Not sure where to start selecting fabric for applique project
 

I recently purchased two applique patterns that I would like to do in wool applique. One is Jan Patek's Christmas 101 and the other is an older pattern called Guardian Angel by Linda Brannock. Here is a link for Guardian Angel. I believe it may be out of print now. http://www.ebay.com/itm/380387812671...84.m1438.l2649

They are not originally done in wool applique but I thought it might be nice to have them in wool.

I will have to begin collecting fabric for these projects but I don't know where to begin. I am not really good at selecting fabrics and I'm not sure how to begin putting the fabrics together. Do I start with my background fabrics? Or should I just begin purchasing pieces that I like and then try to build from there? What is everyone's process when they are beyond the pattern selection or design stage and into fabric selection?

Also - those that design their own patterns: When your design is in the concept stage: Are you coming up with your design first and then fabric selection or does fabric influence your design? Colors? Textures? What comes first: The chicken or the egg?

On the quilt I am doing now, I had the design done in my mind first, then sketched out on a piece of copy paper. I decided on my color palette. After that I went shopping for fabric. I have since changed my mind about the background color. My quilt is all appliqued blocks so changing the background fabric is no big deal. I have created the appliques on cream on cream fabric, but will just applique that onto a different colored block. I am putting a LOT of machine embroidery on the applique and discovered that my blocks needed to be 16x16 and then cut down to whatever I want the final size to be as the process of embroidering distorts the background fabric somewhat.

Interesting. Thanks for your reply.

if you are doing applique i would suggest useing the tightest weave fabrics you can get --- batik works well ---either needleturn or free edge as this reduces fraying

Thanks, Jemma. I will be doing wool applique.