Tips On Choosing The Right Quilting Fabric

When shopping for quilt fabric there are a number of things which you must take into consideration in order to ensure that you get the best fabric possible. So where can you buy good quilt fabric?

The best place to purchase fabric for quilting is a quilt store as they will specialize in the right type of material. But although you may discover that purchasing from these stores can be expensive there are ways in which you can purchase it at a much cheaper price. It's always worth waiting for sales and then stocking up. Buying remnants or offcuts can also save you money.

The fabric which most quilters prefer to use is 100% cotton as it is made from natural fibers and so is much easier to sew and iron. Plus this type of material is less likely to fray than other blended fabrics. The most common types of cotton fabric used in quilting are calico, muslin or broadcloth.

Plus as well as being easy to work with, the cotton sticks together whilst you are sewing each piece. Whereas fabrics such as polyester tend to slip so they often need to be pinned or basted or you will find your patches become uneven.

Cotton also has a little bit of give in it but synthetic materials do not, so cotton allows you to pull and tug at the material a little bit more than usual. Plus it allows you to bunch up the material where needed in order to make sure that the seams match and that all the corners on your quilt are square.

Cotton is a natural fabric which means it breathes and this will then allow air to circulate freely around the quilt but will also help to capture warmth.

Another reason why cotton fabric is the preferred choice of quilters is that it is able to take dyes much better. This then allows you a wider range of vibrant colors to use. This then results in the patterns that a quilter produces having more depth and a sense of individuality about them.

Now we come on to the final reason as to why cotton is the quilt fabric choice of many quilters. It is durable and so is able to not only stand the tests of time, but can be constantly used without causing too much alteration to the quilt. It will look just as good as when it was first made.