By my fifth fabric line, Pressed Memories, I began to notice a pattern emerge - there was a dot print and a stripe in almost every line so far. It's interesting how we subconsciously gravitate toward certain types of prints - small, even geometrics, flowing vines or large florals.
Of course, the feature fabric is usually the starting point, but it's easier for me to gather piles of companion prints. I'm always on the lookout for a subtle stripe with a print over the top to place on the diagonal for visual movement. Small vine-y leaf prints are a favorite and are easy blenders. But the dots are my favorites - so simple, but they can be arranged in a mulititude of ways, make great backgrounds and in scattered in multiple colors can be the glue to pull a quilt together. What are your favorite prints? Do you start your quilt with a border or work your way there after finishing the blocks?
I like dots. Love stripes for a border. Love stars. Usually work from the middle to the borders. Thanks for the opportunity to win your fabrics. They are awesome.
ReplyDeleteMary
I like so many different prints and batiks - it's easier to say what I don't like - big prints, prints with every color of the rainbow. Generally, I find a focus print that I really like and work from there, form the center out.
ReplyDeleteIf it is a line then border in. Just grabing from the stash then middle out.
ReplyDeleteI find a focus fabric and work from there. Love your fabrics and reading about how you worked on each one. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful day.
This is one of my all time favorite KT lines! One that my quilt shop ran out of before I could buy any darn it lol! I almost always start with my border print, which tends to be larger, then focus on pulling in the rest of the print focusing on color and small.
ReplyDeleteI've never thought about the actual prints ... it seems to me that the colors have always drawn me first and if what is on the color of fabric I like works, then I use it. That is what first drew me to KT fabric ... I love the colors and then the subtle prints, dots and stripes all working together... I'm one that piece from the middle out then worry about the border.
ReplyDeleteThat paisly-type print looks good enough to EAT! As a quilter AND a rug hooker, I often use a focus fabric to begin with - then I choose colors and prints and textures to go from there.
ReplyDeleteI love the paisley and the dots too! I usually do blocks and move to the borders. Congrats on another lovely line of fabric.
ReplyDeleteI just love your fabrics - I think I still have some of this line in my stash! I used to always choose my border print first, but now it seems that I usually work my way to the border, and figure it out once the center of the quilt is finished.
ReplyDeleteI love KT prints - anything that is subtle and old fashioned looking - I mainly buy KT fabric only - I'm addicted to it!
ReplyDeleteI remember your story about the paisley fabric. Still have a little of many of those pieces in my KTQ labeled boxes. I often leave the border choice till the middle is done -- or course it all depends on what it is. I sure do that with scrap quilts. Nadine
ReplyDeleteI am a new quilter so have no idea what I am suppose to do first LOL. But I do the blocks first then spend ages trying to decide what to use for the border.....then ages again deciding on the binding....sigh.....guess I will be good at this in years to come..
ReplyDeleteI work the blocks first then the border. I love all fabrics~dots, prints, paisleys, you name it~I love it all!!
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful Thursday~Becky
I have a varied like in fabrics, usually something just catches my eye and I think it would be nice to use in a project. I do tend to go with smaller prints and florals though, for prim quilts.
ReplyDeleteDebbie
I usually don't give the border too much thought until I'm well into the main body of a quilt. I adore dots and always love the look of stripes - yet I rarely use stripes. What's with that? Hmmm.
ReplyDeletesunshdws@yahoo.com
I rarely start with a border..just make the blocks THEN find something that looks good with them!
ReplyDeleteWhat I like best is a wide variety of prints (to mimic that antique, use-up-every-scrap look), but smaller prints (especially dots, tiny florals, delicate vines, and thin lines) generally attract me more than large, bold ones.
ReplyDelete...And borders tend to be an afterthought for me.
My husband and I usually start with the blocks and sew them and then choose the borders after the blocks are done. We like to choose borders and sashing that help make the blocks "pop" or otherwise tie all the colors together if working from a stash.
ReplyDeleteI normally begin with the main fabrics I want to use for blocks. I like using lots of different fabrics -- and then pull others as go along and run out of my original selections. The border, binding, sashing, backing, etc. are selected when the time comes to actually piece/sew those. Most times I'm not particular as try to use what (my mother has) have without buying more fabric. I don't have a stash yet she has fabric from decades ago - cut on yes, yet serviceable. As you can surmise, I like to make quilts and am not a designer or artist. Thanks for the Thursday post.
ReplyDeleteI guess I'm the odd one here, I usually piece my blocks and then make a scrappy border, so I don't have any fabric to pull colors from~ I just go with what I like together. :-)
ReplyDeleteI star with a pattern I love and then find the fabric that will make it pop. I usually have a focus fabric the helps me select the color story.
ReplyDeleteI usually just start making blocks. Scrappy is my favorite. I don't plan borders until I get there. As for fabric, I go by color. I find that I am mostly drawn to blues and or plaids and stripes; although a beautiful paisley could easily win me over.
ReplyDeleteKansas Trouble fabric has been arriving daily at my local quilt store.....love, love, love it!I am a block by block person with the borders last.
ReplyDeleteI usually have a fabric that I begin with to establish a basic color scheme, but the beginning fabric can end up as the backing, borders, or part of the blocks. I love color, so I often squint at the fabrics to get a different view of how they look together.
ReplyDeleteLove the sunflowers at the top of the page - so cheery!
I always try to make sure I have the border picked out before hand...it seems if I don't, I'm never really satified with the look later. Thanks for the chance to win and have a grand week - Laurie
ReplyDeletellsbaskets at comcast dot net
I usually see a fabric that I love for the border and then start building a quilt around that with my scrappy blocks. I like to use the rich/dark colors with larger prints. I have been known to use a smaller print. Sometimes I do just start making blocks and then audition my borders at the end.
ReplyDeleteChar S.
I like to choose all the fabrics for a project before I start. Small and medium prints are my favourites.
ReplyDeleteBorders are almost an afterthought for me-- but I definitely think that they can make the quilt! As for fabrics that I'm drawn to-- I love to have a good variety of stripes-- they can add SO much interest in a quilt, and some of my favorite bindings are stripes cut on the diagonal-- I just love the look!
ReplyDeleteI love kits so I don't have to stress over picking fabrics. That's why I love your lines... they all work together so beautifully!
ReplyDeleteI like tone on tone leaf patterns and plaids.
ReplyDeleteI love stars. I buy all patterns that have new versions of stars. I also, like the photo of the store with the quilts. Thank you again for the giveaway.
ReplyDeleteI like to work with a focus fabric. My newest quilt project I started with the border fabric first. Sandy
ReplyDeleteI wasn't around my computer until today. I love stars, dots, wavy, squiggles and small prints. SOrry to say I don't like large florals, or leaves but will use them if it makes the piece pop out.
ReplyDeleteI make my blocks first, then look for a border fabric. It is always easy with your fabric because you have such great flowery border prints. When a new KT line comes out, I always buy at least 3 yards one of the big print fabrics, plus 1-3 yards of at least one of your new light fabrics.
ReplyDeleteTypically, I do the blocks first then purchase the borders. Have a great evening!
ReplyDeleteI have always loved plaids when it comes to fabrics. But after discovering Kansas Trouble 5 months ago I can't get enough! I'm making a Bulls Eye quilt out of the "Wrapped in Paisley" & "Perennials". Just when I think I have enough fabric for it, I find myself back at the Quilt Shop selecting more KT! The colors and prints are awesome! Brenda VW
ReplyDeleteI start with the blocks first then the border.
Sew glad I found the Kansas Trouble fabric! :)