chris_quilts

OK, I have bitten by the OBW bug. My DDs don't think too much of them but who cares? I like the challenge. I'm trying to audition fabric via internet and have come to the conclusion that tt is a pointless exercise. I'm guessing you must have to see the fabric(s) in person so that you see the repeats, backgrounds and whatever might be useful to know about the fabric. Am I correct in this thinking? Also, some colors but not too many and some background other than a plain/solid color? I just need some pointers and cannot find the thread that discusses this in depth. Thanks in advance for any help.

DogHouseMom

yes, it is better to see the whole fabric so that you can measure the repeats to know how much to buy. So many online stores not only don't show you a whole repeat - but don't tell you how big the repeat is.

Now bear in mind I've only done a few OBW so I'm certainly expert. We have plenty of people here on the board with far more experience than I, but here's my two cents.

I like to find a good amount of color variation in reasonable sizes (ie a spot of red the size of a dime in an otherwise mixed green background isn't enough). A small amount of plain background can also be fun to work with. Fabrics that have some linear elements (like stems of flowers) can produce striking effects as well.

You can also either get an OBW folded mirror, or bring two small mirrors with you to audition fabric. Hold them at right angles to each other on top of the fabric in 3-4 different places to see if you like the effect it produces.

Good luck and have fun!

PWinston

Here is a link for the thread that discusses fabric choices. If you have other questions about OBW, just look under Cutebuns postings.

http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-34937-1.htm