Sunday, August 26, 2012

More "Row Along" Fabric Info...




Hello again cute people!
 I'm so excited with the positive response to yesterdays post.
I'm so glad that you all will be 
"rowing along" with me!

I've had several of you ask a few questions about the fabric for the
so I thought I would answer them in this post.

Question: What do you mean when you say
that this will be a scrappy quilt and how much fabric do I need?

It means that the quilt will not be made from one line of fabric you can just use scraps from your stash.
The focus will be on the colors that I posted about previously....for example...I am using the color red throughout the quilt but this doesn't mean all of the red will be from the same piece of fabric...I will use several reds from my stash that I think go well together as far as color tone and style.
The same goes for all of the colors I will be using.
If you want to buy some new fabric to fill in gaps that you might have in your stash...
I would suggest not buying more than a Fat Quarter each. The key is variety!
If you are overwhelmed in choosing fabrics...all you have to do is simply choose the same colors that I will be working with in the tones that you like.
For example...about the color red again...if you don't care for cherry or tomato reds because they are too bright for you...choose deeper reds to work with.
If you don't like aqua...choose the shade of blue that you like....
if you don't like apple greens....choose deeper shades.

 Continue choosing your fabric the same way until you have several pieces of fabric together in each of the 6 or 7 colors....keep in mind you will need at least 6 to do justice to the quilt.
(You could also add a color such as orange or purple...just because I am not working with them in this quilt...does not mean they won't be nice in yours:)
After choosing several scraps or fat quarters from each color....
keep them all together to use throughout the quilt along.
 This doesn't mean that you will use every piece for every row...how many you use at any given time will depend on the type of blocks in the row that you are working on.

Don't worry!
This is a stress free quilt along and we are just going to have fun playing with fabric scraps!
It will all work out in the end!
Remember...this is not a quilt where you will be buying all of your fabric at once before you start.
We will be doing one row at a time and that's all you need to think about at once!






With that being said...I thought I would show you which fabrics from my pile that I have chosen to use for the first row that we will be doing.
First I chose 1 piece from each color that I thought went well together. 
They all have small scale designs on them because the pieces in the first row will be 1" finished and I don't want the designs on the fabric to get lost in the cutting:)


Then I chose 1 more print from each color that each had a little more white in them...making the tones and textures a little bit more interesting together.
So for the first row I chose 14 different fabrics...2 different pieces from each color.


When choosing what to use from the pile that I have gathered...
First...I always make sure that I have several different scales of polka dots and flowers.
I usually add a plaid or a stripe, then I throw in a few fun prints like the bee fabric and Pam's darling red on pink letter fabric that you see above. 
And last but not least... I always add a gingham fabric or two in at least one color.
This is how I choose for a scrap quilt...and I hope this helps those of you who have asked.



After choosing which prints to use for the first row...
I cut squares from each of the 14 fabrics for a total of 28.





Of course we will be using a background fabric in this quilt but not for the first row.
We will talk about choosing background fabric later....
 For right now...
 just decide on your colors and then pull them together for the quilt. 

I really hope this has answered your questions about the fabric amount and colors!
I'll chat back at you in a day or so!
xx
Lori 

P.S. The Bee in my Bonnet Row Along 
Flickr group has just been created...
to join up!

***update July 2013
The pattern and instructions for the 
Bee in my Bonnet Row Along Quilt
are in my new book
"Quilty Fun"
to get a copy!

35 comments:

  1. Thanks Lori, that helps a lot! I'm going to choose my fabrics tomorrow :)

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  2. This looks like fun!!! Thank you for offering us this opportunity! :)

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  3. Hi Lori, this looks like fun. Vicki vickilorraine at hotmail dot com

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  4. Very nice pictures and very beautiful fabrics. It is a pity that in Russia, these fabrics are not sold.

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  5. yea! I like this Row along already. Lucky ladies in your Ward who get to play in person.

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  6. Thanks for the info! One of my sweet babies is sick, so she will probably be taking a nap or two today, which means I will have a chance to choose and cut the fabric today.

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  7. I love your fabric choices! Thank you for explaining how to get the scrappy look. I can't wait to see the tutorial for the rows!

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  8. This looks like fun. I will be joining in !! Thanks!!

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  9. thanks for the tips on picking fabrics.

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  10. Will this work if I don't have the same color ways---I do not have much of any color ways at all---just hit and miss---hodge podge. I have never had a grouping of reds, or blues, or such. I have loads of fabric--but none of it would "match" very very scrappy---just curious.

