Choose Quilt Fabrics With confidence

Take the fear out of selecting just the "right" fabrics for your quilt by learning to audition them first.

Whether you're selecting scraps from your stash or buying all the fabrics for a project at once, the array of colors and designs can be both exciting and intimidating. While there are no "wrong" fabric choices, some combinations are more pleasing to the eye than others. If you can't seem to make up your mind about which fabrics to use, read on!

Begin The Search

Separate the fabrics you're interested in and examine them away from other fabrics to avoid confusion or interference from other colors.

Find optimum light. Fluorescent light can sometimes cast a yellow glow, altering the appearance of a fabric's true colors. At home, work during daylight or consider investing in a lamp that simulates sunlight. If you're at a quilt shop, take the bolts to the area that has the most natural light. Stand with the light at your back and let it wash across the bolts.

In the store, stack bolts horizontally to view how fabrics work together and how they may appear when cut into smaller shapes. Stand back about 10 feet and look at the stacked bolts; a view from this distance will give you an idea of how a fabric combination will work.

For an even better preview of what individual pieces of a fabric will look like, view the print through a template window. Cut the desired shape out of sturdy paper or cardboard. Don't include seam allowances, but do leave a healthy margin of paper around each window to help differentiate what's showing through from the rest of the bolt.

In addition to color, it's often contrast (difference in values) that makes a quilt design successful. Without contrast, block pieces or whole blocks can blend together and the design will be lost. Try squinting at your selected fabrics. This makes contrast more evident. If the colors seem to blend together, substitute lighter or darker fabrics until you have a variety of values. If a certain print is too dominant and jumps out at your, you may have too much contrast.