What is a blender (in fabric)?
06-21-2014, 07:34 AM
#22
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Colorado
Posts: 2,254
That is not a stupid question. I use blenders to transition from one bold fabric to another. It is a fabric that really doesn't call attention to itself, but rather lets the eye go from pattern to pattern. I keep a bin of blenders handy for any project that seems to not be "playing nicely with each other." Jeanne S also mentions using batiks as blenders, super idea as they have the colors you need but don't scream out.
06-21-2014, 11:36 AM
#23
Power Poster
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Lowell, MA
Posts: 14,083
A blender fabric is one that appears solid from a distance, and to me at least, blenders give more dimension than say plain solids. ManiacQuilter2 shows a good variety of blender fabrics. Personally, I like to use blenders instead of solids, as I like how it looks in the finished quilt.
06-21-2014, 08:00 PM
#24
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Texas
Posts: 983
Oh, our members are smart, there are great descriptions here! 
Here is a link with more good blenders......also known as basics, coordinates, tonals, "reads as...", or tone-on-tones. http://www.pbtex.com/bearessentials2/
P & B fabrics are not found everywhere and it's too bad, because they are good quality fabrics. I sold tons of them in my shop in Texas because we had a distribution center there. Mr Bear was a dear man who was beloved and active in the quilt industry until his death a few years ago, he is missed.
Jan in VA
Here is a link with more good blenders......also known as basics, coordinates, tonals, "reads as...", or tone-on-tones. http://www.pbtex.com/bearessentials2/
P & B fabrics are not found everywhere and it's too bad, because they are good quality fabrics. I sold tons of them in my shop in Texas because we had a distribution center there. Mr Bear was a dear man who was beloved and active in the quilt industry until his death a few years ago, he is missed.
Jan in VA
02-20-2017, 05:13 AM
#30
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Heart of Colorado's majestic mountains!
Posts: 6,026
Great comments. I cannot seem to get comfortable with solids but I use a wide variety of blenders. There are a few lines of fabrics that come in such a variety of combinations that they fill every gap. "Fusions" and"Fossil Fern" come to mind. I also use a lot of marbles for this blending or bridging purposes.
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