If you like it, isn't that what matters?

My friend who is an artist was talking about her style of painting not being everybody's cup of tea. Then she said, "I'm not going to change my style trying to please the public, then it wouldn't be 'me' any more. If somebody sees something I've done and wants to buy it, wonderful! But if it doesn't sell because nobody likes it, I still do."

I tend to pick a focal and pull colors or similar value from that print, add some contrast, clear as mud.

Fabric store employees love to help. My current ones don't have the same tastes I do, but at least they are there to bounce ideas off. When I worked in a fabric store, I'd have the customer (or me) pull possibles off the wall, stack them so the folded edge showed, then stand back and squint. It helped so many go out of their comfort zone. Many brought the quilts back in to show how much they liked what was for them, an unusual combination.

Thanks guys!

I suck at color. That is the hardest part of quilting. I ask lots of opinions.

I thought I was going to be destined to make boring quilts, they just lacked .... something. Then I started attending quilt shows . It was at International show in Chicago that I had a... revelation. I was in awe at the specatular quilts..... then it hit me what caught my eye initally was the Colors ... the colors were fabulous. So I made it a point to take some photos ( where allowed) and every time I went fabric shopping I would take them out and ask myself " do these fabrics look anything like whats in the photo". It was soo helpful to get me out of my safe little blah boring world. I do not need the photos anymore to remind me about color, its starting to be fun to "get out there" in the use of color. But there is still a bit of the fear that I might just make the ugliest quilt ever! It has not happened yet , but if it does I will consider it part of my road to color.

When I am out and about I try to notice color combinations that I see, somtimes in nature, but most often in what people are wearing or unusual combinations in fabric prints. I would never have thought to put pink and brown together in a baby quilt but it turned out to be one of my favorites so far. To help with contrast I ask my husband, he is color blind to most colors and can see the contrast better than I can even with the red or green filters.

I will do this too when my brain isn't cooperating for color selection. It just makes it easier. You can always use the little color dots along the salvedge which shows you the colors within the fabric.

I have my LQS help me too. I'm not very good at picking stuff out either.

would you believe I didn't know what those dots in the selvage were?