advice on Caswell Quilt please
 

I just ordered the pattern and started a stash of CW fabric. I went for hours through online shops (and got the credit card to the melting point......) but i could not find the perfect background fabric.

I would like one striped and one with a light pattern but it is very hard to tell from pictures whether the fabric would fit or not. Did anybody make this quilt and has a suggestion?

Thanks for reading
Granny

Just looked up the pattern & it's going to be a beautiful quilt. Don't have advice for you except that maybe if you see something you are interested in maybe the shop could send you a snip of fabric before actually purchasing all of it first. I don't know if shops will do this but I know I would if I owned a shop.
https://sentimentalstitches.myshopif...-caswell-quilt

What on line shops did you try? When I'm looking for backgrounds, I'll often try the Fat Quarter Shop. Their photos of the fabrics are excellent, and they are easy to search. I usually put a bunch in my cart, and then one can view the thumbnails all together when viewing the cart, which helps in assessing how the fabrics compare to each other and what the distance effect will be.

Since it's such a major project, you might consider ordering half yards of some of your favorite possibilities, just to be sure. It is such a beautiful quilt!

You might try Primitive Gatherings lines of fabric. Their collections have small prints. This link is for Missouri Quilt Store, but Fat Quarter Shop as well as others carry the same collections. The lines are made by Moda. https://www.missouriquiltco.com/shop/browse/457

I'm sure it will be a while, but please post pictures!

That is an amazing quilt! I don't have fabric advice, other than not to stress over matching the fabrics in the pattern too closely. When I looked at the carpet it's based on, the quilt designer has obviously taken a lot of artistic license. You should feel free to do the same.

For reference, here is the original carpet (another incredible work): http://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/13576

Hi there, although I am not a fan of CW fabrics, I did search out some of the Caswell quilt pictures. This one blog looks like her background fabrics are similar to what you are describing. I wonder if you contacted her if she would be willing to share her fabric info with you? http://quiltingbycelia.blogspot.ca/2...ell-quilt.html

I see you are in Switzerland, when we visited Germany last year I found a great little shop in Langenfeld. I don't know if they carry CW because it isn't something I look for, but maybe you could email them? http://www.karoundstreifen.de/Bilder...aeft-Naehcafe/

I visited Temecula Quilt Company yesterday, and they had CW reproduction fabrics....don't know about yardage, but perhaps you can ask them?
http://temeculaquiltco.com/kits.html

Looking at the pattern, each block has a different background fabric. So you don't have to commit to the "perfect" fabric. I saw a nice hand cut "selection" of fabrics that might do nicely (just read it on the board today).....I think it was Kansas Troubles. Let me find the link...

http://www.ktquilts.com/shop/KT-Prec...s-x2875673.htm

The owner cut these herself to make a pre-cut. Maybe she can make a pre-cut for you the exact size of your Caswell background block. what is it? 10.5", 12.5", 16.5"? Ask her, see what she says.

I found a similar fabric like the tone on tone background in a wide backing fabric. Don't remember who made it but don't discount the wide fabrics for prints............just buy less.

Thank you all so much.
The German shop is 450 miles from the Swiss border.........not being in the European union the postage is about the same as from USA!? Swiss quilters life is hard.

I ordered from Hancock of Paducah, Cottonpatchfabric (the only ones that had the pattern available) and the fatquartershop. And oksewglad is cutting off corners of her stash for me :-)

I would like to stick to two different background fabrics. I like one slightly brighter than the other as seen in most Caswell quilts. Each block with a different background might get too agitated.

I saw that particular blog but the last entry is quite a while ago and might come up with a fabric line not available anymore. I also knew that the pattern comes from a famous carpet, but I have never seen a picture before. Thank you for that also and the artistic freedom is really limitless.
Collections for a cause is coming closest but I could not decide yet. To buy different ones in half yard cuts or backing fabric might also be an idea.
Granny

I have quit buying border fabric until the quilt is finished. The reason??... When the quilt is finished, I don't like the original border and have to go buy more border fabric. Unless you know exactly what you want, I would not stress to get the border fabrics. The quilt is gorgeous by the way.