choosing fabric for next project
03-09-2016, 05:59 PM
#1
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Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Chiang Mai
Posts: 84
choosing fabric for next project
Hi everyone.
As some of you know I am quite new to quilting so I would like to understand if my chose make sense or if you have any suggestion about how to choose colors for a new project.
I have to say that I am quite slow in the project part... I double, triple think and at the moment I am not still pretty sure about the pattern that I will use...) I have a rugh idea in my head of what feeling I want to accomplish but still not how) .I just want to do something with these fabrics/colors. Do you think they fit together? How do you decide for fabrics?
[ATTACH=CONFIG]544412[/ATTACH]
I don't really understand the values of color. I think that the purple one on the left is dark, the stripes one light and the purple batik the blue one should be medium light and the colorful one should be medium dark in my opinion.
If I see them in black and white ( I saw some of you do that...I liked the idea) they look all quite dark except the stripe one.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]544413[/ATTACH]
Do you think I am lacking of lights?
I would like to use the stripe as a background of the block so I will probably have the light color coming up a lot balancing the entire thing.
Do you think they fit together? How do you decide for fabrics?
About the pattern I am still not sure because I would like to try something less squared...so maybe try some rounded shapes...but I am not sure to be ready ... Any advices would be largely appreciated :-)
As some of you know I am quite new to quilting so I would like to understand if my chose make sense or if you have any suggestion about how to choose colors for a new project.
I have to say that I am quite slow in the project part... I double, triple think and at the moment I am not still pretty sure about the pattern that I will use...) I have a rugh idea in my head of what feeling I want to accomplish but still not how) .I just want to do something with these fabrics/colors. Do you think they fit together? How do you decide for fabrics?
[ATTACH=CONFIG]544412[/ATTACH]
I don't really understand the values of color. I think that the purple one on the left is dark, the stripes one light and the purple batik the blue one should be medium light and the colorful one should be medium dark in my opinion.
If I see them in black and white ( I saw some of you do that...I liked the idea) they look all quite dark except the stripe one.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]544413[/ATTACH]
Do you think I am lacking of lights?
I would like to use the stripe as a background of the block so I will probably have the light color coming up a lot balancing the entire thing.
Do you think they fit together? How do you decide for fabrics?
About the pattern I am still not sure because I would like to try something less squared...so maybe try some rounded shapes...but I am not sure to be ready ... Any advices would be largely appreciated :-)
Last edited by Gerrycnx; 03-09-2016 at 06:02 PM.
03-09-2016, 06:16 PM
#2
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Rural Oklahoma
Posts: 5,374
Stripes can be your friend and be awesome especially if you play w/ intentional directionality, however they can also be a NIGHTMARE. Unless I had a real purpose and plan for them I would be cautious w/ them. I love the paisley it screams to be fussy cut. Not sure how I feel about the paisley and the square print??
03-09-2016, 08:20 PM
#4
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Texas
Posts: 5,500
Choosing fabric is always hard for me. I know I spend way too much time worrying about it. I can't even decide if I should select fabric first or the pattern.
I have learned that the only way I can decide on fabric is to make one block and see if I like it. Depending on your block, I think your fabric could look good together. You have light, medium, and dark....and that is good.
Just play with it and see what you think. You could even cut tiny pieces and lay them on a piece of paper in the block shapes you are thinking of. (Now, if you don't plan on a pattern that uses a block...and a lot of my quilts fit that category, you could just cut one inch strips of the various fabrics and lay them together to see how they look. And, then again, maybe you are one of those lucky folks who can tell if fabric goes together just by putting them side by side....)
Not much help, am I....sorry. I do think your fabrics could be good together, I wouldn't even worry about the stripes...if they are a bit crooked, and that is the only real problem with stripes, that never bothers me.
Looking at your fabric again, I might leave the fabric with blocks out and concentrate on the others....but maybe not. Just play with it all a bit and then go for it! Quilting is supposed to be fun, not real stressful, and stressing over fabric too long is not any fun.
