Four Patch Doll Quilt Sew-Along Questions

[KelliR]

Did I not explain something clearly? Need extra help or encouragement? Post it all here!

[~Sara~]

nak

i'd love to try this, but picking coordinating prints really overwhelms and confuses me. any tips?

[shout4joy]

I'm better at explaining in person than through words on the 'net, but I'll try!

I try to pick a fabric that I love - think of one for the *plain* squares where Kelli has the green dot fabric. If it has more than one of two colors, use the wonderful dots on the selvedge for picking out other fabrics. Try to have some lighter and some darker ones, it gives the quilt more definition. When looking for fabrics that go together, look at the size of the print. If they are all the same size print, they can fade into one another. Try to find mottled, small prints and larger prints to mix up for your quilt.

The easiest plan? Go with one of those fun charm packs (like Kelli used) and get some of one fabric co-ordinate for the setting triangles/squares. You can usually find one from the same line in the quilt shop

I hope this was clear :P

JOY

[~Sara~]

I forgot all about those charms packs! Thanks! I'm going fabric shopping tomorrow while Q's at school! I think I am going to add one more column and make it 20 X 20 so I can use it as a little cradle quilt for Leah. Oh, I'm so excited! Thanks for the help!

[shout4joy]

glad I could be of help

Those charm packs are like candy...hard to resist the temptation!

JOY

[KelliR]

Thanks for your help, Joy. I meant to ask you yesterday to check over my instructions and help me answer the questions

I had come across an article on choosing fabrics last week on someones blog. I'll try to track that down if I can. It was fantastic.

[juniperglimpse]

Oh, I have a fabric selection question too...

So I picked out 12 super-cute little florals from the JA red-tag bolts, 25¢ each for 1/8ths--I love them all sooo much! And they all have green in them for the leaves, so when I saw this ticking cotton with a forest-green stripe that was super-soft AND for only $2/yd I snatched it up as well--escaping for less than $10, teehee.

But my question is: can I really get away with using a directional fabric for my background/focus fabric? Or should I save it for backing/binding and try to find more of a blender, like the dots? (Sorry I can't take pics--DH's gone for the weekend and took the camera, waaah! I can try to find a picture online though.... [pads off to look]

TIA, and for the fun sewalong too!

[KelliR]

I would save it for backing and binding. Mostly because it's hard to cut and then sew perfectly straight and then you end up with stripes that are just a little off. Then when you do the quilting, the stitching can push the fabric around a little and also it will pucker up and then you have slightly wonky lines.
Ticking would look so cute as binding
This is only my opinion, though

[juniperglimpse]

Okay, that's what I thought....that means I get to pick out one more fabric, my favorite part of quilting! Hooray!