Fabric Selection

[Lois M.]

I haven't been able to get started yet, but decided to go ahead and select my fabrics., I am overwhelmed by the numbers of fabrics. Did anyone else have this problem and how did you deal with it. Lois

[Geneva C.]

I haven't picked out all my fabrics! I just picked the setting triangles which is a focus fabric and will go along with whatever strikes my fancy as the months go by! Relax, enjoy the ride. geneva

[Geneva C.]

It can be a bit overwhelming cant it :shock:

For my Red&White BOM I will just use the 4 R&W fabrics+ a charm pack..it will not end up as a full sized quilt :wink:

For my Batik BOM I have only bought the backgroud fabric and I will pick the rest from my stash and my some only if I need to.

BUT, I do think this is what I call a forgiving pattern, it will end up wonderful what ever fabrics you use :lol:

So just have fun picking the fabric!!!

[Margo C.]

Lois, if you are uncomfortable working with lots of different fabrics, this quilt would be absolutely wonderful worked up with just a few. The fewer fabrics you use, however, the more careful you will want to be when choosing the value of those fabrics. By value, I mean the lightness and darkness of them. You want a definite value difference to show contrast between the background and the other pieces so all the effort you will be putting into this quilt will show!!! So, you can choose either your background or your piecing fabric then choose the other to provide the contrast! There are already lots of different blocks posted on the SHOW & TELL link (on the top purple bar) that you can look at to help you decide if you want the background to be the light value or the dark value, then choose what you want to work with for the other! Good luck!

[Margo C.]

lois, i agree with margo re values. remember that the contrasts in values are going to help make those stars pop out or recede depending on where you decide to put them. what you might want to do is photocopy/enlarge a section and colour using pencils to see the effect you like. good luck.

[Lois M.]

I guess I just need to go for it. Once I decide on a focus fabric, the rest will just come naturally, I am sure. Would love to do it today but too much ice and snow.
Thanks for the advice.
Lois

[Lois M.]

The way I decided on my colors was to decide on the focus fabric, a Kaffe Fassett fabric with a brown background, and having fuchsia, purple, green, a teal in it. I then pulled every fabric from my stash having those colors, then held them up with the focus fabric to see if they played well. :P I have some very funky (and not exactly matching) pieces pulled that I think will add some interest, also. I have so many fabrics selected that I had to put them in a plastic tub to keep them all together :lol:

Brita

[Margo C.]

A tubful!! I luv it!! I like the theory that the more different fabrics you use, the better they play together and if the values are right, it will work!

[Margo C.]

There are so many wonderful and different Feathered Star blocks posted on Show & Tell to give anyone inspiration. Some are traditional, while others are contemporary. Some are bold, while others are soft. There are some whimsical blocks and some are romantic. Some will end up in scrappy quilts and others in well planned coordinated quilts. Either way, the quilts will be beautiful.

What do our block fabric choices say about us? Do they reflect our personalities?

Nancy

[Margo C.]

What do our block fabric choices say about us? Do they reflect our personalities?

Nancy

Hmmm...Mine is gonna be real scrappy. I'm gonna use whatever I think looks good "at the moment"! I think that indication might be purdy accurate! :wink:

Sherry

[Margo C.]

What do our block fabric choices say about us? Do they reflect our personalities?
Nancy

Thats a greate question Nancy!! One that I never thought of at all...alllthough some say its "typical me" and knows what quilts I have made even if they really didnt know.
One thing I know...I can see by my choise of colors what stated of mind I am or have been in :shock: Some depressing dark colors but mostly happy and smiling :wink:

[Margo C.]

[quote="BrinkOfNorway...alllthough some say its "typical me" and knows what quilts I have made even if they really didnt know. :wink: [/quote]

Yes! I didn't think about it until the ladies of my guild commented on "those Brita colors" of my show and tell quilts. I love so many fabrics that I have an electic color style. :P

Brita

[Patti P.]

Well I guess to have colors attributed to you is better than what my sister attributed to me this week. She said she's going through my mother's papers and found a stack of birthday cards I sent thru the years and almost all of them say, "Sorry this is late." I admit to being severely postally challenged! :roll:

[Julia L.]

Better late than never Patti !

[Ruth C.]

I finally have enough of my fabric washed to start the feathered star! I decided to try to use my stash of purple/pink (both together) plus related pinks and purples with light pink and navy solids for the contast. I had to order those, which is what took the time.

I know what the first 3 fabrics will be, and the rest I'll have to make up as I go along!

Re washing, I ended up with a lot of strings! The worst offenders were the long (not fat) quarter yard pieces that I tended to buy when I first started collecting. Now I try to buy half a yard. There's a lot lower fray/fabric ratio that way!