Saturday, November 20, 2010

Choosing Quilting Fabrics Tips

Picking the material supplies is 1 of the most important choices in quilt-generating. This is simply because there are so numerous issues to think about ̵one; the colors, textures, patterns, styles, characteristics, etc. ̵one; all of which are vital in quilting.

Here are some random tips.

Quality

First, be sure your quilting supplies are colorfast, whether these are old scraps you had been saving to use on your quilt or new fabrics you have bought specifically for your project. Wash a piece to check if the colors don’t run.

Is the material strong enough? Too tightly-woven fabrics are difficult to quilt. Fabrics that are woven loose, on the other hand, are good candidates for rips, tearing, and damage.

Pure cotton had been proven to be the best supplies yet for quilts. Man-made fibers (synthetics) and some cotton-combination fabrics are difficult to handle. They have a tendency to curl at the most inopportune places.

The good point, however, is that these fabrics have more options in terms of colors and designs than plain old cottons. The colors are more brilliant and designers have done more work (and experiments) on them.

If you are an experienced sewer, you may be able to surmount these handling difficulties. These same difficulties are also present in knitted, stretch and crepe fabrics.

Color and material design

Expert quilters always remind beginners to choose colors and combinations well. This may sound easy but once you have your finished quilt, it is not easy to undo items.

People declare the best judgment call is to trust your instincts. It might also be good to add some time-tested formulas from the arts and from general consensus.

It is said that blue-based colors are “cold” and that red and yellow-based colors are “warmer”. Black will dim any color next to it, and white brightens any color placed side by side with it.

Generally, people are said to be energized and active with warm colors. With cool colors ̵one; like green and blue ̵one; people tend to become calmer and relaxed.

This is an vital consideration if you are intending to give away your quilt to someone critical to you (a friend, a loved 1, or your boss perhaps). It is worthwhile noting their prospective responses to your present.

If it is for your personal use, you may also have to contemplate your own feelings of your finished work.

Backing supplies and quantity

Always try to have your backing supplies similar to your top quilt fabric in weight and color. The rationale for this is ease of sewing. It is difficult to sew through uneven levels of supplies or supplies of unlike textures, thickness or weave.

Buy a little more than what you need for your quilt. This is to preclude any eventuality of your running out of supplies. The extra material you bought will always have some use for you in the future, especially now that you are into quilting.

Your choice

In the end, your material choice will depend on your design, the colors you want, and the quality of your work. Of course, once you become a confident quilter, you can always choose any material that catches your fancy and imagination.

Quilting is such an exciting art and there is no limit to what you want to create.

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