black fabric?

Just be aware that it is going to pick up the slightest fibre in the air

- it doesn't even have to touch the fabric, but it will stick. If you do use batting that beards, it will show that, too. I have tended towards tone on tone 'blacks' for a while now, because I can never seem to get it 'clean'. It looks wonderful, though >g< especially with bright colours. . In message , Janner writes

I like RJR Confetti - a black with lots of tiny dots of many colors. It keeps a quilt from saying "this is a very serious occasion". Of course, you might not want that - I just use it for black sheep, dump truck tires and such. Another black I keep on hand is from Moda. It ravels really well if you have a need to do a hairy raw-edge appliqué; especially good on bumble bees. Polly

I love black - I buy Kona black by the bolt and I'm on my second 20 yard bolt in the last few years. I agree that it does pick up lint and threads. Also it can be a beast to see what you are doing, if you are old like me. Also it can be false economy to buy cheap black. Before I bought the Kona, I bought a bolt of black was a buck a yard or so cheaper. Black dye in general is apparently very harsh. To my dismay, that fabric was dyed with something that deteriorated the fabric badly. I washed a quilt made with some of it, and it the black fabric fell apart in multiple places. I checked the fabric I had left and found I could rip it to shreds with very little effort. So out it went. Sadly; one of my favorite wall quilts, done in a lot of African fabrics, also used a lot of that black, and I dust it very gingerly. I suppose when I finally have to wash it, I will do so very, very carefully by hand and hope for the best.

Some people recommend Amish black fabric, which is for sale here and there on line. I've never used it myself. I do like tone on tone and patterned blacks too. Someday I have to get me some of that confetti black Polly loves. I am sure I would love that too!

Iris (however, due to overindulgence, I am still on "no-buy" for a while - using up all the great fabric I forgot I have!)

Oh Iris. Oh my! OHHHhhhh. Your story scares me. If I ever get serious and need black, I'll go stalk Kona and pay whatever they ask. Polly