Originally Posted by Bottle Blonde

I was having a lot of trouble working with color. I needed to identify light, medium and dark, because I was buying mostly medium fabrics. I used my printer and copied my fabric in black and white. It helped erase the color and I could focus on the value and how the placement of a dark, a medium or a light fabric would change the block I wanted to make.

One of the best things I did was to purchase a color wheel and I really studied it - I learned all the terms and completely understand the concept of the color wheel. I learned what a tint is and what tone means and what it means to use complimentary colors. This information does help when your trying to make decisions at the fabric store.

Another excercise I did was kinda silly and fun - but it made a huge mess. I played with all the clothes in the house! LOL .
I found all the different colors I could and spread things out on the bed and the floor. I just tossed things around and put together different combinations - I was able to figure out which combinations I like and what I don't care for very much. I took pictures with my phone and look at them sometimes when I am at the fabric store. Pretty silly, but it helps me.

One thing I know for sure .... every project goes thru an ugly duckling stage. Just keep working on it and many ugly ducklings turn into beautiful swans, some stay ugly, but you will love it anyway.