How to Mix African Wax Prints with Traditional Quilting Cottons

Combining African Wax Prints with traditional quilting cottons can unlock a whole new level of creativity in your quilting projects. Bold, vibrant, and full of personality, African Wax Prints bring life to every design. But many quilters wonder: Can I mix them with the quilting cottons I already have in my stash? The answer is a resounding yes!—and here's how to do it with style and confidence.

🎨 Why Mix African Wax Prints with Quilting Cottons?

African Wax Prints, known for their saturated color, striking patterns, and symbolic designs, add movement and meaning to your quilts. Pairing them with traditional quilting cottons—solids, tone-on-tones, or subtle prints—can create stunning visual contrast and help those bold fabrics really shine.

You don’t have to choose between them—blend them for balance!

🧵 Fabric Compatibility: What You Need to Know

The first thing to consider is fabric weight and weave. Thankfully, both African Wax Prints and most quilting cottons are medium-weight cotton fabrics. That means:

• They stitch, press, and cut similarly

• They work well in the same quilt without puckering or pulling

• You can treat them the same when piecing and quilting

🔎 Tip: Some African Wax fabrics may feel stiffer due to the wax finish. A gentle prewash helps soften the hand and removes excess dye or residue.

🧼 Should You Prewash?

Yes—especially if you're mixing pre-washed quilting cottons with African Wax Prints. Prewashing helps:

• Prevent dye transfer (some prints are deeply saturated)

• Remove sizing or wax finishes

• Pre-shrink the fabrics for even piecing

Wash your prints in cold water with a color catcher the first time, and press them well before cutting.

🎯 5 Design Tips for Mixing These Fabrics

1. Start with a Feature Print

Choose one African Wax Print to be the star of your quilt. Build your color palette around it using coordinating solids or subtle quilting prints.

2. Use Solids to Provide Breathing Room

Solid quilting cottons can tone down the intensity of wax prints and give the eye a place to rest—just like negative space in modern quilting.

3. Play with Scale

Pair large-scale African prints with small-scale traditional prints for dynamic contrast. This helps each pattern stand out without overwhelming the quilt.

4. Use Traditional Blocks with a Twist

Classic quilt blocks (like log cabins, churn dash, or flying geese) get a modern, global makeover when made with African Wax Prints.

5. Mind Your Value

Mix lights, mediums, and darks from both print types to create depth and movement. Try photographing your fabric pull in black and white to check contrast.

🧩 Where to Use Each Fabric

Here are some ideas to get you started:

Wax Prints	Quilting Cottons
Focal points / large blocks	Backgrounds & sashings
Borders & center medallions	Small piecing & half-squares
Improv piecing	Traditional block templates

🧵 Final Thoughts

Combining African Wax Prints with traditional quilting cottons not only works—it adds richness and dimension to your quilts. Whether you're aiming for a modern, eclectic look or honoring global textile traditions, this combination brings texture, story, and vibrant beauty to your craft.

So go ahead—raid your stash, pull out those bright Wax Prints, and let your creativity run wild!

👉 Need Precuts to Start Mixing?

Check out our curated bundles of African Wax Print precuts at SoulofCloth.com

Quilt shown using Kente 10" Squares