If you are buying from a quilt shop, take fabrics to the window to see them in natural daylight. When buying fabrics from the internet, take into consideration that your computer screen may not give you a true representation of the colour. If you are matching colours to a specific project, contact the supplier, as most are happy for you to send them a swatch to compare, or buy a smaller piece before splashing out on metres of it.
Bundles and pre-cuts are a useful way to buy fabric and one where you don’t have to worry about colour. Bundles are packs of fabric, either fat quarters or half metres, which go well together. Sometimes they are all from one designer’s range or the shop can have put the colour combination together. Pre-cuts are packs of fabrics that have been cut to a specific size. The most common one is the Charm Pack, which contains 5in (12.7cm) squares. Also well known are Jelly Rolls, which are strips measuring 21⁄2in × 44in (6.3cm × 110cm), and Layer Cakes that are 10in (25.4cm) squares. Buying these packs can speed up the process of choosing fabric, give you confidence that the fabrics will co-ordinate, and they can save you money if you want to work with lots of different colours and prints.
The tone of the fabric can be as important as its colour. Many quilts look best if you use a combination of light, medium and dark fabrics. If in doubt as to which fabric is light and which is dark, try photographing them together and turning the picture into a black and white image. Sometimes you can be surprised that the fabric you thought of as the dark one is actually one of the lighter ones.
Pattern
Once you have started buying fabric, you will quickly discover the type of patterns you prefer. For example, I love a cheeky novelty print and can never leave a quilt shop or show without one! Other people love a specific print, such as leaves. Go with your passion and you will soon start collecting your very own stash. It is a good idea to collect a range of stash builders/blenders. These can be spots, checks or tone-on-tone fabrics, but they can be invaluable to have on hand to mix in with more vibrant prints. They are not usually the fabrics that will attract your eye at first, but they always end up being used.
Prints can also help to personalize a quilt if you are making it for someone else. This can be as obvious as trains for a child who likes them, or apple fabric for a couple who got married in New York. Also, consider the overall feel of a quilt when the prints are put together. For a quilt with a fifties vintage feel, a variety of prints can be used, such as florals, spots and stripes, whereas adding a striking digital print of a computer would not go with the overall feel.
If you are interested in print, many of the quilt fabric designers have blogs that explain their inspiration and work process for their ranges. If you buy some fabric you like, check whether the designer’s name is on the selvedge and then do an internet search to see if they have a website.
The scale of print can be important in patchwork. For example, a large-scale print may get lost when cut into smaller pieces, but can look fabulous when used as a focal point for the quilt, or for a quilt backing where its full potential can be seen. There is a theory that the smaller the patchwork the smaller the print should be, but this does not always apply: remember, rules are made to be broken!
Wadding (batting)
Wadding (batting) is the middle layer of a quilt. It provides warmth and, once quilted, adds texture. It can be bought off the roll, or pre-packed in different sizes. If buying the latter, lay it out on a bed for a day before using it to get rid of any creases.
Most waddings (battings) shrink when you first wash them, and the label will tell by what percentage. If you like the wrinkled vintage look that’s great; however, if you don’t, it is best to pre-wash your wadding (batting). The label will also tell you how far apart it needs to be quilted. It is important not to ignore this information as the wadding (batting) can start to break up after repeated washes if you do not put enough quilting stitches through the quilt. You can now buy wadding (batting) that can be quilted up to 10in (25.4cm) apart, so if you are not planning on doing a lot of quilting look out for this type. The word ‘loft’ refers to how thick the wadding (batting) is; you can buy very thin loft wadding (batting) as well as very thick.
The majority of waddings (battings) are cream in colour, but you can get white or black types. If you are making a project in black fabric, it is essential to use dark wadding (batting) as cream wadding (batting) can lighten it; likewise use cream wadding (batting) for quilts made with paler fabric as dark wadding (batting) would dull the finished quilt.
You can buy wadding (batting) that contains different fibre contents. Many shops sell sample packs, which means you can try different types and see which one you prefer. Cotton and polyester are the most popular ones to use. One type that is particularly soft and lovely to work with is 100 per cent cotton, but it is not the easiest wadding (batting) to hand quilt, so make sure you have a sharp needle and thimble to hand. Polyester is durable and easy to hand quilt, but is quite stiff and can get very warm. I use it mainly for wall hangings. Cotton/polyester blends are popular with those who both machine quilt and hand quilt and like the durability of polyester with the softness of cotton. You can also buy wool, silk, soy, bamboo and recycled wadding (batting).
Techniques
Piecing
In patchwork, piecing is the term used for sewing fabric together. It can be done by hand, or on the machine. Try piecing using both methods to see what suits you.
When piecing together fabrics that are different colours, use thread in a beige or grey colour as your eye will not be drawn to it like it would be for a white thread. When I find a neutral colour that works, I buy large reels as it is economical and convenient. If making a quilt with fabrics in predominantly one colour, say blue, I would then use a mid-blue colour thread.
For piecing, use100 per cent cotton, 50-weight thread as it is suitable for both hand and machine piecing, and easy to find.
Hand piecing
Sewing