Every stash has one: the fabric you can’t let go, but also can’t figure out how to use in a project. Mine is a Nani Iro print, and it’s been sitting in my collection for nearly a decade. It never even makes it out for audition when I’m putting together fabrics. I love the dots…but that orange? Nothing else in my stash comes anywhere near it. 

There's a specific kind of paralysis that comes with a fabric you love but can't commit to. You know it belongs in something beautiful, you just don't know what. For me, that fabric is a Rifle Paper Company x Cotton + Steel print from 2018. (Yes, 2018. I know.) I love it. But every time I've pulled it out, I've put it right back. I couldn't figure out what to pair it with. So I finally decided to stop avoiding it and actually commit to a palette.

One of my favorite ways to use Palette Scout is by matching my deck to artwork I love, then applying the palette to something entirely new. This quilt I made for my daughter is the perfect example of how that process works. 

 If your stash is full of beautiful fabrics waiting for their moment, you’re not alone. Quilt designer Amanda Kelly gets it, and she's here to help. In this blog post, Amanda walks us through how she uses Palette Scout to design color palettes for quilting, and demonstrates how a solid color palette can help you put some of those long-forgotten fabrics to use.