Borders for The Fabric You Ran Out Of: A Cautionary Tale

Sue Mackinen's been hexing. And she doesn't seem to be able to stop. We tried to take a picture with her and her quilt top, but she refused to stop giggling. So this was the best we could do on that.

But the sad part is she ran out of that great burgundy background. She thought she'd bought enough. Maybe the project grew as she got going. The colors are so great they gleam.  But there isn't enough and there isn't going to be more.
So she brought it in and we started looking with her.

We used a ruby beholder when we were picking out fabric. If you look through the beholder, you can see how light and dark the colors are in comparison. It really helps.

We tried prints. We tried to match it. Neither worked. 
Then we found a burgundy about 5 shades lighter. It didn't quite match. But it did blend.

So we brought out the secret weapon fabric, LIME GREEN.
A single hexie row of lime will separate the colors that really don't match and come close enough that people will think you tried and failed. It's actually a complementary color to the burgundies, so it's got a extra visual punch to it.

Sue's thrilled. We can't wait to see her quilt. But there are some lessons to be learned here.

• You never know when a project is going to grow, get out of hand, or when something will be messed up. Buy extra fabric. A lot. It may not be there when you get back.

• If you cannot match a  fabric, border it with a contrasting or blending fabric.

• If the fabrics don't blend as well as you like, separate them with something completely different. 

• Don't giggle so much when you get your picture taken. or you can traditionally hold your quilt up so no one can see you. And after all, we love you. But we really want to see your quilt.

• If you want someone to help pick out the fabric to match what you don't have any more, we're right here. Come in and we'll do our best.
  
  

What Kind of Fabric is That? Why Cotton and Wool are Queen and King of the Quilting World

Peg's new wool applique block

There's a mystery solved on the end of every fabric bolt. You can probably find the manufacturer, the width of the fabric and what the collection is called. Somewhere in there it should tell you what it's made of.

If you're in a quilt shop it probably says 100 % cotton. There are some very good reasons for that. Cotton has always been the go-to fiber for quilters for a lot of reasons.

Cotton

• It's soft.
• It's washable.
• It dyes well and has great colors.
• It's hyper allergenic.  
• It pieces well.
• It irons flat.
• It can be blocked a little.

But cotton's not the only fabric to quilt with.Wool is an old quilting choice that's all new again. Pretty wool solids make for fluid applique and a hardy textural kind of pieced quilt. Because it's a thicker fabric and more loosely woven, it feels very different to work with, but in a good way. Here's some of the reasons wool is a great alternative quilt fiber.

From Winterberry Cabin

Wool

• It has a fabulous texture
• It dyes well, but with different kinds of dye.
• It needles well for hand applique.
• It has a more raised feel and hand.
• It's extra warm and snugly.
• It can be blocked into shape.

Wool often has other fibers blended in with it. Unless it's a significant amount, say 15% or more, it usually doesn't make a huge difference. But of course, pure wool is best.

Fabrics you want to avoid.
When you walk outside the quilt shop there are all kinds of other fibers that are not so user friendly. This isn't like they aren't pretty or that they have their own uses. They just don't respond well to quilting techniques or they don't wear well. Here's why.

Rayon
Rayon is made of tree bark. It's soft. It's pretty. But it's much too fragile to quilt with. And it sun fades very easily.

Test Tube Babies
Polyester and other test tube babies are not great quilting fabrics. They don't piece well and they are miserable to iron. And if they're mixed into a fiber blend, they still have the same issues. Do you remember the polyester double knit quilts of the 70's? Need I say more?

Lycra is a fiber that stretches. Great for sports wear. Miserable for quilting, as it has to be either stabilized or it will bounce along as you try to quilt on it.

So what happens if you find the perfect color or print and it's rayon. Or lycra? Or poly? You can use it. You can do anything that isn't illegal or deadly. But you deal with the limits and problems of those fibers for the whole life of that quilt. Did it fade? Rip? Sag? Pull out it's stitches? Cotton and wool are queen and king of the quilting world for very good reasons. They work, piece, applique, quilt and needle so much better. 

How long does it take you to make a quilt? How long will that quilt be part of someone's world? No one can afford poor fabric choices. They're just too costly in the long run.

Sue Makinen's great pin cushion

We have a new collection of vintage wools that are perfect for applique. Sue and Peggy have gone insane about them. Sue will be teaching us about wool applique and embroidery on wool in a series of upcoming classes.

Our vintage wool collection

All of this is a reason to be shopping for fabrics at a quilt store. We know what's in the fabric. And it's the best quality for quilting, all the time. Surprises are really only nice on birthdays and Christmas.