Choosing Fabric
How do you go about choosing fabric when you shop? I’ve been thinking about the way I shop for fabric lately, so I thought I’d share a little how I choose.
Are pre-cuts your choice of fabric?
I keep pre-cuts on hand for quick projects when I don’t want to spend a ton of time cutting.
Are bundles your thing?
Bundles great for quick projects like baby quilts, placemats, mini quilts. I’ll admit I have a weakness for bundles!
Do you stick with a particular designer or fabric line?
I don’t usually shop for fabric for a specific pattern because I don’t really enjoy that type of shopping. It makes me feel constricted and anxious, like I need to make my choices just right so the pattern turns out well. More times than not, when I have to do this type of shopping I will fall back on a fabric bundle or line so I know everything coordinates. It saves me the time of agonizing over how the fabrics coordinate, but I always feel like I’m making a quilt the same as everyone else.
While I used to buy primarily fat quarters, more often now I buy yardage. If I really like the fabric, I’ll buy 3 or more yards. My fabric choices vary. I shop intuitively. While that sounds like a fancy cover for impulse shopping (sometimes it is), there is a method to my shopping.
Shopping intuitively for me is to wander through the store and let the fabric speak to me. Sounds strange, I know, but it works for me.
For example, lately I’ve been thinking about improv quilts. I have two improv classes coming up in June, and I’ve also been watching some improv classes on Bluprint. So my focus while I shop has been fabrics that would work for those projects. Intuitive shopping helps me think out of the box and I find that essential for improv projects. It does require more time, however, so I plan those outings for a day when I have little else on my calendar and won’t feel rushed.
I enjoy using graphic prints or prints with texture. While these prints are bold and a little intimidating as a large piece, they can add great eye movement and fun to improv.
Sometimes I choose a fabric because the design is fun and the colors challenge me or it might bring a new twist to an improv design. This fabric could stand just fine on its own, but will add a fun pop in an improv setting.
Often I will choose a fabric that has no set purpose yet. I just like it and know that I will find a fun project for it.
Sooner or later, those fabrics work their way into projects. This bird fabric just might become a bag, but I’m going to let it brew for a bit. I’ll know when I’ve settled on an idea for it.
I like the diverse look of my current stash. My shelves used to be full of very similar fabrics. Now that I’ve changed to shopping a bit more intuitively, I have much more variety and find I actually enjoy shopping my stash.
So what about you? How do you choose fabric when you shop? I’d like to know.
Wendy
21 Comments
Velda at the Freckled Fox Quiltery
You and I might be twins separated at birth. I spent the last few years mostly buying FQs of new fabric lines as they came out…sometimes bundles of the whole line. Not anymore. Now I shop on line for yardage that catches my fancy. Quilts may scraps from 10 lines. They are a bit more eclectic but I love them. I buy about twice as much LV as anything else and currently I am shopping locally for it.
Louise Hornor
You have some great fabrics in this post, Wendy! Yvonne of Quilting Jetgirl asked on her last post about what inspires our design process. My answer was the fabric. And now that you ask about how we choose our fabric, I think I need to write my own blog post about that. So check back in a couple days for the answer 🙂
Vicki in MN
When I look at my stash I have a lot of tone on tones for making the runners, but I also have the focus fabrics that will go with the tone on tones. I shop by whatever strikes my fancy and think I can use that in the runners, yardage for them. But I also have the precuts and those mainly go into a lap quilt. I do really need to use more of those up. I love all the pretties and then after I buy the FQ bundles I have a hard time choosing a pattern!
Karen Goad
I used to mainly buy yardage and only with a project in mind, then I started doing more scrappy and buying pre-cuts, now I seem to be back to buying yardage again.
Rose Mikulski
I knew you and I were shopping Sistas; this posts echos a lot of my sentiments about my shopping for fabric. It’s a lot easier for me to buy for stash rather than buying for a certain project which can take me hours if using less than 10 fabrics. I prefer buying yardage especially when it’s on sale. I amaze myself when I buy fabric with no particular project in mind and then turns out I need it-I love when that happens. Great post,
rl2b2017
Hi Wendy! What a great post. I have purchased all over the place – no purpose, FQs, pre-cuts, bundle for a purpose, and yardage. My problem is that when I purchase for a purpose I may forget what it is and then use it for something else. I need a better system for remembering!! Happy Friday!! ~smile~ Roseanne
My Sewful Retirement
A few years ago when I got the quilting bug I only purchased pre-cuts. I have an insane number of pre-cuts — all sizes! Now that I’m retired I only purchase fabric to coordinate with the pre-cuts I have on hand for background, backings and binding. My weakness is batiks so when I have the urge to splurge that’s what I buy! Great post Wendy — you definitely got me thinking!
