Monotones Quilting Fabric

Choosing Good Fabrics For Quilting Projects

Whether you are a beginner or an experienced quilter, there are many factors to consider when you choose quilting fabric. Fortunately, Spotlight has some ideas on how to make this selection a little easier. If you struggle choosing your quilting fabrics regularly, why not check out some of our tips below?

Why Is Quilter's Cotton Best For Quilting?

When you do a little research online or speak to other crafters, you will notice that the term quilter's cotton is often mentioned. Evidently, this is an extremely popular fabric for quilting with numerous benefits.

One of the main reasons why quilter's cotton is recommended is because it is easy to work with. Contrary to certain other fabrics, cotton retains its shape beautifully and presses easily too. For a craft such as quilting, these are some important benefits.

In addition to the fact it is easy to work with, cotton also tends to stick. As a result, you will not always need to use pins or other things to keep your fabric together as you sew. For beginners, this can be the benefit that helps them decide quilter's cotton over all other fabrics.

Cotton is also known as a breathable material. If you are making a quilt that will be used on the sofa or the bed, this ensures that it remains comfortable for the person using it. Once again, this puts quilting cotton over the top as the preferred fabric.

And finally, quilting is also a durable fabric. Since cotton can withstand many washes as well as use, using quilter's cotton ensures the overall longevity of your project.

Is Quilter's Cotton Basically All Cotton Fabric?

No. Quilter's cotton is a specific type of cotton fabric. When you take a look in the Spotlight catalogue, you will notice that there are various types of cotton fabrics with different characteristics. Therefore, other cotton fabrics may not be as suitable for quilting. Cotton fabrics that are deemed unsuitable for quilting projects include poplin and velveteen. So, when you choose fabric for quilting, always make sure the fabric is marked as quilter's cotton.

How Do I Evaluate The Quality Of Quilter's Cotton?

This can be a bit of a challenge for beginners, but there are some easy characteristics to look out for. One of those characteristics is thread count. While it is not the most important characteristic for quality, it is still an important one.

In addition to looking at the thread count, you can also evaluate quality by holding quilter's cotton up to the light. If too much light comes through the fabric, the quality is less than desirable. A good quilter's cotton fabric will leave through extraordinarily little if any light at all.

The light test has a specific purpose. When lots of light comes through the fabric, it means the fabric was made with a loose weave. The looser the weave, the less durable your overall result.

What Are My Options In Terms Of Quilting Cotton?

You have lots of options where quilting cotton is concerned. They come in all types of shapes and sizes these days, this means by the metre as well as fat quarters and fabric packs. Depending on your requirements, you can choose the one that suits you best.

If you have a specific plan for your quilting project in terms of colours and patterns, buying your fabric by the metre is usually best. By purchasing your fabric by the metre, you can work out your colours and patterns in the utmost detail, delivering the results you have in mind. Spotlight does recommend buying a little more fabric than you actually need - this ensures you can compensate for any mistakes if they should occur.

Crafters who want to make a quilt but have no idea what to use for colours and designs can obtain a fabric pack or some fat quarters. Fat quarters are pre-cut pieces of fabric that work brilliantly for a patchwork quilt. They often come in different colours that complement one another, which makes it easy to transform them into the quilt you have in mind. Fat quarters can also save you lots of work in terms of cutting and measuring.

Spotlight provides a huge range of quilting fabrics, ranging from monotone colours to elaborate seasonal patterns. The range offers fabrics by the metre, but there are many fat quarters to take advantage of too. So, why not check out the entire range of quilting fabrics for some brilliant ideas?