Hi all - I am new here but have enjoyed reading threads here for a few weeks now. I am taking a class at a quilt convention in a month and need to buy fabric for it. I am going to use hand-dyed fabrics, and need 6 gradations of each color. I asked around and Starr Design Fabrics was highly recommended to me, but by a women that I don't know at all. Have any of you used their fabrics before? What did you think? Any bleeding of colors upon washing? Is it high quality? Is it worth the price? Or, if you have used any other brands that would be orderable online, please pass it along.

Thanks in advance!

Susan

Hi, I don't know about Starr Design Fabrics, but I wanted to welcome you to the board from Southern California!!!

Welcome from NE CA. Glad you joined us. I can't help you with your question though.

Don't know about that fabric, but I wanted to welcome you to the board.

Someone here will certainly be familiar with that line of fabric. :lol:

Hand dyed fabrics can be tricky...some will bleed horribly. I would wash them all, check for color fastness...use color catchers and maybe have a bottle of Retayne on hand just in case :wink: :wink: :wink:

Your class sounds like a lot of fun, please keep us posted on it...and some pictures of your progress would be really nice too, please 8) :wink: 8)

welcome.

just checked that site and they are lovely fabrics. no wonder you want to use them. i agree that hand-dyes can be tricky. in fact, i would count on it. i would start right out with retayne, maybe twice, before using it. be sure to finish the edges to prevent fraying. i noticed that the fabric is not inexpensive so you don't want o lose any of it. what color family did you choose?


http://www.starrfabrics.com

The quilt I'm making (or hoping to make) is a twisted log cabin. I've never done this before and am very excited. The blocks are triangular and foundation pieced. By being careful with the colors, you end up with pinwheels. Each pinwheel has 6 petals, and each petal is made up of 6 strips of fabric. That's why I need 6 gradations. Each petal actually comes to a point and the edges of the petal are kind of wavy.

This pattern was shown on the opening credits of the Simply Quilts show, but it was done in red, gold, and purple. I admired it every time I watched the show, and wondered how you ever made something like that. So, when I saw the class being offered, I HAD to take it!

For my quilt, I was thinking of making the background black and am hoping to use a bunch of different colors - probably one or two different pinks, a few blues, and maybe a yellow or green or purple. Every pinwheel will be a different color, with each color used for 2 or 3 wheels overall. I don't want it to look too much like a rainbow, but I guess that's what I'm saying I might use for the colors. I really want these pinwheels to pop off of the black background. I also don't know if I should put the darkest shades in the middle of the pinwheel and lighten going out, or put the lighest shade in the middle and darken going out. There are just SO MANY beautiful colors at their site, I don't know what to pick!