Choosing Fabric for Scrap Quilts

Lynn Roddy Brown

I have found two things important in choosing fabric for scrap quilts: value and visual texture.  Value is the relative darkness or lightness of the fabrics.  Most fabric has a pattern that is created by differences in value or color; stripes, dots, plaids, vines, and florals are all examples of visual texture. 

The first half-square-triangle unit has a strong shift in value that will help create a pattern over the surface of the quilt.  The second unit has a shift in color rather than value.  This will cause the pattern to be lost. 

When I select fabrics for a scrap quilt that will have an overall pattern across the surface of the quit I like to have a gap in value between the light and medium/dark fabrics.  This is shown in the strip of fabrics. 

I found four red with white or cream prints in my stash.  I have arranged them in order by visual texture.  The first fabric will probably read as white from a distance and not add interest to the quilt.  In my quilt I would prefer to use the middle two examples.  The last fabric has almost even amounts of white and red.  It could work if paired with a very dark like navy. 

Tips for Choosing Fabrics:

1. • I consider fabrics with white or beige backgrounds very light and those with pastel backgrounds 
   

  medium light.  The smaller the motif the lighter the fabric will appear from a distance. 

1. • No large white or tan spots in medium/dark fabrics. 
   

2. • No clear bright colors. 
   

3. • No solids. 
   

4. • No Moda Marbles.
   

5. • Limit tone on tones (fabrics with one color).  If you bring them they should have visual texture.
   

6. • Choose a variety of texture, scale and color. 
   

7. • If you have doubts about your selections, bring extra and I will help you choose.