Fabric First: How a New Pixelated Quilt Comes to Life!

Hey quilty friends, welcome back to another Brooke’s Bitchin’ Road Trip Rest Stop!

This week, instead of traveling to a new state, we’re pulling over for something extra special — a behind-the-scenes look at a brand-new pixelated quilt pattern I’m creating!

After weeks of planning, sketching, and perfecting the design, it’s officially time to start fusing my newest quilt project to life. And let me tell you… I’m buzzing with excitement!

For this quilt sample, I picked out a moody, bold color palette:

• A few different shades of gray

• A striking black

• And a pop of one of my current favorite colors… teal!

How I Choose Fabric for a New Quilt Pattern:

When it comes to choosing fabric for a quilt, I always start with the feeling I want the finished quilt to have. Do I want it bold and modern? Soft and cozy? Playful and bright? Once I know the vibe, I move onto color selection.

For pixelated quilts especially, I look for:

• Strong contrast: Light, medium, and dark shades help the design pop.

• Texture without too much busy-ness: I love subtle prints like tone-on-tones, small geometrics, or solids that don’t overpower the overall pixel effect.

• A pop color: A single bold color (like my teal in this project!) can bring so much life to a quilt.

  
  

After that, it’s all about playing with the fabric pull — laying different combinations out side-by-side, squinting (yes, squinting helps you see contrast better!), and trusting my gut. If it makes me excited to start sewing, I know it’s the right choice!

(You’ll spot a picture of the fabric pull below — it’s giving all the off-road -modern vibes I was hoping for!)

Fabric pull for new quilt pattern.....

Over the next few weeks, you’ll find me deep in the creative zone — fusing fabric squares, piecing everything together, and watching this design take shape one section at a time. It's one of my favorite parts of the process... seeing an idea jump off the sketchpad and start to become something real!

I’ll be sharing more sneak peeks and progress photos as I work through the quilt, so stay tuned right here and on my social media pages.

Thank you for making these Rest Stops such an incredible part of our journey. Whether we’re exploring a new state or stitching up something brand new, your encouragement fuels every step (and stitch!) I take.

Any guesses what the theme of this new quilt might be? I'd love to hear your ideas — drop a comment below!

Until next time,

Happy fusing and happy trails,

Brooke

Brooke’s Bitchin’ Stitches