28
CHAPTER SELECTING FABRIC
Choose quilting fabrics with prints that vary in scale to add areas of contrast and interest in your
quilts. Also think about fabric style. The style of fabric you choose for a quilt affects the overall image
and mood it projects, such as historic, peaceful, rich, fun, or energetic.
Consider Scale and Style
Prints can be large, medium, or small in scale. If a
block is very small or has small pieces, select small-
scale prints. Use large-scale prints to fill large spaces,
such as quilt borders and large block areas.
Large
scale
Medium
scale
Small scale
Reproduction fabrics mimic the colors and patterns
of earlier time periods, and can lend a comforting
antique or vintage look. Shirtings are reproductions of
shirt fabrics oen used by frugal quilters from the mid-
1800s to early 1920s. Homespuns look handwoven and
are oen plaid or striped. Homespuns fray, so they are
oen used in rag quilts and needle-turn appliqué.
Civil War
reproductions
1930s
reproductions
Shirtings
Homespuns
29
CONSIDER SCALE AND STYLE
Tone-on-tones are fabrics printed with the same color
as the base fabric, such as white on white. Blend-
ers are mottled or subtly printed fabrics. Use solids,
blenders, and tone-on-tones for block backgrounds,
or to help blend the colors in a quilt into a cohesive
whole. They may not be exciting, but they’re important
because they provide a resting place for the eye.
A lot of modern-style quilts
feature solid fabrics, but
solids are also popular for use
in Amish-style quilts.
Geometric fabrics filled with zigzags, squares, circles,
or other shapes add dramatic interest, as do dots and
stripes. Dots are fun and playful, while stripes can add
an extra dose of excitement, especially when used
diagonally.
Solids
Blender
Tone-on-
tones
Geometric
Blender
Stripes
Dots
30
CHAPTER SELECTING FABRIC
Modern
Fabrics
Low-volume
prints
Modern fabrics feature large prints and geometrics.
A special category of modern fabrics called low-
volume prints features saturated color with lots
of white. Use modern prints to create crisp, clean,
modern quilts that feature large blocks with simple
piecing and of course, lots of pure white.
Why use plain white or black in a quilt when you can
use black-on-white or white-on-black prints in-
stead? These fabrics lend an air of artistry and fun to
any quilt.
Batiks are high-quality quilting cottons that are oen
hand-dyed and stamped with a motif. Batiks create an
air of sophistication and drama and are a wonderful
choice for blocks with large pieces, realistic land-
scapes, and appliqué.
Flannel quilts are so, warm, and cozy. Flannel is a great
choice for rag quilts and quilt backs, but be sure to buy
only high-quality flannels for the best results.
Flannel shrinks and stretches a bit, so always
pre-wash it and use lots of pins and a walk-
ing foot when piecing. Flannel also frays and
produces lots of lint, so be sure to clean your
machine often when sewing it.
31
CONSIDER SCALE AND STYLE
Felted wool is a terrific choice for appliqué since it
does not fray and therefore does not have to have its
edges turned under. You can also piece with wool, or
add wool appliqué to a cotton quilt top.
Novelty fabrics feature fun motifs such as cats, dogs,
dinosaurs, trucks, coffee beans, and sewing machines.
Novelty fabrics are perfect for children’s quilts, es-
pecially I Spy quilts. A special type of novelty fabric,
known as landscapes, is perfect for depicting build-
ings, gardens, skies, and forests.
African fabrics and fabrics with Native American
motifs allow you to celebrate your heritage or to
create an exotic, adventurous mood in a quilt. African
and Native American fabrics lend themselves to bead-
ed embellishments and other fun surface treatments
that are artistic and interesting.
Asian fabrics are ethnic prints that are exotic, too,
but in a tranquil, thoughtful way. The floral motifs and
touches of gold oen found in oriental fabrics make
quilts that use them look regal and opulent.
Landscape
Novelty
Native
American
African
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