Start with the letter shapes, then choose fabric
Text Me is built around curved letter, number, and sticker blocks. Because the shapes themselves carry the message, fabric choices should support legibility first and personality second. The book includes five unique patterns: Love Letters at 93" x 102", Easy As 123 at 85" x 85", Q3 at 47" x 55", Love Rocks at 35" x 40", and a Bonus Quilt with a size that varies. Each layout puts letters at different scales, so the same fabric can read very differently from one project to the next.
A practical approach is to choose one strong fabric for the letters and a quieter fabric for the background. Text prints work best when one of those two roles stays visually calm. If both the letter fabric and the background are busy, the curved shapes can disappear into the pattern.
Where text prints earn their place
Text prints are not a single look. They range from tiny type that reads as texture to large script that reads as a design element. Match the print's scale to the block size and the role it plays.
- Low-volume text as a background: Small, evenly spaced text on a light ground can add quiet interest behind solid or tonal letters. Keep the print small enough that it does not compete with the letter shapes at the viewing distance of the finished quilt.
- Text prints as the letters themselves: A medium-scale text print can make letter blocks feel playful, especially in projects like Love Rocks at 35" x 40" where the letters are a focal point. Check that the print does not obscure the curve seams.
- Text prints in sticker blocks: The sticker blocks in Easy As 123 and Q3 offer a natural home for text prints because they are smaller design elements. A text print can act as a label or caption without overwhelming the numbers.
- Directional text prints: Some text prints have a clear up direction. Decide before cutting whether you want all text to run the same way or whether a mix of directions suits the quilt's style. The Text Me book does not specify a directional rule, so this is your design choice.
Pair text prints with solids and tonals
The safest pairing for a text print is a solid or a low-contrast tonal. Solids let the print do the talking, while tonals add depth without adding another pattern. If you want to combine two text prints, separate them with a solid so the eye has a place to rest.
Contrast matters more than color matching. A light text print against a dark solid will make letters pop, while a mid-tone text print against a mid-tone solid can blur the letter edges. Before cutting, lay your chosen fabrics side by side and step back a few feet. If the letter shapes remain clear, the pairing is likely to work.
Text Me book details that shape fabric planning
- Text Me: Text Me is a 42-page book produced in collaboration with Sherilyn Mortensen of Sea Sherilyn Sew. The page count and collaboration context tell you this is a focused pattern book, not a general quilting reference, so fabric planning should follow the included projects.
Text Me - Text Me: The Wonder Curve Ruler is needed for projects in this book. Fabric choices should account for curved piecing, which rewards fabrics that do not hide seam lines or curve registration marks.
- Text Me: Colored registration marks on the Wonder Curve Ruler allow letters, numbers, and sticker blocks to be made in three sizes: small, medium, and large. Because the same block can be cut in three sizes, a text print that works at one scale may be too large or too small at another. Test your fabric at the size you plan to sew.
- Text Me: Text Me includes five unique patterns: Love Letters 93" x 102", Easy As 123 85" x 85", Q3 47" x 55", Love Rocks 35" x 40", and a Bonus Quilt with a size that varies. The range from small wall-size projects to bed-size quilts means fabric quantity and print scale decisions change with the pattern you choose.
- Text Me: An HST Alphabet Idea is included for makers who are not into sewing curves yet, showing an approach for making the alphabet with half square triangles and squares. If you plan to try the HST alphabet first, text prints can be used in the same way, but the block shapes are angular rather than curved, which changes how directional prints read.
A fabric test before you cut
You do not need to sew a full block to learn whether a text print will work. A small audition saves fabric and frustration.
- Cut one letter shape at the size you plan to use: Use the small, medium, or large size indicated by the Wonder Curve Ruler registration marks. A print that looks charming on the bolt may become unreadable once cut into a small letter.
- Place it on your intended background fabric: View the pair from several feet away and in the light where the quilt will live. This is the fastest way to catch a contrast problem before cutting the full project.
- Check the curve seam allowance: Curved piecing can clip the edges of a print. If the text print has motifs you want to preserve, confirm they fall inside the letter shape rather than across the seam line.
- Decide on directional text before cutting multiple letters: If you want all text to run the same way, mark your fabric's orientation. If you are comfortable with mixed directions, cut as the layout allows. The book leaves this choice open.
Paper or PDF: a format choice that affects fabric planning
Text Me is available in PAPER and PDF formats. The format does not change the fabric requirements, but it changes how you plan. A PDF can be viewed on a tablet at the cutting table, which helps when you are auditioning text prints against the block diagrams. A paper copy is easy to flip through and mark up. Either way, the fabric decisions above apply to both formats.
