summer Quilt Along: Choose Your Own Adventure Quilt. Join in with this fun, unique summer quilt along. All the blog posts, including tips from 12 Guest Experts, available via the link below.
Kona Color Card—If you have a color card, cut it up! So much easier to mix and match colors that way.
Over the last decade, I have hosted and co-hosted more than a dozen quilt alongs--I've learned a lot! Over the next month, I'm going to pass on some of my favorite tips as part of the countdown to the 2022 Summer Quilt Along: Choose Your Own Adventure Quilt.
Today is all about fabric selection.
One of the questions I hear most often from new and experienced quilters alike is this: how do I choose fabrics for my quilt?
Choosing fabrics is my very favorite part--well, maybe buying fabric is. Can you relate?
Here are some of my favorite tips:
Choose a Favorite Basics Line
Find a print or basic line that you love [this is Wink from Birch Organics], and use multiple colors/prints.
2. Choose Colors Based on an Image
Find a photo that you like, and choose colors based on the photo. This one is from Backdrop Stock--lots of beautiful inspiration (and stock photography) here.
Analogous Color Combination
3. Use the color wheel
Choose fabrics that are close to each other on the color wheel (analogous colors) for a great look.
4. Use a Non-White Background
Switch up the background. Use a non-white background for a completely new look.
5. Choose a Single Color
Choose a single color, and go scrappy! Ask your friends for their scraps, dig in your scraps or a stash, or go shopping for 1/4 yards! I've always wanted to make a Blue and White quilt, and 2021 was the year! [Summer Sampler Turns 10].
This beginner-friendly sampler pattern features 9 different block designs and is a Choose Your Own Adventure Quilt—make the quilt as shown [2 options!] or create your own 13 block quilt. A link to download a new block pattern will be emailed to you on the each Monday, starting June 6, 2022. You will receive a link to download the PDF Welcome Guide, Fabric Requirements and Kit Info, an FAQ, coloring pages, our Introduction to Paper Piecing PDF, and more, upon purchase.
Note: Faith Jones, Lee Heinrich and I are not hosting the Summer Sampler this year. This quilt along will be run similarly to the Summer Sampler.
A few years ago, I gathered fabric selection tips from other quilters. Enjoy! This tip roundup comes from the Solitude Star Quilt Along--there are links in this post to tips for piecing quilt backs, staying organized, chain piecing, and more.
Digital Quilt Mockups
If you use Procreate, or another app/program to digitally color your quilts, I've included PNG files of the two versions of the quilt as part of the quilt along [available via the same link as the Welcome Guide]. They are also linked below.
Coloring Page_All the Blocks.png
Interested in Ombre Fabrics?
Check out the fabrics I used in the 2021 Observatory BOM.
p.p.s. If you are looking for a light and summery quilt, I loved using these Kona solids in my 2021 Summer Sampler Quilt.