We have Lift off! Welcome to the Launch Status Check Quilt Along! I'm super excited to take a deep look at this quilt and thrilled to tell you we have some great Quilt Along Sponsors too! This week we are choosing our fabrics!
It's never too late to join in the quilt along fun. Even if all you have time for is the pillow version of the pattern (included with the pattern) join along! You can sign up here.
Let's take a look at some of the things you will want to consider when choosing the fabric for this pattern. Color choices can be difficult. But I like to start with WHO is getting the quilt and WHERE the quilt might go. That can help get you started. Maybe a rocket or galaxy print stands out to you for the backing and you start there? Maybe their favorite color comes is what you use for the rockets. There is so much to color theory and how it applies to quilting but I'm going to share what I feel is most important for the Launch Status Check quilt.
PATTERN VARIATIONS
Before you choose your fabric read through the pattern. There are some really fun color variations to the pattern. But there are also bonus variations included in the pattern to make a pillow or to change the pattern to have a border and only full rockets. There are also three Add-on Variations for the pattern available: Rainbow/Ombre, Boosters and Stripes. These could all change your fabric requirements a little. I'm excited to see what you all choose!
WARNING
The right color combinations can be incredible but I definitely want to make sure you saw the warning in the pattern on the bottom of Page 2. Skin tones on the rockets can make them look very phallic. If you are considering a skin tone on the quilt, perhaps make it the background, the rocket flares, or the binding instead?
SOLIDS
That aside, how do you choose a color for your quilt? With this quilt, I definitely lean towards solids for the front with a coordinating print on the back. But there's nothing like getting a solid quilt top all finished and then having to search and wait for the right backing to come along that coordinates. I am happy to say I have had several solid quilts work out despite waiting until the end to choose the backing BUT you can save time and energy by choosing the backing for the quilt first, then finding the solids to match!
CONTRAST
Value is the lightness or darkness of a color. There are in depth lessons on using Value to have in quilting and I can't teach it all here. But the important part for you is to know what the value of each fabric will do when combined. That is contrast, or the lack thereof. Using different levels of contrast between the value will have different effects. Low contrast can give a soft, subtle effect in lighter fabrics while giving a rich but still subtle look with darker fabrics. High contrast will give a bold look and can make elements, like the rockets, really stand out! You will also want to consider what that does to the rocket flares! Do you want them to blend in to the background or pop with the rockets?
PRINTS
Although solids look great with the pattern, prints do as well. This quilt is built with a lot of Half-Square Triangles which are difficult for prints that are directional (one way is up) so be careful while choosing those fabrics. It's a matter of personal preference but when fabric has a direction I personally like every piece of it in the quilt to match in direction. You can also play around with the direction to create fun effects.
Also consider the scale of the print. Bigger prints can be incredible as long as they won't look too chopped up. The rocket blocks are larger but the rocket flares are really much smaller. You might go with a larger print for the background and rockets and a smaller print for the rocket flares.
COLORING PAGE
Now that we've walked through color choices it's time for you to pick your fabric! If you would like a copy of just the coloring page, you can download the PFD or JPG here. You can use Procreate or other coloring apps and test color digitally.