| There is so much variety available in fabric shops, | | | | when purchasing fabric. It is far better to have left |
| on-line, and in mail-order catalogs that it's almost difficult | | | | over fabric than be working on a project and run out |
| to choose. Often, I end up buying fabric whether I need | | | | of material. I've run out before only to find that the |
| it right now or not. After all, a quilter must always have | | | | fabric is no longer in stock.Colorfast Quality:Avoid |
| fabric on hand.The "magic" comes when you find a | | | | fabrics that fade. Pigment-dyed fabric resists light 40 |
| fabric that you fall in love with. Finding a suitable fabric | | | | hours. Wet-printed resists light 20 hours. The best thing |
| usually isn't difficult for a project you're working on. | | | | to avoid having your quilt fade is to keep it out of |
| Settling on just one fabric is the hard part.Here are | | | | direct sunlight.Fiber Content:The fiber content is |
| some criteria to keep in mind when making fabric | | | | especially important when purchasing fabric for quilts. |
| selections: colorfast quality; fiber content; surface | | | | The way fabric responds to manipulation is determined |
| design. If you stick to some guidelines about these | | | | by the fiber content. The standard 100% cotton fabric |
| criteria, then you're sure to be pleased with the final | | | | sold for quilting is easy to work with and this is the |
| result of your project.Surface Design:The printed or | | | | best choice.Cotton blends are harder to work with; |
| woven surface design and, of course, the color, is very | | | | they tend to shift while cutting or sewing them. 100% |
| important.1) Try to pick fabrics with the same color | | | | cotton is strong when wet, absorbs moisture, creases |
| value so one doesn't stand out in the finished | | | | easily, irons nicely at high temperatures and wears |
| quilt.2)Check to see if there is a one-way direction in | | | | well.Beware of Discount Fabric:For a good finished |
| the design; you may need to purchase extra fabric to | | | | product, quilters need to purchase good-quality, |
| allow for cutting fabrics with plaids or stripes.3) The | | | | colorfast cotton fabric from a reputable supplier. I've |
| size of the design and the background spaces are | | | | bought fabric from discount stores because I liked the |
| also important considerations. Are the designs large, | | | | print. Then I had trouble manipulating the material; it |
| medium, or small? Is the background area prominent? | | | | would shift and bunch as I sewed it.The finished |
| How will this particular fabric look when cut it into small | | | | product usually reflected the problems I encountered |
| quilt pieces? If the design is too widely spaced, it may | | | | while sewing. No matter how much money I saved on |
| be lost in the cutting of the fabric.Take a few minutes | | | | material, my time was wasted by producing a less |
| to analyze fabric and keep these questions in mind | | | | than satisfactory quilt. |