Nancy @ Grace and Peace Quilting
Interesting to think about, Wendy! I buy to fill in for a project. Or I buy lines of some of my fav designers, like Tula Pink, Zen Chic, Katarina Roccella, etc., usually 1/2 yard cuts so I can make my own pre-cuts (no zig-zag edges that way.) And I buy backings, so I don’t have to piece. Did you get that Marcia Derse fabric locally?
Barbara
I choose the same way you do. If it jumps off the shelf at me, then I want it. I’m always looking for fun fabrics for bindings too. Mine is a “Field of Dreams” philosophy. If you buy it, the quilt will come. Generally, I avoid precuts. I haven’t found a good way to use them, and I don’t like the pinked edges.
Needle and Foot
Well written post Wendy. It makes sense to buy yardage over fat quarters when building stash – fat quarters can be confining due to the shape of the fabric cut. Before I had my shop, I loved buying charm squares because they seemed fun. I didn’t really know to buy several packs of them so I have this assortment of one-offs…. like this huge stack of them! I love them and know I will use them up. They will be made into quilts at some point.
Love your fabrics shown in this post!!
Laura M
i shop the way you do Wendy. Being in Canada means the choice is much smaller. I too love the Marcia Derse fabrics. I think the reason I don’t like to shop online is I need to see the actual colours in the fabric (and to feel it!) before I buy.
Diann Bottrell
This was a fun post to read, Wendy! Definitely made me think! I think I mostly buy fabric by color to build up my stash where needed. I started buying that way when I started participating in the Rainbow Scrap Challenge and make blocks by color each month. Once in awhile a fat quarter bundle will come along that I have to have, but often it will take me awhile to figure out how I’m going to use it!
treadlemusic
Those fabrics are definitely ones I would grab! Michael Miller is one of my faves and the Derse fabric has great appeal…….all very “artsy” and those speak to me. CanNOT wait to see what you do with these. Improv has not been something that I’ve ventured into (too much of a control freak, I guess………).
Lisa J.
Thanks for sharing your fun fabrics and your method of choosing. As for me I used to shop a lot in your manner but there isn’t a good store in my town now So I’m tending to shop on line a bit during sales and for designers I know I like. I also have ordered some kits for quilt alongs. and if I am making a quilt that needs large amounts of fabric I’ll buy specifically for it.
Also like you I used to buy a lot of fat quarters. Now I go more for 1/2 yards but I’m thinking I should graduate up to more yardage. I think my friends and I will have to go on a shop hop and buy some fabric in a store a little farther from home.
Riceford Streams
Great topic, Wendy! I shop a bit like Nancy. When it’s a favorite designer, I like precuts so I have a bit of the full line. (Layer cakes are my favorite precut.) Otherwise I tend to buy half-yard cuts, and lately I’m buying more solids. I prefer buying for a project because then it gets used; otherwise it languishes on a shelf.
Tu-Na Quilts
Great post, Wendy. No matter if I buy one yard or two, when I come to use it in a project it’s never enough.
Kathleen McCormick
What a fun post! I love all your choices, but the one with the birds reminds me of your recent show win! I like shopping intuitively, too – that is what most of my stash is. Its extensive enough that I don’t buy too often these days except for backs or fill ins – still trying to beat the stash into submission. OH, and Marcia Derse, I have a collection of hers. Someday I’ll post the Leah Day Sampler I did with the first one. Those fabrics are in an Unplanned Project Pile.
thedarlingdogwood
I love the thoughtful post, Wendy! I almost never buy precuts, but I do cut my own. Lately, I tend to shop for colors I don’t have much of or for specific projects. I’ve also fallen away from fat quarters and like half yard cuts or more.
marissthequilter
Thanks for this interesting post. I also shop intuitively and generally avoid precuts
Pingback:
Pingback: