The Fabrics Audition

One of my very favorite parts of making a quilt is auditioning fabrics. It often takes me longer than the actual making of the quilt! But it sure is fun, so maybe I stretch it out longer than necessary??!

In the last post I showed you the new (free!) table I got, and the lovely weather. Well now it has been raining for 2 days with more to come, so I am glad we spent time outside while we could. I spent the afternoon outside auditioning fabrics and took a lot of photos of the process so you can see how my mind works!

This will be photo-heavy, so hold on people....

First I cut out a whole bunch of baskets and handles.And now I get to mix'n'match them!

Then I started with a pink handle...which basket would I choose to go with it? Most everything looks good with this pink handle...
Perhaps too much pink here...
oooh I do like these two together...

This one is just OK for me (sounding totally like Randy on American Idol there)...But which did I choose?? None of them! I had this very hard piece of basket fabric to match and it just didn't look right with anything - in other words, the fabric was so garish (probably why I love it so much) that it clashed with everything! But I put it with the pink handle and instantly knew they belonged together...Do I think the basket is the best for the pink handle? No - but I DO think the handle is the best pick for the basket, so they are now a married couple. Aaaawwww!

Next I tried a couple of options for this blue basket...the first you already saw above...This handle isn't strong enough to be a good match with the blue...
But when I saw it with the following handle, I knew I had a match...
Now for another hard to match basket. It's a gorgeous Heather Bailey fabric, but it's been oh so hard to find a good match for it. Once again, this handle isn't a strong enough match...2 garish fabrics do not always a good match make. Sometimes, but like this match, not often...
The yellows are too different to look good...
The handle is too soft and pretty to match the brighter basket...
Hmmm I really like this match, but I LOVED the handle with the blue farther above, so with the blue it will stay.

I am still searching for a love match for this basket. However, I did find the match for the same fabric as a handle, which was equally hard to match. Remember the pink?
And finally for today, here are the options for the pink/grey handle. As I mentioned a couple of times above, it's hard to put this handle with a very strong fabric, so let's see it with a variety of good and bad matches...This one is OK but doesn't make me want to sing...No. Just plain no...Oh gosh no!!!...
Getting better...Hmmm I like this one...But what did I pick?!! This...Though I reserve the right to change my mind to one of the other two good choices!

I hope this was helpful to someone. All I can say is try a hundred different fabrics if you have to, and when you find the right one, you will just know, and get that warm excited feeling inside! And most of all, you must pick what YOU love, not what you think others will approve of. This is a quilt-police-free-zone!