Taken from, "Quilter's Complete Guide", By Marianne Fons and Liz Porter.

Fabrics for Quilts:

Most Quilt makers prefer 100% cotton broadcloth weight fabric for quilts.  It's easy to sew, neither too stretchy nor too tightly woven, doesn't ravel easily, washed well, and is relatively colorfast.  Cotton also takes a crease well so patchwork seams are easy to press, and seam allowances folded under for appliqué stay put.

Always purchase good quality fabric.  Train your eyes and your fingers to recognize quality yard good.  Avoid fabrics that feel stiff, are loosely woven and stretchy, or are misprinted.  Fabrics that would make a comfortable, durable blouse or man's shirt are the right texture, weave, and weight.

Fabric Terms:

Bias - The diagonal of a woven fabric is the bias.  The true bias is at a 45 degree angle to the selvages.  The bias has the most stretch or give.

Grain - The lengthwise and crosswise threads in woven fabric are the grain.  The lengthwise grain (warp) is parallel to the selvages.  Fabrics are most stable and have the least give on the lengthwise grain, since the warp threads are held taut in the loom during the weaving process.

The crosswise grain (weft) is perpendicular to the selvages and has a little more stretch than the lengthwise grain.  Arrows on patchwork pattern pieces indicate how the pieces should be placed on the fabric.  When using fabric without a nap or sheen, align the arrows with either the lengthwise or crosswise fabric grain.  This is called cutting pieces on the straight of grain.

Right and wrong side - Printed fabrics and fabrics with a finish, such as chintz, have a definite right side and wrong side.  Template tracings are made on the wrong side of the fabric for patchwork and the right side for appliqué.

Selvage - The lengthwise finished edges of the fabric are the selvages.   Since these edges do not have the same give as the rest of the fabric and are sometimes unprinted, avoid including them in the cut pieces.  Instead, use the edge as a guideline and place the template at least 1/2" from it.

Fabric Finishes:

Some fabrics are chemically or heat-treated to create certain effects or add desirable properties.  Below are some common finishes on cotton fabrics.

Permanent Press - This finish helps reduce wrinkling by building a memory into the fiber.  Permanent press fabrics can't be permanently straightened by pulling them on the bias; after washing and drying, they return to the way they were before they were washed.

Polished Finish - The polishes, shiny finish will dull or disappear on most 100% cotton fabrics after they have been washed.  Washing the fabric without soap or detergent will help retain the finish.  If a polished look is important for your quilt, consider using polyester/cotton fabrics that retain their sheen after washing.

Soil and Stain Resistant Finishes - These chemical finishes help prevent stains from setting into the fabric.  Unless the finish makes the fabric stiff or difficult to sew, fabrics with these finishes can be used in quilts.

How Much to Buy:

If you want to stockpile some fabrics, two obvious things to consider are your budget and the storage space you have available.  Here are a few guidelines to follow when deciding how much of a particular fabric to buy.  (What follows are how Fons and Porter buy their fabric).

We generally buy fabric in 1/4 yard, 1 yard, 3 yard, or 6 yard increments.  We buy 1/4 yard pieces if we have no plan for the fabric but just want to own some, or if we are gathering fabrics for a scrap quilt.  Quilt shops sell conventional 1/4 yard cuts and also special quilter's quarters, or fat quarters.  These pieces are approximately 18" x 22", which is often a more useful size than a conventional 9" x 44" piece.  Some shops also sell 9" x 18" pieces called fat eighths.

We buy 1 yard if we really like the fabric buy aren't sure how we will use it.  If we are considering using a fabric for a border on a full size quilt, we purchase at least 3 yards.  We buy at least 6 yards if the fabric is on sale, and if it would make a wonderful quilt backing.

Fabric Preparation:

We recommend that you wash, dry, and iron fabrics before using them in quilts.  Washing removes excess dye and sizing from the fabric and may shrink it also.  You can throw like colors in with the family's laundry.  We wash fabrics in warm water and detergent or Orvus Paste soap (a mild soap designed for washing livestock and available in quilt shops or at livestock supply stores) and dry them at a medium or permanent press setting in the dryer.

Some dark fabrics, especially reds, purples, and blues, tend to bleed or release dye during washing.  To test a fabric for colorfastness and to see if it has quit bleeding, stop your washing machine during the final rinse.  Scoop out some rinse water into a clear glass and look for color.  If the fabric is still bleeding, wash it again.  If it continues to bleed, don't use it in a quilt, or use it only with fabrics of similar color that won't be affected if it does bleed.

After washing, checking for colorfastness, and drying your fabrics, iron them with a steam iron set at the appropriate setting for the fabric.  (You may prefer to save this step until you are ready to cut the fabric.)

Notes from Jodie:  I am not a fan of ironing to iron, so I don't iron until I need to use the fabric.  Also, I read somewhere that another good reason to wash your fabric as soon as you buy it, is that there are some bugs who will feed off the chemicals in the fabrics, thus ruining it.

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