Good luck.
Dina
I have learned that the only way I can decide on fabric is to make one block and see if I like it. Depending on your block, I think your fabric could look good together. You have light, medium, and dark....and that is good.
Just play with it and see what you think. You could even cut tiny pieces and lay them on a piece of paper in the block shapes you are thinking of. (Now, if you don't plan on a pattern that uses a block...and a lot of my quilts fit that category, you could just cut one inch strips of the various fabrics and lay them together to see how they look. And, then again, maybe you are one of those lucky folks who can tell if fabric goes together just by putting them side by side....)
Not much help, am I....sorry. I do think your fabrics could be good together, I wouldn't even worry about the stripes...if they are a bit crooked, and that is the only real problem with stripes, that never bothers me.
Looking at your fabric again, I might leave the fabric with blocks out and concentrate on the others....but maybe not. Just play with it all a bit and then go for it! Quilting is supposed to be fun, not real stressful, and stressing over fabric too long is not any fun.
Good luck.
Dina
Last edited by Dina; 03-09-2016 at 08:22 PM.
03-09-2016, 08:34 PM
#5
Power Poster
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Western Wisconsin
Posts: 12,930
I love the paisley. I would probably find the blue batik more difficult to use.
To me, it looks as if you have 1 dark (the paisley), 3 medium, and 1 light (the stripe), which does provide sufficient contrast.
What pattern do you plan to use? I think this collection would work with some patterns better than with others. A lot depends on how much of each fabric is used and also on the placement of the fabrics. For example, I probably wouldn't want the two fabrics on the right next to each other as major block components; however, they would work fine in different parts of a block.
Edit: Oops. See you do mention pattern. I think this combo would look great with the stripes as a background fabric and the others as, say, circles.
To me, it looks as if you have 1 dark (the paisley), 3 medium, and 1 light (the stripe), which does provide sufficient contrast.
What pattern do you plan to use? I think this collection would work with some patterns better than with others. A lot depends on how much of each fabric is used and also on the placement of the fabrics. For example, I probably wouldn't want the two fabrics on the right next to each other as major block components; however, they would work fine in different parts of a block.
Edit: Oops. See you do mention pattern. I think this combo would look great with the stripes as a background fabric and the others as, say, circles.
Last edited by Prism99; 03-09-2016 at 08:52 PM.
03-09-2016, 08:53 PM
#8
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Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 26,146
I think your fabrics look great together, you just need some more. Can you pull a few more to go with this collection? Don't analyze what is in each fabric or try to match colors exactly, go more for how the fabrics 'feel' together.
Yes, you only have one 'light' there. Some patterns rely on contrast between lights and darks, and others don't. It depends on the pattern you will use... pick a pattern and then get the fabrics that are needed to round out your palette.
Also, you can judge your color values by squinting as you look at the fabrics. While squinting you will see the fabrics in darks and lights. The values are more clearly seen.
Yes, you only have one 'light' there. Some patterns rely on contrast between lights and darks, and others don't. It depends on the pattern you will use... pick a pattern and then get the fabrics that are needed to round out your palette.
Also, you can judge your color values by squinting as you look at the fabrics. While squinting you will see the fabrics in darks and lights. The values are more clearly seen.
03-09-2016, 10:14 PM
#9
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Chiang Mai
Posts: 84
Hi sewellie Chiang mai is in Thailand. In the north part ...the one without sea unfortunately :-) . I am Italian and I moved here 4 years ago.
That's why and how I came across the forum. It is not easy to me to learn in a class ( there are few but in thai language...and my thai skills are not good enough) so I thought that the web can be a great resource to find pals with same interest.
Here I don't go to buy fabric pre-cut and pre-choose...that's why I have to do "fabric-family" by myself...and I have to learn how :-)
Last edited by Gerrycnx; 03-09-2016 at 10:19 PM.
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