How to Choose Quilting Fabric: A Beginner’s Guide

Start with one fabric you love

The simplest way to build a palette is to choose a single print you genuinely love — ideally one with several colours in it — and treat it as your anchor. Designers call this a focus (or feature) fabric.

Mix up the scale of your prints

A classic beginner trap is choosing fabrics that are all equally busy. Vary the scale of your prints so the eye has contrast to enjoy:

• A large, bold print or two to bring energy and movement.
• Several medium prints that carry your main colours.
• A few small prints or near-solid “blenders” that give the eye somewhere to rest.

Think in value, not just colour

Value simply means how light or dark a fabric is, and it’s the not-so-secret ingredient that makes a patchwork pattern actually show up. Take a black-and-white photo of your fabrics — stripped of colour, you’ll instantly see which read as light, medium and dark.

When in doubt, ask

Quilts have been stitched for generations out of whatever scraps were on hand. Trust your eye, and in our beginner classes here in Kaikōura we’ll happily help you pull a palette that suits your project.