I could cry....
08-31-2011, 05:03 AM
#11
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Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Long Island, New York
Posts: 1,063
Originally Posted by J.M.
Last december I bought background fabric for a quilt, I needed 11 meters but they only had 7 on roll - but they could order it, they said. All right, I bought the 7 meters, but it is now august and they still have no idea when the rest of my fabric is going to be in. So I found another store - a webshop I had ordered from before - that had the same fabric. Everything matched, number, line, brand, even the picture. But now I've got it and although it is the same fabric, the color difference is BIG. I have no idea why, different color bath, maybe the fabric from the store was out in the light too long, I don't know. But there is no way I can use both of them in my quilt. *cries*
Luckily I haven't started my quilt yet (I was smart enough to wait until I had all my fabric), but now I have a dilemma. I need to start searching for a good background fabric again (difficult enought the first time) and I need 11 meters of it (almost impossible to do, even though it need not be one piece); or I could use the 7 meters I have and find another fabric that looks nice with it and use that for all the sashing. The last one seems like a good option but I don't know if the 7 meters will be enough for all the blocks (they say about 7 1/2 yards for this quilt, which means I might just have enough - or I might just be a bit short, probably the latter), and it would change how I want the quilt to look. But after almost a year, I am dispairing of actually finding 11 meters of fabric...
Luckily I haven't started my quilt yet (I was smart enough to wait until I had all my fabric), but now I have a dilemma. I need to start searching for a good background fabric again (difficult enought the first time) and I need 11 meters of it (almost impossible to do, even though it need not be one piece); or I could use the 7 meters I have and find another fabric that looks nice with it and use that for all the sashing. The last one seems like a good option but I don't know if the 7 meters will be enough for all the blocks (they say about 7 1/2 yards for this quilt, which means I might just have enough - or I might just be a bit short, probably the latter), and it would change how I want the quilt to look. But after almost a year, I am dispairing of actually finding 11 meters of fabric...
I have been in this position before. I would "do the math" on the blocks and figure out exactly how much fabric is needed for the blocks. Maybe the pattern was written in with a bit of extra fabric built in. You wouldn't really know, though, unless you figure out how much of the background each block needs.
If there is no built in extra then I would look for a different sashing fabric. Or if the second batch of fabric is that really that off then maybe you could use that as the sashing. It might add a different dimension especially since the pattern orginally called for the same sashing and background fabric.
I would also post an ISO on the board with a picture of the fabric. Someone might have some in their stash from roughly around the time that you bought the original. Good luck - things will work out.
08-31-2011, 05:29 AM
#13
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Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 41,453
Make the background fabric you have work for you. Draw out your blocks on paper and find a design where you can either alternate the blocks or another design idea. I don't know what your blocks look like but perhaps you can use the second fabric to do setting triangles to put the blocks on point instead of sashing? This is your opportunity to be creative and make a whole new design!
08-31-2011, 05:40 AM
#14
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: selmer tn
Posts: 457
yes it quite often happens with dye lots i allways tell my guest to order there frabice all at 1 time becase dye lost are all different. never let theme tell u it will be the same. maybe u can return it at both places and reorder it all at the same time
08-31-2011, 05:44 AM
#15
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: DFW Texas
Posts: 641
I'm so sorry and hope you can find a coordiating fabric. This has happened to me before as well. I think fabric is probably like buying yarn. When buying yarn they suggest that you buy all at once because the dye-lots can be off on the next batch and vary enough to look way off. I know you couldn't get enough but maybe this will help you decide next time. Hope all turns out well!
08-31-2011, 07:34 AM
#19
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Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: on the Texas Coast
Posts: 4,020
Originally Posted by patski
you don't have to use one piece for the backing, If the 2 fabrics you have work together use them and a 3rd fabric between to blend, like use fabric1/ then a blender in the center and then fabric 2. I seldom use 1 piece for my backing. Good luck, just be creative, it will work out
08-31-2011, 10:39 AM
#20
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: the Netherlands
Posts: 260
After deliberating with my mother, who doesn't quilt but is very creative and always willing to think with me, I've decided to use the original 7 meters together with another matching fabric as background in my blocks and worry about the sashing when all the blocks are done. (I'll admit, I might even go for dark green sashing instead of the light color I had originally in mind)
So, problem solved (somewhat) :).
So, problem solved (somewhat) :).
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