Choosing Fabric for Fabric Collage (Updated with Video)

I received the following comment on my Facebook page the other day:

“Question: Do you use Batiks exclusively or regular cotton fabric as well? Many of these pieces have so much detail in the fabric that I’m guessing you would have to be shopping for fabric all the time in order to find the best fit for your piece.”

This along with my recent experience in my classes, convinced me that I hadn’t given enough guidance on how to choose fabric for fabric collage. It’s doesn’t happen all the time, but too often my students arrive in class without the right fabric for their subject, despite having read my original blog post “Choosing Fabric for Fabric Collage” (see below). Choosing fabric to bring to class continues to be a challenge.