Plaids in Quilting

Plaids.... I love plaids, always have. So when I designed the Snowman Snow Globe quilt I was giddy to work with plaids. Marcus Fabrics Primo Plaids are so yummy to work with. They are soft and such rich beautiful colors, a joy to work with. 

While working on the Snowman Snow Globe design, I did not bother to match plaids. If you learned how to sew garments before learning to quilt, you paid very close attention to matching plaids and stripes when sewing. I remember lining up plaids while cutting out shirts or skirt patterns when I would sew clothes. I still do when I sew blouses for myself. But when working on a quilt, I throw that rule right out the window! I know that this goes against anything you may have learned but on a quilt, especially when piecing small blocks, it's insane to match those lines. Add a piece that's cut on a diagonal and spin it around in a block and you might as well check yourself into the, nice place with the padded walls. 

I find that the unmatched lines add interest and charm to a quilt. Remember when quilting was a necessity and not a hobby, there was little attention paid to matching a plaid. Or having all your 'blue', 'red' or whatever your main color fabric was come from the same bolt of fabric. 

 I love how the unmatched plaids add charm to the Snowman Snow Globe quilt. Remember, when you stand back and look at the quilt, it's consistent in appearance. So don't fret about plaids in your quilt blocks. Have fun and create!

Now, let me throw a curveball.... I do match the plaids when I cut strips for a border or try to cut a continuous piece for a border. Especially if the fabric has a pronounced stripe or plaid to it.

I hope this helps you not shy away from working with plaids in a quilt, any quilt. Treat the fabric as a solid 'color' not as a plaid or stripe. When cutting, rotary cut your fabric as you would normally do for a quilt.

Happy quilting!

Cindy and Belvedere

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