What fabrics do you choose?

[Judith T.]

I was just wondering. After watching the last P&B blog, and what with the Whisperings thread (which I would still kill for a set of!!!!!!), what others who actually use these fabric choose?

Over here we do have quite a choice but, with the likes of Amy Butler and Kaffe et al, it's perhaps swayed a little at the moment.

I love earth colours. I love primaries, jewel like and rich colours and the ones that make you feel sumptuous and enveloped and warm. I kill for Batiks and velvet and earth tones etc!!

At the moment the trend is very much in the 'retro' feel, acids and in your face, and I'm not a huge fan. (I have horrid memories of my mother dressing me in a turquoise and orange dress to speak to the town at the summer fête after winning a competition in the '70's. Ugh! Nightmare!!)

I know there are the vintage and traditionalists and modernists but what do you automatically go for when confronted with colour.

(And Alex will probably say go for one you don't like just to see where it takes you!!!)

[Judith T.]

I like bright colors. I am not crazy about flowery fabrics with large designs. I love the batiks and enjoy sewing with them. I don't like the reproduction fabrics myself, but have seen some beautiful quilts done with them. I don't like light colors. I have to force myself to add those to my fabric choices. I probably have every shade of blue known to man...that is my favorite color! Sandi in FL

[Judy M.]

It seems that most of the shops I've been to lately have quite a different "theme" to each shop. I'm not much on going back to the 70's, either! :lol: I did buy a couple yards of Amy Butler fabric for a sewing bag and an ipod pouch. It was just fun to do something different. I've even become fond of lime green :shock: even though you'll NEVER find it in my house--just in a quilt for a grandchild. But the shops in the USA all seem to carry different types of fabric and when I want a more contemporary fabric, I'll go to one shop for that and when I want Civil War or 30's, I go yet to another shop. I want Alex's new line, too, and haven't found it yet. Judy in Torrance

[Judy M.]

I tend to like colours that aren't "muddy", so no civil war repro's for me. :lol:
My fav's are bright, jewel tone batiks and some earth colours. I like to mix the two because as I keep telling everyone that is how they are found in nature, together!
I have to admit to being slightly gaga over orientals, but haven't used any yet. And to being strangely fascinated by some of the modern stuff. but living through the '70's once was enough, thank you! :lol:

Jean in Windsor, ON

[Robin G.]

I love all fabrics that are richly saturated with color - batiks, orientals, bold designs. No reproductions from any era, included any I have already lived through. As far as I'm concerned, once was enough. I still have a few items of clothing from college days in the late 60's, early 70's and, frankly, they weren't that great the first time around. My fabric shelves are pretty much a riot of color. I guess I am one of those who has to work at making sure I have enough neutrals and understated fabrics in my stash.

The funny thing is, you look in my closet and what do you see? Almost ALL neutrals - black, gray, tan. I need to work just as hard to introduce brighter colors to my wardrobe.

[Lorna B.]

I mostly like rich jewel tones and blues. I love batiks. I have tried to branch out though more recently so last year I did a BOM with the LQS using civil war repros. I also have finished a neutral top for a sofa quilt. So those were both was different for me. I think I have some 30's stuff some where but haven't ever go tto that project. I haven't tried any of the newer large scale prints. So far those haven't done anything for me.

[Susan B.]

Hi All
I'm laughing with Robin, as I dress in neutrals, so afraid of looking like a lollipop in public. There are private wildlife refuges in the US that actually ask folks Not to wear bright colors!

When Alex said that about buying a color we don't like, I figured that must be for quilters with lots of experience who may be bored with their choices because I'd never go that route when there are so many fabrics I do like. I'm too new in this field of sewing.

I do push for a wide value range since other people's quilts that appeal to me the most have this. The color wheel by Joen Wolfrom is on the purchase list because it may offer suggestions for combinations not considered if not in our normal color conversations.

[Susan B.]

http://www.fatquarterworld.com has 30 Whisperings fabrics

[Susan B.]

Hmmmmm I went up into my sewing room and just looked at my fabric...I have everything in there. I guess I buy what catches my eye at the time. Many times...when working on a project I buy what I think the project needs.
Lately, most of my projects have been pulled from my stash so there is a hidden benefit in buying what I have liked over the years. I guess I really was saving that fabric for a 'rainy day'.
I have always joked with my husband that I was saving my fabric for "The Great Depression"...we may not have a lot of money but I was always have my fabric collection!!! LOL

FW

[Karen M.]

