Originally Posted by
Pudge
I feel like I've won the lottery when I measure a completed quilt or table runner and discover the finished dimensions are those shown in the pattern. Yes! I did it! And 4 years ago, it would have been a different story. Accuracy and precision is important to me. Unfortunately, I stink at choosing fabrics that go well together which is a real bummer. All the accuracy in the world doesn't help if the finished product is "blah". So I'm working on color and value now.
When I started out, I was super matchy-matchy - down to the last 1/8 inch dot in a tiny print. Some of the results were so-so - being charitable!
The book that really helped me was Jinny Beyer's Color Confidence for Quilters. Her "bridging" of colors was so eye-opening to/for me.
I also learned to stand several feet away from a group of fabrics to see how they looked together. Sometimes the over-all look of the fabrics might be different than when looking at them from a distance of 18 inches.
Another tip - that I learned from this group - take a picture - somehow things seem to show up in a photo that are missed by just looking at them. (Wonder why that is?)
Also - "in" colors come and go - make what you like - "quiet and subdued" can be as interesting (to a careful observer) as "loud and bright and popping"