Quilts can literally be made from any fabric depending on your intended use and purpose. Primarily, they have one of two purposes either utility or beauty. Utility quilts incorporate a variety of scrap fabrics including old clothes cut into large square patches. No frills are needed because their purpose is warmth or protection, so they are perfect for camp and such. More commonly quilts are gifted, contest quality, or for home décor and merit careful fabric selection.

Hand-made quilts are the express result of your time, skill and planning thus warrants purchasing the best quality fabrics. Cotton is the fabric of choice, specifically a good grade of 100% cotton that is pre-shrunk and colorfast. Cheaper cotton materials bleed colors, shrink during laundering and render your hard work as futile. Blended fabrics of cotton and polyester can be used but only if the percent of cotton is well above half, otherwise the quilt may be quite heavy, also less than half cotton content can be difficult to manage due to texture. Avoid synthetic materials, as they pucker and even ironing doesn’t flatten the seams. Simply, cotton and quilts go together without debate per experienced crafters and surpasses other fabrics hands down.

Before buying yards of materials, have a vision or pattern of the quilt you want and the size desired. For a sectioned design purchase enough materials for one unit, assemble the piece, and check it for size, a run through the laundry to assure durability is a good idea too. Most important is whether your expectations are met and do you like it. Then go purchase the material needed to complete the quilt. Remember to keep fabric dye lots in sync if more than one bolt is needed to meet the requirements.