By Cathy Thomas
How to Choose the Right Pattern and Fabrics for Your Fish Quilt...
Let me walk you through the process of how I created my fish quilt pattern and how you can find or create a pattern that will be right for you. The process of creating a beautiful quilt starts with finding the right pattern. To do this, ask yourself why you are making the quilt. Is it to hang on the wall? Is it for a bedspread? Or is it going to be a gift for a friend or family member? Whatever the case may be, your reason is the first step in helping you determine a pattern that is right for you.
Once you have your reason, visit your local quilt shop and look for a fish quilt pattern that matches the picture in your head. Oftentimes, shop owners or workers will be more than happy to assist you and help you find a pattern to match your needs and skill level. However, if your local quilt store does not have what you want, many women are going online to find what they need. By simply doing a search, you can find lots of different quilt stores or pattern shops that will have just what you need.
Once you have your fish quilt pattern selected, you now get to look for fabrics. This part can often be hard for quilters as they have a difficult time imagining how certain fabrics and colors will change the look and feel of the quilt pattern. Here are a few suggestions to keep in mind.
First, when considering the tone and color of your fabrics, remember that warmer colors such as reds, oranges, and yellows appear closer, while cooler colors appear further away. By choosing how you integrate colors, you can create depth on your quilt.
Second, consider what effect you want your quilt to have on those who use it or see it hanging on the wall. Warmers colors illicit excitement and hightened levels of alertness. Cool colors have a very calming and soothing effect.
As you consider these variables, you will be able to create a quilt that is perfect for you and will become a treasured family heirloom.
A Brief Story of How My Fish Quilt Pattern Came to Be...
Determined My Reason
As a quilt designer, I am constantly searching for new ideas or images that I can turn into a beautiful design for a quilt. The idea for my first fish quilt pattern came to me from a personal experience that is very near to my heart. Several years ago, my son and daughter-in-law decided to adopt a little boy from Haiti. The process was long and arduous. Emotions were up and down, but the day finally came when I was able to meet my new grandson. And in honor of his arrival, I created a beautiful brightly-colored fish quilt for him.
Determined My Fabrics
I used many different batik fabrics to represent the bright colors of the tropics and the spirit of the Haitian people. I someday want to be able to sit down with my grandson and explain to him the story behind his fish quilt and how it came to be. I will tell him all about the beautiful fish that swim in the Caribbean and of the country where he was born. It will be a special moment.
What Are Batik Fabrics...
Batik fabrics are made from a very specialized process that involves the use of bees wax and paraffin during the dying process. By using the wax and paraffin, the fabric designer is able to create very intricate designs and patterns on the fabric because the dye does not penetrate the fabric. Oftentimes, a batik fabric will be waxed and dyed multiple times to create unrivaled color combinations and patterns. Once the process is finished, the wax is melted from the fabric and the design is fully revealed.
Because of the intense process used to create batik fabrics, they are almost always made from very high quality, high thread count cotton or silk fabrics. This gives the fabric a much more vibrant and detailed look than if the fabric were made from loosely woven fibers. It also produces a very high quality and comfortable quilt for use in your home or as a gift.
Click here to see how to get a copy of "Sea Jewels" - Fish Quilt Pattern. Also, visit my blog and see pictures of this beautiful Fish Quilt. Pattern Design by Cathy Thomas, owner of Cat's Creations and Little House Quilting. Cathy Thomas is the mother of four and grandmother of four. She has been a professional longarm quilter for the past nine and a half years and has more recently launched her own pattern line and blog. To find out more about Cathy and her work, click the link above to visit her blog.
