How do you decide
#1
How do you decide
I'm curious. I just received back issues of Block magazine. Beautiful! There are several I want to make. What grabs your eye first...the colors, the pattern, what? I usually gravitate to the pattern, but then have trouble choosing colors that go together. I need someone to be a professional fabric buyer for me!
#2
Power Poster
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Southern California
Posts: 19,127
I have been wanting to make the Falling Charm quilt with a bunch of orange/pink fabric I have been collecting but there hasn't been a chance to start it yet. I usually see a pattern that has good bone structure and then start pulling the fabric from my stash.
#4
Power Poster
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Corpus Christi, Tx.
Posts: 16,105
I have asked family what their favorite colors are then try to choose a pattern to fit their personality. Trying to find some reds and blacks for youngest son and may throw some dark greys in. Oldest likes mossy oak and is a hunter (easy). 4 different ages in girls and very different personalities! Have made small file with ideas for each of them.
#6
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Tulsa, Ok
Posts: 4,582
I look at the pattern first, then Start the hunt for the right fabrics for that pattern. When I buy fabrics just because I like them, I find it much harder to find the pattern to fit those fabrics and the yardage I bought.
#7
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Illinois
Posts: 2,140
The pattern.
I struggle with matching up colors, too. What I finally found that seems to work is to keep the selvedges (the part with the colored dots, anyways) and use that as an idiot-proof color palate. If I don't have one that works, I will try to find a couple nice prints that have a least one color I like in them at my LQS and check the selvedges on those... and try to snap a quick pic on the DL if necessary. I also try to limit use of fabrics that have a whole bunch of those colored dots listed. I like to mostly pick fabrics with only 1-3 colors/tones with a couple that incorporate a wide range of colors. To make things even easier, I used to pick all from a single fabric line since the designer has created those colors to go together. I'm sure over time I will get better at matching things up, but for now this works. I do think I'm getting a little better at it as I see more and more color combinations that work nicely together. I actually did a mix-n-match with Moda & Robert Kaufman fabrics the other day and got a ton of compliments on the color scheme (teals, pale yellow & dark schoolhouse red). Yea for progress! lol. Guess everyone can't be good at everything right off the bat.
A colorblind friend of mine uses an app that suggests coordinating colors (ColorSutra, I think) after he snaps a picture of the first fabric he likes. I might try that out at some point.
I struggle with matching up colors, too. What I finally found that seems to work is to keep the selvedges (the part with the colored dots, anyways) and use that as an idiot-proof color palate. If I don't have one that works, I will try to find a couple nice prints that have a least one color I like in them at my LQS and check the selvedges on those... and try to snap a quick pic on the DL if necessary. I also try to limit use of fabrics that have a whole bunch of those colored dots listed. I like to mostly pick fabrics with only 1-3 colors/tones with a couple that incorporate a wide range of colors. To make things even easier, I used to pick all from a single fabric line since the designer has created those colors to go together. I'm sure over time I will get better at matching things up, but for now this works. I do think I'm getting a little better at it as I see more and more color combinations that work nicely together. I actually did a mix-n-match with Moda & Robert Kaufman fabrics the other day and got a ton of compliments on the color scheme (teals, pale yellow & dark schoolhouse red). Yea for progress! lol. Guess everyone can't be good at everything right off the bat.
A colorblind friend of mine uses an app that suggests coordinating colors (ColorSutra, I think) after he snaps a picture of the first fabric he likes. I might try that out at some point.
#8
Super Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: S.E. Queensland, Australia
Posts: 1,507
I mostly find it's the colours that attract me first. As for choosing fabrics, I try to select, say a floral, then look for other fabrics with the same colours, be they plain or patterned.
#9
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: The Deep South near Cajun Country, USA
Posts: 5,437
For me, it is both. I am attracted to the colors used, then look at the pattern. The original BQ is a prime example of a pattern that did nothing for me until I saw it made in brights. Then I loved it. I have made that pattern several times. Plus, it can be a 3 fabric quilt. Even I can pick out a focus fabric and two coordinates. I do like borders, so added a couple on this quilt for a friend.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
serenitybygrace
Main
39
07-27-2011 12:16 PM
Ethel A
Main
11
09-14-2009 06:32 AM