Quilting Fabric: What to Check Before You Buy

There's more to quilting fabric than bright colors and intricate patterns. The prints you see on those bolts that line the walls of the store, calling out to you, are only one element that you should consider before making a purchase. It's a difficult thing to do, looking beyond the immediate sensory stimulus, but it's something you've got to do if you want to make a quality quilt.

First of all, check the label. If you're looking for 100% cotton, make sure that's what you're getting. Then check the thread count. You'll want something between 68 and 78 to ensure that the material is think enough and durable enough to stand up to a lifetime of use. Now check the consistency. Take the time to unroll some of the bolt and take a look at the quilting fabric while it's spread out. If there are any places where the color seems to have faded, or that the dye is inconsistent, you should choose a different fabric.

The print itself needs to be checked as well. While you've got the quilting fabric unrolled, make sure that the print doesn't overlap itself anywhere. Also, take a look at the grain. Does the print line up with crosswise and lengthwise grain? If it doesn't it could make things hard for you to cut later on. You may find yourself cutting to preserve the print rather than to make a clean cult along the grain. This only leads to trouble, stretching, and fraying. And you don't want any of that in your quilt.

Finally, double check that the color is sealed in. If the color rubs off easily onto your fingers, then chances are it isn't color fast. And that means that when you put it in the wash for the first time, it will lose that wonderfully brilliant color that attracted you to it in the first place.

Keep all these things in mind when you're shopping for quilting fabric and you won't go too far astray.