If you’re comfortable selecting your own fabric, please don’t listen to me. Most of you probably think I stink at choosing fabrics anyway! I had already mentioned that my original plan was to use this quilt as a mystery for a retreat in October, 2010. But then, I decided that the fabric choices are so important for achieving the desired look, that this design would not make a good mystery project.
I’m going to do something here that I will probably regret. I’m going to tell you approximately how much fabric you need for each color so you can start digging through your stash and see where you stand. Do not go buy fabric and do not start cutting yet! I have to finish the borders to be sure these amounts are correct. They’re close but they’re likely not exact yet. They shouldn’t be too much off but . . just don’t go buy this amount of fabric, ok?
This is the first one I made when I was still on the design wall. I’ll call it Quilt #1.
Here’s the second one I made to test the pattern. See what I do for you? 🙂 Let’s call it Quilt #2.
My recommendations for choosing fabrics:
Decide which colors you want to use for your “colored fabrics”. Sometimes it helps me to find a pretty print . . something that I really like. Then I use the dots on the selvage to help me choose similarly colored fabrics. Often, I don’t even use the printed fabric in the quilt but just as a guide to choosing colors that work nicely together. The four “colored fabrics” are the fabrics you use in the center of the quilt. In Quilt #1, the colors I used for the colored fabrics are lavender, aqua, green and pink. In Quilt #2, the colors I used for the colored fabrics are denim blue, goldish tan, olive green, and drab purple.
As of now, I’m going to say you’ll need about 3/4 yard of each of the four colors you want to use.
You’ll notice that the gold centers are much brighter in Quilt #1. Of course, you do not have to use gold. Use whatever you want but make sure it’s the right shade to go with the four colors you’re using. Where I’ve used gold, you’ll need about 1/2 yard. If you want to use gold in the flying geese border (I did), you’ll need an extra 9-1/4″ of fabric but really, you only need one 9-1/4″ square.
Now, decide if you want to use white, ecru, a light shade of anything for your background. For Quilt #1, I used a bright white. For Quilt #2, I used an ecru with an ecru vine design . . what I would call ecru on ecru. For the background, as of now, you’re going to need about 4 yards.
What I call the “border fabric” is where I’ve used purple in Quilt #1. What I call “accent fabric” is where I’ve used black in Quilt #1.
For Quilt #2, the accent fabric is black with a gold dot and the border fabric is a brown kinda tweedy looking fabric. For the border fabric, as of now, I’m saying you need 2-5/8 yard and for the accent fabric, you’ll need about 3 yard.
For binding, you’re going to need probably 11 binding strips. If you cut your binding at 2-1/2″, that means you need 27-1/2″ for binding.
That should give you something to think about! 🙂 I’ll get definite amounts for the yardage by Monday but I knew many of you were anxious to start digging through you stash.
Jane says
Thanks Judy!!! I’m getting excited about this one. I haven’t made a bed sized quilt in a year or so!!!! (time factor….wish I was a keener like you!! LOL) 😀
CJ says
I missed this… this is going to be a quilt along on your blog? I love this quilt! If it’s 80 inches or smaller, I’m in!
CJ says
Oh dang, I just found the quilt info, it’s too big for me. Is this one in your new book Judy?
Bessie H. says
This one is lovely. Don’t know if I’ll be able to follow along, but I’ll live vicariously through you all. If anyone is interested Whittle’s Fabrics has Andover Dimples 13 colors for $4.00 a yard. http://www.whittlesfabrics.com/ A lovely lime one I will pick up the next time I’m in the store.
JudyL says
I lived about an hour from Whittle’s when we were in KY and never went there. Next time I need fabric (which may be never!), I’ll check them out.
pdudgeon says
too big for me too, but lovely just the same.
ruth anne shorter says
I jsut really love this quilt
carol c says
you say>>>As of now, I’m going to say you’ll need about 3/4 yard of each of the four colors you want to use.
You’ll notice that
I ask>>>>>what size wil the finished quilt be again? I love #1, and need laptops or larger for charitys.
Jeanne says
Thanks for this starter info Judy! I have a color scheme in mind, and now I can go digging in the stash to see how much I have of this and that 🙂
For all the “too big” abstainers, it would be super easy to make this half size. Looks like twelve main blocks to me, so if you did only six, the border arithmetic would still work out the same. The finished dimensions would be 50-something by 88, a nice lap size Figure on a generous half amount of the yardage for the big one.
Jeanne
JudyL says
The easiest way to cut it down is probably to make it square which would be about 82″ x 82″. Sometimes, to get enough design repeats, you need a bigger quilt. Also, if someone wanted to use 9″ blocks instead of 12″ blocks, that would cut down on the size but you’re on your own with the instructions. 🙂
KnittySue says
I can’t wait to start this, I even have all the colors except the black which I’ll have after going to the fabric store. I know I won’t do all the borders ..but I will make the border with all the design. Thanks for all your work Judy so that we can enjoy one of these beauties.
JudyL says
Please plan to do the borders as I have them before the pieced border or it will not fit. After you’ve done the pieced border, you can do anything you wish and it will be fine.
Amy says
Now if somone were to want to make scrappy “Spades” (that is what I am calling the pink & aqua parts – how much fabric do you need for each one? – All of yours are from the same piece of fabric, mine would each be from a different piece of fabric.)
JudyL says
If you’re wanting to use a different fabric for every square, a 4-1/2″ x 7″ rectangle should work. I don’t do a lot of scrappy but if I’m thinking correctly, it’s going to take some planning to make this one scrappy and still retain the design. I could be wrong though. Scrappy seems more difficult to me.
pdudgeon says
oh i’ll still get all the instructions for this quilt because i can use this pattern to make another quilt for my daughter for next Christmas!
She has a queen sized bed but uses a king sized spread for coverage. And i can easily add more to the sides of the pattern.
Linda Burley says
I would like to make this with a black background. I have some great slightly mottled solids and thought they would look brilliant against black. It would look amish. Any thoughts?