Hmmmmm I went up into my sewing room and just looked at my fabric...I have everything in there. I guess I buy what catches my eye at the time. Many times...when working on a project I buy what I think the project needs.
Lately, most of my projects have been pulled from my stash so there is a hidden benefit in buying what I have liked over the years. I guess I really was saving that fabric for a 'rainy day'.
I have always joked with my husband that I was saving my fabric for "The Great Depression"...we may not have a lot of money but I was always have my fabric collection!!! LOL

FW

I just have to laugh a little at the "great depression" comment...I hear this more and more every time I talk about my fabric purchases with my BFF....she is completely convinced that I will be able to "clothe the world" with all the fabric I have when and if we do go into a major depression again. We giggle...but nervously.
Oh yes and if you were to look you would see that I have a lot of everything in there...I love color and patterns with lots of movement.

[Gloria H.]

I never met a fabric I didn't like so my stash is full of all kinds of different fabric. You would think I could pull anything I needed from that mish mash but often times I just can't find the right fabric. I think part of that is how I've organized (not) and have really wanted to pull everything out and really sort. First task when I'm retired. Then the next question is HOW to organize.

[Gloria H.]

I love almost every type of fabric, that's why my stash is way too big! I have projects going in batiks, reproductions, redwork, Christmas fabrics, 30's fabrics -- you name it! I love the new psychedelic Amy Butlers and Kaffe Fassetts, too.

My nephew recently asked me for a quilt featuring greens. That's when I discovered I have very little green in my stash, unless you count the grayish-green colors I might use for stems. I wore Kelly green for four years of Catholic HS, guess I'm still avoiding it!

In the past year, I have noticed myself going to black backgrounds and batik/bright fabrics. It will be interesting to see what the fabric designers come up with next, and what I just "have" to have!

Kathy B.

[Gloria H.]

I go through phases, but the predominant colours in my stash are green and pink (the brighter the better :lol: ). Most of my house is green as well as half my wardrobe, I would say it's my favourite colour . I also have plenty of purple and mauve, african / animal type prints, florals and of course a ton of batiks. In the batiks I find I'm attracted to the purples and taupe/gold type colours, as well as aquas and turquoises. I'm with you on the retros, not my cup of tea :shock:

[Gloria H.]

I buy everything I like and Pete likes and nothing seems to match when I make a quilt but I'm thinking alittle has to do well okay "alot" has to do with me having a hard time choosing colors ops: The only fabrics I don't have much of are solids I rarely use them in my quilts. I would be hurting big time if I chose a fabric I didn't like, it is getting alittle better 8)

[Gloria H.]

GREAT MINDS THINK A LIKE... I had come her tonight to ask a similar question after a discussion at the LQS. I thought I was eclectic but after re evaluating my stash(es) or SABLE(S) I found I really gravitate to BLENDERS, JEWEL TONE, HAND DYES, CLEAR BRIGHT COLORS and florals.

I went through the oldest part of my stash and I found I had a lot of dated, retro and repro cottons that I have been saving for ages... I am not using them because I no longer like them... This is the fabric that usually gets donated to the charity quilters in our guild. I still have a fondness for really scrappy quilts and this fabric also ends up in those quilts.

I also think the pattern or the quilt dictates a lot of which fabrics I buy or use for the quilt top. Scrappy quilts gets any fabric my ARTISTIC EYE dictates to me. If I make a reproduction quilt as a gift ( usually for guys) I tend to use civil war fabrics then I stay traditional. If I make the 4 patch Kaleidoscope or Ricky's Kaleidoscope I use the fabrics appropriate for that type of quilt.

If you want jarring results or contemporary / novel ideas try making a traditional but rarely used block pattern and use contemporary colors.... You will be surprised at how doing something like that will get you THINKING OUTSIDE OF THE BOX.

Right now our group am doing a sampler quilt top with blocks found in EQ-6 BLOCK BASE software... The only rule is they have to be a block you have never done before and one that is not USUAL OR ORDINARY... ie found in a magazine or pattern book. The whole point of the exercise to to challenge ourselves. We are looking for obscure blocks to try out.

My blocks are being made from my brights and blenders with a black on black background material... It is turning out kind of different.