In your current projects, do you find that you're using more blenders than last year? The same amount? Or less?

Do you prefer marbles/mottled fabrics, or tonal prints?

Are your tastes changing?

We've been noticing a trend, in our shop... but I wanted to ask "The Quilters" before I share what we've been seeing.

I tend toward marbles or mottled rather than just plain colors. Is that what you were inquiring about?

I use all 3 a LOT LOL I can use other fabrics that are harder to find matching prints, and they are becoming more readily available here. :D:D:D

I like the moda marbles for blenders but I do use more "prints" as blenders than I used to. Adds more interest to the quilt.

It was a sort of vague question, wasn't it? Really I should have asked marbles vs. solids vs. tonal prints that "read solid".

I also prefer the marbles over solids any day. Maybe that is also why I like batiks so much because there is nothing plain about them.

Solids are not my thing. I really like the blenders.

I read an article somewhere that solids are the thing now. I just wrote it off as the manufacturers trying to get us to buy solids. I did see a quilt made of all solids but I felt that if they had used marbles it would have been prettier. I still prefer marbles--seems to have more depth.

marbles/mottled fabrics

If I were only allowed to buy this type of fabic the rest of my life I would still be happy.

It depends on the quilt what seems to fit.

As a rule I do tend to gravitate towards mottled/marbled 'solids' rather than true solids. Sometimes I will also use a tone on tone print.

The exception so far being when I'm doing a really bright print that begs for equally bright solids to go with it...like the 'girl bugs' fabric with the bright lime background and bright pink and yellow in the print. I used a slightly darker bright lime and a bright yellow solid on that one. Wished I had added a bright pink piping, but I was already done when I thought of that!

i like the different blends seem to use them a lot

I'm a big fan of tone on tone prints. Really haven't used very many marbled/mottled blenders, but I agree they're better than plain old solids.

I love to use them! I just do not like a true solid color. I have just discovered this in the past 2 years.

Tone on tone, marbled or mottled mostly!! Once in a great while I might use a solid for a narrow sashing or border but not anything wider than an inch or so.

Blenders are my favorite. I tend to lean toward Moda Marbles and the ? Fusions. I love to see the added movement in the quilt when it is put together.

I like mottled blenders. And I like teeny tiny prints for my binding.

I use solids, marbles, TOTs, and tonal batiks almost exclusively now, so, as a group, probably somewhat more than last year. Not sure if they can be called 'blenders' if I use nothing else, but what the hey. :lol:

I use marbles the least because I'm not happy with the current quality of Moda Marbles (it's too thin, imho) and I don't like the marble effect on most other lines. I do keep looking for them, however.

I use solids a lot, both for 100% solid quilts and in combination with anything and everything else. I also use solids as a base fabric for discharging, stamping, and printing. In solids, I use Kona Solids and Moda Bella exclusively.

The tonals, both regular and batik, are the bulk of what I now buy and use. Because color is so important, and 'playing well with others already in the game' is critical, I usually buy in person and my LQS is quite used to me finding a patch of daylight to compare color matches. :oops: Only if I am replenishing something I have used before, will I buy online (and I refuse to match colors in person then go buy it online, the local shop owners are friends of mine).

You did not mention hand-dyes and gradations, but those also play a role in the 'blender' category and I am starting to add more to my stash, both through purchase and experimenting with dyeing my own.

No, I don't think my tastes are changing, just becoming more refined. :lol:

I don't use solids....so blenders are marbled or small prints that read almost solid.

my favorite--fossel ferns then batiks+hand dyes

I like the molted fabrics, they are so pretty, and give the project more "texture" than any solid.

I like to use solids since I don't like busy quilts.

I rarely use anything but blenders and solids. Moda Marbles and Bella solids make up the bulk of my stash, I buy both by the bolt.

I also have some Hoffman batiks, but don't use those as much... not much on the look of batiks in quilts unless it's applique.

I really like solids for my Amish quilts, and for a rest place in my quilts. I have gotten away from most calico prints, and fussy prints, I like hand dyed, solids, batiks, and mottled fabrics, as well as TOT.

I prefer the marbled/mottled ones, then tone-on-tone. I find I do not use solids much at all, except black. Then I use the dark Amish black.

I love marbles/mottled colors, but I also use a lot of tone on tone prints that read as solids. Compared to a year ago, I'd say I use more marbles than I did then.

I don't use solids. I use tone on tones and blenders. My favorites are the Robert Kaufman Fusions.

The only solids I use are black Konas. I like tone on tones.

I prefer blenders to solids, unless we're talking black. Black really does make other colors pop.
I just bought a yard each of four different Mark Lipinski's new blenders in Vermont today. I haven't seen them here in NH yet and they are gorgeous.

I use less blenders this year and also less thematic prints.

I strongely prefer tone on tone over solids for blenders.

The only solids I buy are kona black and kona red and solids for 1930-s fabrics. Have some in every color for that time frame but I only use them with my 1930 prints and sparingly.

I liked the fossil ferns, Hoffman batik and am at the end of a big stack of patrick loose fabric. For some reason the moda marbles do not appeal as much to me.

I dont use solids but I use all of the others alot.