Outside of your quilting tools, the other thing you need to get started on quilting is fabric! Finding fabric is one of my absolute favorite parts of quilting. I think it is so much fun to test out different combinations and color schemes and I could spend hours scrolling through online fabric stores. Before you jump in to fabric shopping-here is some lingo you should know:
Yardage vs. Precut
Yardage: this is fabric that is cut by the yard. Some stores will only cut in increments of one yard, while others will cut as small as 1/4 of a yard. A yard of fabric typically measures between 42-44 inches in width and 36 inches in length.
1/4 yard = 9 inches by 42-44 inches
1/2 yard = 18 inches by 42-44 inches
3/4 yard = 27 inches by 42-44 inches
1 yard = 36 inches by 42-44 inches
Precuts: this is fabric that is already cut in to smaller pieces. Some shops will also call these bundles. Some common precuts are:
Charm Packs = a pack of 5 inch by 5 inch squares
Layer Cake = a pack of 10 inch by 10 inch squares
Jelly Roll = a pack of 2.5 inch by 42-44 inch strips
Fat 16th = 9 inch by 11 inch cut of fabric
Fat 8th = 9 inch by 22 inch cut of fabric
Fat Quarter = 18 inch by 22 inch cut of fabric
Solids vs. Prints
Solid Fabric: this is fabric that is dyed one color which will be the same on both the front and back of fabric. This creates a fabric where either side can be the right side of the fabric
Print or Pattern Fabric: this is fabric which has a pattern printed on to one side of the fabric. This creates a right side (the side where the pattern has been printed) and a wrong side (the side without the printing)
When looking for fabric to begin quilting, I recommend starting with quilting cotton, which is 100% cotton and a touch sturdier than the cotton clothes are often made from. I have linked some of my favorite fabric shops below for you to start browsing!
Some of my favorite fabric shops
Cooper Street Quilts 