What is an ombre fabric? That seems like a simple question–right? Wrong! What fun–we get to dabble in both etymology–the study of word origins–and color theory!

Let’s tackle color theory first. Hue refers to the primary and secondary (sometimes tertiary) colors of the spectrum: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. Good old ROY G. BIV! Now imagine yourself mixing paint. Tint is what you get when you mix white into a hue. Shade is what you get when you mix black into a hue. Value is the relative lightness or darkness of a color. Now imagine that you have mixed a whole bunch of both tints and shades of one hue. If you arranged them in order by value from dark to light–or the opposite–you would be displaying gradients of one hue. If fabric is dyed this way, it is called gradient fabric.

How about a bit of etymology next? Ombre is a game played with a forty-card, Spanish deck that was popular during the 1700s. Do you know anyone who plays? Probably not. We don’t really need this word any longer. (Unless you are writing or reading a historical novel!) The French verb ombré is the past participle of ombrer which means to shade. Ombré describes something colored in gradients of the same hue arranged from lightest to darkest or vice versa. Clearly the word we really need for gradient fabrics is ombré fabrics, but who has time to add that little accent mark when we type and text? The good news is that the English language changes all the time to match the needs of its users. We can certainly recycle ombre to describe ombre fabric which is popular in fashion, home apparel sewing, and in quilting. More good news–Missouri Star has ombre fabric for sale and patterns perfect for ombre fabric!

Who makes ombre fabric? Many manufacturers produce ombre fabric by the yard. Maywood Studios produces Gelato ombre fabric in single hue options such as blue, purple, and red. Maywood Studios also offers interesting twists on ombre. For example, an option that transitions between deep pink, orange, and yellow or another that transitions between violet, blue, and teal. Moda ombre fabric is available in single hue ombre quilting fabric and Ombre Confetti Metallic–on top of the ombre dye Moda has printed metallic dots. Do you like batiks? We have Artisan Batiks–Patina Handpaints ombre fabrics by the yard. We also carry beautiful 108” wide ombre fabric for quilting the back side of your quilt.

Some manufacturers offer precut ombre fabrics for quilting. However, it is not common to find an ombre fabric bundle in small sizes such as Charm Packs because you lose the transitions between values. An ombre fabric jelly roll or a fat quarter bundle or Layer Cake allows a better display of the fabric’s beautiful gradient.

Missouri Star offers ombre fabric quilt patterns that have been specifically designed to take advantage of the gradients in ombre quilt fabric. You can choose which of the ombre quilt fabrics you want to use–a “plain” ombre, a batik ombre, an Ombre Confetti Metallic, one of the ombres with a twist? A pattern gives you a place to start. The fabric you choose and the inherent nature of ombre fabrics will make the pattern uniquely yours! Whatever you do with ombre fabric, have fun with this gorgeous fabric that is all about color!

Now that you know all about Ombre fabric, watch this fantastic tutorial with Jenny. She uses the beautiful Ombre Confetti fabric collection to make a stunning Brick Yard Quilt! This tutorial really showcases the vibrant colors the ombre fabric comes in. We know you will be inspired to create your own ombre fabric masterpiece!