Thread: How do you pick your colours

Originally Posted by thimblebug6000

I love colour and have always admired Jinny Beyer's work. Here is a video describing her method of choosing fabrics that you might enjoy. Years ago I did have her palette but it was a very old one and I never updated the fabrics in it, so gave it away eventually. You could make a similar item yourself with paint chips. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9xV73VpccA

Maybe Craftsy has a class on colour? Here's another blog that has some helpful hints. http://www.diaryofaquilter.com/2013/...c-virtual.html

try to get your hands on Jinny Beyers book on color--really helps!

I label myself as "color challenged." I usually have a great deal of trouble being happy with my fabric selections. Because of that, many of my quilts are shades of one color. I can be very happy with that. It might be an idea for you, at least for the moment. I also like to use white with shades of one color... Everything goes with white.

Dina

To look at fabric on line..... go to quiltshops.com..... there are over 200 quilt shops there, you can look at fabric to your hearts content!

If you like a particular designer and you choose fabrics that they create for various manufacturers...you can be somewhat assured that the color pallet that they use can be safely combined with most all the designs they create as to color. That does not take into consideration scale or pattern, but they too are human and tend to work within their color comfort zone. There are obvious exceptions and some designers are far more inventive but I still see a color commonality even when it appears they have veered off their more predictable design path. This seems to work for me: when you lay out your colors/patterns, if you squint your eyes so as to blur your vision and look at your choices...if one "pops" out as distracting...unless you are committed to its use...consider its removal and proceed. I see some people suggest using a door "peephole" for a similar purpose. Color is something that can drive people to distraction, but the first thing to remember is this craft is for your enjoyment and if you like it...use it, obviously within reason. However, if you are still uncertain there are free color classes on Craftsy from time to time, likely tutorials on the internet and then advice from others. It has also been pointed out to me, more than once, that men often think outside the box and that my color choices were daring, but not poorly chosen. Take what you pick to a person whose color sense and design combinations you admire, do it a couple of times and if they find what you do to be close to "spot on" then stop doubting yourself, build your stash like almost everyone and enjoy!

Hint: I also learned that the temptaton to buy a lot of fat quarters should be rethought and buying a third of a yard is the more economical way to buy most cut yardage...obviously "sales" excluded.

When I first started quilting I looked for a picture or a quilt pattern that I liked "as is" and then Found fabrics very similar to the picture. As I got more experience and felt more comfortable with my own ideas, I did what ManiacQuilter suggested--find a focus fabric first, then look for others that coordinate. A focus fabric is your 'primary' fabric that you pick first, the one you want to be the center of attention or has most of the colors in it that you like---usually the largest print. Then start auditioning coordinating fabrics with some of the same colors or hues of your focus fabric, but with contrasting smaller prints, stripes or solids. You will get better with practice. Sometimes you learn by making some really ugly quilts---I did!!!

Thanks
I really like the idea of looking at a picture .

Originally Posted by Jan in VA

In a workshop I teach on choosing colors for quilts, one technique I use is to find a picture/photograph of something that appeals to you....a garden, a landscape, a designed room, sunsets, even an advertisement. Pull fabrics that seem to match or blend with colors in that picture as your inspiration.
For example, I once saw this picture of native women selling fruit and fell in love with the bright happy colors. I designed some blocks then pulled fabrics that picked up on the same feel as the picture. Here is the result of a couple of them.
Can you see which parts of the picture influenced the color choices in the blocks?

Jan in VA