All the quilts in this book were made with mid-weight quilting cotton or cotton/linen fabric, which is durable, easy to work with, and available in a wide range of prints and colors.
Of course, quilts can be made with many types of materials, and I encourage quilters to use their own judgment and experiment with new things. Just keep in mind that the patterns in this book were designed for use with midweight cotton, and they may be more difficult to execute in another fabric.
The project instructions will make more sense if you familiarize yourself with the following terms that are used throughout this book.
All of the patterns use at least one neutral solid fabric (such as white, gray, or brown) to create negative space—the blank space around an object or shape. Solid sashing and other large solid areas are like the background of a quilt. Using negative space rather than filling an entire composition with prints and piecing can give your quilt a sophisticated, modern look. It may help to think of the negative space in your quilt as the wall on which you’re going to hang your quilt blocks.
Neutral solid fabrics
In most cases, the blocks in the quilt patterns will contrast with the negative space. Contrast occurs when adjacent fabrics are different in some way. This can be the difference in lightness and darkness (known as value) or the difference between brightness and dullness (known as intensity). It can also be the textural difference between a solid and a print fabric. When a pattern calls for a contrasting fabric, it means a fabric that is visually different from another fabric in the composition. Some patterns also call for coordinating fabrics, or fabrics that match or otherwise work harmoniously together. Using a variety of coordinating fabrics can add richness and interest to a composition.
All the patterns in this book use colorful solid fabrics to coordinate and contrast with the print fabrics. Adding solids to the mix creates graphic, flat areas of color. For a clean, graphic look, I encourage you to select true solids rather than marbled fabrics or batiks. (The latter can be used as prints instead.)
Colorful solid fabrics
Many of the quilts in this book create color-blocked areas by combining a variety of monochromatic prints—or prints that are exclusively, or almost exclusively, a single color. Although many of the monochromatic prints in this book do include white, I avoided prints that include secondary colors (colors other than the main color in the print) and prints that are mostly white. Some monochromatic prints are so subtle that they may read as solids from a distance. These are sometimes referred to as almost-solid fabrics. Almost-solids can be a great addition to your quilt composition and can be used interchangeably with monochromatic prints.
Monochromatic print fabrics
Monochromatic almost-solid fabrics
Multicolor prints are exactly what they sound like: prints that include more than one color. I look for multicolor prints with regular, allover patterns that look good from multiple angles.
Monochromatic print fabrics
I usually use my fabric right off the bolt, considering this a calculated risk I’m willing to take. I’ve found that better-quality quilting fabrics don’t run or shrink appreciably when a quilt is machine-washed using a delicate cycle, gentle detergent, and cool water.
However, I can’t guarantee that you’ll have the same results, and you may want to prewash fabric to rid it of any residual chemicals from the printing and dyeing process. If you decide to prewash your fabric, use the same detergent, temperature, and wash cycle you plan to use for your finished quilt. Take the fabric out of the dryer when it’s still a bit damp; then press it dry.
High-quality thread will produce a much better stitch than cheap, bargain-bin alternatives. Many quilters prefer 100% cotton thread because it has the same fiber content as their fabric and batting and will, in theory, wear similarly. I also like to use 100% polyester thread (particularly for hand finishing binding and for machine appliquéing), because it’s stronger and produces less lint than all-cotton thread.
Use low-loft batting to create a flat quilt that will show off your piecing and quilting work. I prefer cotton and cotton blends. Cotton battings soften in the wash, creating a pleasant crinkly texture, and should hold up to years of use.
tip
It may be tempting to spend a disproportionate amount of your quilting budget on beautiful fabric, but keep in mind that quality thread and batting will have a big impact on the ease of construction and the quality of your finished project.
Stock your sewing area with the following basic supplies, most of which are available at quilt shops and larger craft supply stores.
• 45mm or 60mm rotary cutter with an ergonomic squeeze handle
• Self-healing cutting mat, measuring 24″ × 36″
• 6″ × 24″ clear plastic quilting ruler with both grid and angled markings
• 12½″ × 12½″ ruler to add width to your longer ruler
• 4″ × 14″ ruler for working with smaller pieces
• Iron and pressing board (page 124)
• Starch alternative, such as Best Press
• Sewing machine needles— 80/12 universal for most piecing, Microtex/sharp for delicate fabric and machine appliqué, 90/14 machine quilting needle for machine quilting and piecing
• Hand sewing needle—size 8 embroidery sharp
• Long, sharp quilting pins
• Small, curved safety pins for pin basting your quilt sandwich
• Magnetic pincushion
• Fabric scissors
• Utility scissors
• Seam ripper and snips
• Water-soluble marker or tailor’s chalk
• Painter’s tape
• Lightweight paper-backed fusible web
• Lightweight sew-in interfacing
I prefer a pressing board to a standard ironing board. To make a pressing board, wrap a piece of plywood in three layers of batting and then cover it with muslin or other neutral solid fabric. Use a staple gun to secure the fabric and batting to the back of the plywood. Making your own pressing board lets you customize the size to fit your sewing area.
Translucent plastic sheets sold at quilt shops and craft stores are perfect for making reusable templates. Here’s how:
1. Place a piece of translucent template plastic over your template pattern and trace the pattern onto the plastic with a permanent marker. (Or use a pencil and then wash the cut template with soap and water to remove any pencil residue.)
2. Transfer all the pattern markings onto the plastic and label the template in permanent marker.
3. Use utility scissors to cut out the template.
4. Store the templates in a large envelope with the other materials for your quilt project.
A design wall is a sort of bulletin board for fabric—a rigid area covered with material (such as flannel or batting) that fabric will stick to. The wall can be as simple as a large piece of flannel tacked to the wall, but I prefer something a little more substantial.
My design walls were made by wrapping foam insulation with batting and using a staple gun on the back to secure the batting. Foam insulation is available at hardware stores and comes in a variety of sizes.
Homasote or Celotex fiberboard (also sold at hardware stores) can be used to make a more permanent design wall, but insulation has the advantage of being lightweight and easily portable. If you don’t have a dedicated sewing room, a lightweight design wall can be tucked away in a closet or under a bed when not in use.
You’ll probably be working on your quilt for a period of weeks or even months, so it’s a good idea to have a designated space in which to keep your materials.
Store your cut pieces in a closed container to protect them from dust. I find that large, shallow plastic bins (mine are about 15″ × 22″ × 6″) are perfect for organizing a quilt project. Within the bin, store cut pieces in neat stacks (folded, if necessary), with the larger pieces on the bottom of the bin. Include any project-specific templates, notes, or supplies (such as fusible web or matching thread).
Avoid keeping the bins where they might be exposed to direct sunlight.
Fabric scraps are a wonderful by-product of quiltmaking. I encourage you to save and reuse as much fabric as you can. Many of the projects in this book include guidelines for using scrap fabric instead of new yardage for part of the quilt.
Keep a scrap bin or basket in your work area and place scraps in it as you cut. I find that I’m much more likely to use my scraps if I stack them neatly and take the time to clean them up (trimming away threads or odd shapes) before putting them in my scrap bin.