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  11. nanaonwheels@yahoo.comAugust 27, 2012 at 9:47 AM

    Relatively new to sewing and quilting and the support offered with this project is so encouraging! Thank you...I cannot wait to get started!!!! Now, would you happen to know how I can get some of that adorable bee print???

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  12. OK, NOT to get off subject, but you are NOT using a Mini Design Board for this. Did you use a FULL SHEET of foam board for THIS design board you are using to lay out the blocks in this post?

    Thanks in advance! ;)

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  13. Thanks, Lori, for all the information and to share. I am getting more and more exciting about this project already. I am planning to make this quilt for my little girl. I bet she will love it.

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  14. I have never done a sew along of any kind, I have a lot of scrap fabric. I'll have to go through my stash and see what I can find. I'm very OCD on planning stuff, so this is kind of scary for me not knowing what the quilt will look like, but great therapy to overcome that! LOL

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  15. This Row along looks fun! I wish I had a more time to come along ;o)

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  16. This looks like fun - is it safe to assume there will be some applique involved? ... or not?
    - sunshdws at yahoo dot com

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  17. Thanks for the head start Lori. I look forward to planning this row. xoxo

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  18. I said yesterday that I am on board with this row/mystery quilt. Thanks for the little head start. xoxo

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  19. I SO do NOT need to start another quilt, but I DO have the perfect color combo in my stash. Hmm......

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  20. See this just proves how awesome you are, because I am already feeling lost. I can do it... I can do it right. Yes I can I mean I did the circle quilt and this should be easier than 525 circles, OK maybe not. I will do it, I am on it.

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  21. Alrighty! I cut my squares today. The values were kind of similar on a few so I might need to recut if they are smack dab on each other. We'll see! I was just trying to use what I had.

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  22. Got my squares cut and ready to go. Always looking for ways of using up my scraps that have gotten out of control. Thanks!

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  23. Thanks alot Lori. I picked up a couple more DS fabrics today at JoAnns. I love the part about being stress free. This is my first actual quilt a long that I will participate in. I have to sweet and mop my kitchen floor tomorrow then I'll get my fabric organized.

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  24. Hi Lori - I'd love to join in your Row Along. It'll be my first one so not sure I'll have enough in my stash, so may just need to treat myself to some pretty new fabrics...a good excuse, don't you think? ;-)
    One question though - how can I follow your blog? I can't seem to find the Follow with GFC bit so please can you point me in the right direction so I don't miss out on the tutorials. Thanks for the opportunity,
    Gill

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  25. lol this is like quilt homework, it's a good idea to start pondering what fabrics to use
    Helen

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  26. Hi Lori.
    I pulled my fabrics and posted them today!
    This is going to be so much fun!! :o)
    Will you be creating a flickr page for the row along? :o)
    love ya, Trish

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  27. This is exciting, and I'm all giddy to see my fabric there. xo

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  28. I never did an "along" or bee til the Great Granny and now you have hooked me again. I finished this row today! Your method was AWESOME! I did it a little backwards but it came out right in the end.

    I have to go get more background fabric for my Great Granny to continue. I have 27 squares but I want to make a king size so I have a few more to go.

    Do you have a button or do you need one made for you?

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  29. Lori, I was starting a row-by-row quilt of my own with my favorite blocks. But I think I'd rather follow your "along". What size will the quilt finish at? I see the first row finishes at 48 1/2". I want to make a full-size quilt and would like to know if I need to add more. Thanks for all your effort! Anne

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  30. Hi Lori, I am a complete newbie to quilting and i have been wanting to make a quilt for a long time i am a knitter you see and have just taught myself to crochet and i have just finished a small hand quilted pillow soooooooooooo my question is how much fabric do i need to complete this quilt as i have no stash and i would love to make this quilt along thanks in advance

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  32. Oh dear, Lori. This quilty fabric thing is driving me nuts! LOL I'm still in the beginning stages of hoarding, err I mean, collecting stash so I don't have much in the way of scraps. Scratching my head and thinking I might need to buy a bundle of fat quarters for this quilt. Any excuse for more fabby, right? :)

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  33. Hello there Lori,

    When buying a fat quarter bundle, how many in a bundle should we look to buying for this quilt? I know you say 6-7 of each color, but when buying a bundle how many fat quarters should we try to get in a bundle?

    Thanks!

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