Four short weeks ago I had no idea how much work this project would be. In that time fabric arrived, testers were chosen, fabric cut, cut again, sorted into piles, each piece individually labeled, piles were sorted and packets sent. From just over 50 volunteers I was able to take 28, and they are all now receiving their hand crafted packets.

What’s in the packets? Testers are still hard at work on blind evaluations, and until they are all done no exact info will be given. But here’s the breakdown from a high level.

Brands:

That’s only 32 brands, but some brands had options; premium fabrics, shades of difference, or lines with a different finish. The highest number of options per brand is 4, with 1 being the least.

Price Stats (per yard):
Range: $2.50 – $18.50
Median: $7.70
Average: $8.04

Weight per 1/4 yard (hand cut) in grams:
Range: 26g – 51g
Median: 38g
Average: 37.5g

Color:
14 “shades” as given by manufacturers, however each fabric is unique! Color and feel are easily the deepest subject in this survey, and as soon as the testers have finished evaluations here there will be much more to say.

So what’s the plan? Here’s the break down of tests I’ll be running.

Wash
9×9 squares run through the washer + dryer, evaluated after the first wash, 5th wash, and 10th wash.
Wash: sewn
same as above, but with 4×4 inch squares sewn into a 4 patch with another Fabric and bound.
Water Fade
Fabric left in plain water for 24 hours, and water with soap for 24 hours
Sun Fade
Fabric left near a window with direct sun for a few weeks
Weather
Fabric left outside in the elements
Wrinkle
Crumbled up into a ball and evaluated
Weave
Fabric photos under magnification
Weight
How much does it weigh? This test is complete!
Stretch
How much?
Pet Hair
How much hair will this fabric hold as a dog quilt?
Color
Base Color, ranking, and more

And finally, what are the testers looking at? Here’s the questions each tester will be answering about each sample:

• Rate the color depth of the sample from 1 to 10 with 1 being dark grey and 10 being pitch black
• If you can see a base color other than black, what color is it?
• Rate the feel of the sample from 1 to 10 with 1 being ‘Hated it’ and 10 being ‘This fabric is amazing!’
• Rate the opacity of the sample from 1 to 10 with 1 being objects clearly visible behind it and 10 being totally opaque
• Rate the overall quality of the sample from 1 to 10 with 1 being horrible and 10 being outstanding
• What brand would you guess this fabric is?
• Additional Comments

Here’s what to look out for in the near future:

January 11th – 17th: Meet the fabrics: Instagram posts with up-close images and weight of each fabric on @blockingclever #blackfabricproject #bfp_fabrics
February 15th: Tester Survey Deadlines; sample identity revealed and initial test results
March 15th: Test BFP mini-quilt tops complete
March 16th – March 21st: Voting open to determine the winner of the BFP tester quilt contest

Follow #blackfabricproject on instagram for ongoing posts from the amazing testers and myself. I need to give a HUGE thank you to everyone that volunteered, and everyone participating in this effort!

Cover photo courtesy of https://www.instagram.com/46thavequilts/