When you first begin making quilts, visiting a fabric shop can feel overwhelming because of its numerous bolts and material options. Before you dive deep into the differences between materials, focus predominantly on developing a color scheme. Use this guide to have success when selecting the patterns and matching colors for your quilt. 

How to Choose Fabric for Your Quilting Project

1. Choose a Multi-Colored Pattern

As you start down the quilting road, select a fabric with many colors. These bolder patterns provide you with wiggle room when selecting contrasting or complementing colors. The larger patterns also allow you to make bigger squares so that the overall project won’t feel as daunting. Once you become more familiar with quilting, you can pick simpler patterns and make smaller shapes with confidence.

2. Match to Selvage Colors

If you’re unsure about which colors appear in the main fabric you've chosen, look to the selvage—the edge of the fabric. Many manufacturers will place colored dots along this edge to highlight the numerous shades found within the design. Having this clear color image will allow you to find matching fabrics.

3. Stick to the Same Manufacturer

After you've selected the main print for your quilt, check if this fabric belongs to a design collection from the same manufacturer. If so, you'll find several other complementing patterns. In some instances, fabric designers also provide a list of their tone on tone (TOT) fabrics—printed textiles designed by combining a shade and tone that are similar in color—that work with a particular design. 

Start your quilting adventure on the right foot by heading to Appletree Quilting Center in Columbia, MO. Since 1985, this locally-owned sewing shop has provided the widest selection of quality quilting fabrics with over 5,000 bolts currently available. They also offer an extensive selection of notions, patterns, machines, and other sewing accessories. Their friendly, knowledgeable team will help you find the right materials for your project. Speak to them today by calling (573) 446-2655, and visit their website to start shopping.