We’ve all done it, when we enter a quilt shop and just start grabbing every fabric pattern we see that we like. However, it can get overwhelming with how to go about mixing and matching these different patterns together. It can get pretty tricky to pick out the right kinds of patterns of fabric for your next project so here are a few tips to help you when mixing and matching different patterns of fabric.
First pick out patterns that speak to your personality
By doing this allows you to pick patterns of fabric that you know you will love no matter what. Also if it turns out that some of the fabric patterns don’t work into the mix, you can then save them for later for another project or use it for a border for another quilt.
The second step is to pick three patterns per space in your quilt
When picking your three patterns choose one of each type listed below.
- 1. Floral and or organic themed
- 2. Geometric
- 3. A scale that is either bigger or smaller than the other two patterns chosen above.
The third step is to then consider the color for each pattern
Think about what colors you want to highlight in your quilt. For instance if you wanted to highlight one of your favorite colors like the color purple then pick out a pattern with that color in it. For instance have your floral pattern consist of some purple in it as well as your geometric pattern too. This will allow the patterns to mix and match together easily because they have the same color in them.
As seen in the patterns below here is an example from the website Tiny Sidekick.
- The first pattern to the right is called Green Lettuce
- The second pattern in the middle is called Purple Floral
- The third pattern to the left is called Purple Gingham.
Notice how when you move from left to right how each pattern has similar colors as the pattern in the middle but are different in the style of pattern. This is a great mixture of different patterns that work well together. Another way to help you pick colors of different patterns that are going to work well is by using a color wheel to see if they complement each other.
The final step is to play around with the patterns before starting
Another great tip when trying to pick patterns that will mix well together is to take a swatch of the fabric patterns you like from the fabric or quilt shop if they allow this. Then take them home and play around, swapping different patterns in and out of the mix to see which ones actually work well for you. This will help you save time and money.
Check out the local shops on our Quilter’s Thread mobile app for where to get your fabrics for your next quilt project and share with us how you like to mix and match patterns when quilting.
Live well. Quilt well.