You are ready to make a quilt. You go to your local quilt shop and you are overwhelmed with all of the fabric choices. In this article, I’ll guide you through some of the decisions to choose fabric for a quilt.
It’s important to pick the right fabric to make a quilt – not only the fabric content but also the design and colors of the fabrics. Selecting fabrics is probably my favorite part of quilting!
What types of fabric are good for quilting?
The most common fabric used in quilting are quilter’s cottons. They come in a variety of solid colors and designs. They are generally 45-inches wide. The quilter cotton fabrics are washable, which are great for bed or utilitarian quilts.
Linen is also used for quilts. Select a medium-weight linen, as a heavy upholstery or drape linen would be too heavy to work with. Linen fabrics have a looser weave than a quilter’s cotton and may be more difficult to work with, as it might stretch when you don’t want it to. Linen can be either 45 or 60-inches wide.
Flannel is popular for bed quiilts, especially in the colder months. It is cozy and warm. Make sure to select cotton flannel for making quilts, not flannel intended for garments that might have a bit of spandex for stretch. Cotton flannels are generally 45-inches wide.
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Minky or cuddle are microfiber synthetic fabrics that are super soft. They are cozy, cuddly and warm but not for beginners. They stretch and can be difficult to work with. They are wider than quilter’s cottons, generally about 60-inches wide.
Pre-cut fabrics are super easy to select and use for many quilts. You can purchase bundles of pre-cut fabrics from a single collection or designer that are cut to a certain size. Because they all come from one collection, they already play well with each other.
Where should I buy my fabrics for my quilt?
Quality matters. If you are spending time (and money) to make a quilt, make sure you purchase high quality fabrics.
There are several great online sources, and check out your locally-owned quilt shop. If you know what you want or don’t have a local quilt shop, buy online. For me, there is something about browsing the shelves of a local quilt shop to see what attracts me.
Tips for choosing fabrics for quilting
Considerations before you begin your fabric selection
- The first thing you should consider is what type of quilt are you making. Is this for you? Is it a gift? If it is a gift, are there colors or designs that the recipient would enjoy?
- If you are making a baby quilt, you might want to select soft baby colors or a bright cheerful print. If you are making a quilt for your bed, you might want to make sure to include your favorite colors. Consider the reason for the quilt first.
- What is the quilt pattern? How many quilt fabrics will you need? Does the quilt design naturally call for specific color schemes? Example: A landscape quilt will naturally call for greens, browns, and blues and whites for the sky
Next, think about the colors and fabric combinations.
Selecting colors of fabrics for your quilt
Here are some ideas for picking fabrics for your quilt. You don’t need to know all about color theory, especially if you are a new quilter.
- You can pick shades of the same color, from a very light pink to red and then dark maroon.
- Pick complementary colors, which are opposite on the color wheel. Pick a nice red-orange and blue, or a lovely lime green and red. Complementary colors help each of the colors pop. Make sure to select a variety of shades, from light to dark.
- Pick either shades of the same color or complementary colors. Toss in another color to add an element of surprise! If you pick red and lime green, consider purple or orange as a surprise color!
Selecting scale of print design of the fabrics for your quilt
- Scale is the size of the design on the fabric. It can be small like a micro dot fabric, or larger prints. The key to an interesting quilt is to use a mix of small and large designs in the color palette you selected.
- The contrast in both colors in your fabrics as well as prints or scale is important. Big prints help move your eye around the quilt. Floral prints and jungle prints are popular large-scale prints used in quilt tops.
- Small prints are important to give your eye a place to rest. They are sometimes referred to as ‘blenders’ because from a distance they look like a solid color. As you get close to the quilt, you see there is a subtle design in the small blender print fabric.
Quick and easy ideas for selecting fabrics for your quilt
An easy way to get color inspiration for your patchwork quilt is to begin with a collection or fabric and go from there.
- One easy way to know that the fabrics will go together is to select a fabric collection by a fabric designer or manufacturer and pick your fabrics from the collection. All of the colors will work well together, and usually, fabric lines provide a variety of scale in their designs. This is a great way to make sure you have fabrics that will play well together and give your quilt a cohesive look.
- Take a single piece of fabric that you are attracted to. Look at the colors in the print or design. Check out the light-value colors, the darks, and the mediums. Take that fabric around the store and find those colors in a variety of prints and designs that please your eye.
- Find one ‘focus fabric’. Generally, a focus fabric is a multi-colored print that calls to you. Just like above, take that fabric around the shop and look for other fabrics that pull out the colors in the print. Make sure to get light fabrics, dark fabrics, and medium-value fabrics. They can be prints or solids. I like to mix prints for more visual interest.
- Start with a collection of fat quarters or a fabric bundle that has been curated by your local quilt shop. Or start with the pre-cut bundles like a layer cake, jelly roll or a charm pack.
Use your phone camera to help you pick fabrics
Here is an example of some fabrics I selected for a bargello quilt. I wanted a variety of scale and value in the colors to show the movement in the quilt. If all of the fabrics were close in color, the design wouldn’t be as dramatic.
I started by pulling the fabrics and using my eye I tried to put them in value order. A large-scale fabric will generally look darker than a small-print fabric. You can see at the left is a large flower pattern fabric.
The yellow print second from the right reads almost as a solid fabric. It is also referred to as a ‘low volume’ fabric.
Using the camera on my phone, I shifted this image to a black-and-white photo. Now you can see how the values change on the fabrics. They do read ‘light to dark’ right to left. I think this will be a successful combination of fabrics. They are all from one line and one designer, so the colors work well together.
And, here is the finished bargello quilt. Learn all about making a bargello quilt on Create Whimsy.
Other considerations when selecting fabric for a quilt
- If the quilt will be washed, make sure to buy fabrics that hold up with multiple trips to the laundry and pre-wash your fabric before you cut it out. I prewash all of my fabrics before they are even put in my sewing room.
Browse through more quilt tutorials on Create Whimsy. Check our our more in-depth articles on Selecting Fabric for Quilting.
