To quilters : How to choose quilt fabrics?

The reason cotton is best is because it is easy to launder. You can make a quilt from any kind of fabric and quilting in itself has nothing to do with fabric choices. Many people confuse patchwork with quilting. Quilting is the process of putting together the layers of fabric and batting. You can take two bed sheets, make a sort of sandwich by putting a layer of batting between them, and make a quilt. A patchwork quick is only one type of quilt. There are many books and internet articles available on quilt making. The Quilting Arts website (http://www.quiltingdaily.com/) offers a free email newsletter and free ebooks you can download with simple projects and quilt making instructions. It takes a long while to make a quilt, which is why it is mostly done by little old ladies who no longer have jobs or children to care for. You should start small with things like quilted pot holders and then make wall hangings and lap quilts to work your way up to a full sized quilt for a bed. Of course it helps if you already know how to sew.

Well I do use 100% cotton but I also use micro fleece as a backing/batting. I have also used old jeans (use a thicker needle for this) and sateens (use after some experience they are slippery!) and flannel, love to use flannel. As for colors and prints it changes per quilt. I choose a light, mid, and dark color, then I mix print sizes. For my nine patch mother's tears quilt I did each patch with it's own color/print combo and then placed on point with a dark small paisly print in between each block to show case each square. I am going to try to post a picture here I hope it goes through.

I usually do buy the 100% cotton....I have a bunch of pattern books and I pick out something I like and they buy the material after I have the pattern in mind....the internet also I am sure has tons of patterns and insturction...I loved quilting. It's like putting a puzzle together!