Sunday, June 5, 2011

It All Begins With the Fabric

Fabric.  We love to touch it, to pet it, to stockpile it.  It's why we quilt.  It's why we keep starting new projects before finishing the old.

The fabric collection I am using for my upcoming book Away From Home: The Story of the Mill Girls is being designed by Judie Rothermel and Faye Burgos, two of Marcus Fabrics' designers.  I had to pinch myself several times this past week because I received the strike-offs (the pre-production prints) and was asked to give my input.  The package contained lots of prints, some in various colorways, and some in colorways so subtle in their variation that it was difficult to discern the difference.  There were FAR more fabrics than we needed.  The task was to narrow it down to 24 fabrics that I would use in the quilt.
Well, I stacked the swatches.  I sorted them.  I compared them to my illustration of the feature quilt.  I put some to the side.  Then others.  Then a couple made it back in.  The best I could do was get it down to 27.

In the meantime, across the country, Judie was doing the same.  We were to submit our choices to Faye who would compare our selections.  At this point, I don't know what Judie picked, but I do know that she narrowed her selections down to 32.  (I can't tell you how relieved I was to hear that!)
So here's just a little sneak peek of my choices

1 comment:

Taryn said...

I love the colors and prints. Of course, I like everything Judie designs. Lucky you to get a first look at them and to have a say in what makes it's way to manufacturing. Tell them to hurry. ;)