Cybrarian

Something else that might be helpful is the new FREE Block of the Month 2014 class on Craftsy.com. It include Color Theory instruction you may find very helpful. If you aren't familiar with it, this is a website where you can get some free classes and also purchase classes. (They have sales all the time) the classes are divided into lessons you can watch whenever you want as many times as you want. They are yours forever. You download and print many helpful instructions, patterns, etc. you can ask the instructor questions and other class members will respond also. I would highly recommend this.

justflyingin

Also, you can eventually invest in something like Electric Quilt and put the colors on the quilt of your dreams, change them around and get an idea of what they will look like.

I've done it all--saved pictures from here, things I've seen in books, tried to make specific quilts for certain people in colors they love, etc. Sometimes the colors don't say "wow" but sometimes they do. But if you've never studied the color wheel or learned about color at all, follow the advice given here and take some time to learn about color and what looks good together, etc.

WilliP

I tend to find one "focus" fabric that really talks to my soul. From there I start building to see which other fabrics care to play with me. I normally for me use from four to seven fabrics in a quilt depending on the focus fabric and what my spirit leads me to create. I would invest in the makings of a design wall or folding screen that you can use to audition your combinations on from your stash. At the quilt shop I tend to find a corner with great lighting that I can use for several minutes to pull various bolts together and stand away from to read the complete picture. I also invite other opinions, but in the end the combination is my decision.

Knitette

Isn't it funny how we stress over quilt colour? I bet if you look round your home, it's perfectly 'matched' and you probably wear coordinated clothing, lol.

However when it comes to fabric all that common sense evaporates! I can empathise - years ago I had a small hand painted ceramics business and combined colour without any problem. Then, when I learned to quilt a few years ago, I simply didn't 'trust' myself with colour!

I've now learned to trust my judgement (although I do ask for help from my LQS now and again). I do tend to stick to my favourite colours and very few quilts I make don't have some shade of green in them. I've only once made a blue quilt (for SIL); I don't have any blue in my home and I seldom wear it.

I think the only colour 'rule' that's important is - go with what you like. Happy quilting

gale

I tend to buy from a single line and then add solids to it. I have no desire to try to decide on colors. lol

libby2595

thanks for all the info!
i'll be checking out the links throughout the day... i have a very good feeling that work will be very slow today.

NJ Quilter

This is what I tend to do as well. I'll find the pattern I want and then work from there. I don't buy fabrics for 'stash'...just not enough room in my house! Or, I'll get the thought in my head - I want a red, white & black quilt, find a pattern I like for that concept and then select my fabrics as WilliP does.

marcycn

Never was able to get the hang of a color wheel. I just buy fabric and lay it out until I see the ones - 3-7 - that I like and then figure out a pattern and go from there. The backing is figured out when the top is done. What I think will work in the beginning usually doesn't work in the end. :-)

Rebecca_S

I tend to find an object with colors I want to bring into a quilt but my ideas change as I go along.

Working on scrap quilts I feel has stretched my color skills and I would recommend it. Working with 2 or 3 inch squares I can make some odd combinations of HST but not make any commitment to using each one. Many I made using the paper bag/random draw but others I picked out to play with color and contrast. Then I can see how each HST plays with surrounding combinations of colors.

charlottequilts

Wow. You've thrown out 2 really interesting ideas here, if I'm understanding correctly. First, that many/most of us have color-coordinated decor and second, that we tend to choose colors for quilts that we wear, ourselves.

I wonder if the second is true for a large number of us. It would not be true for me, as I choose a lot of quilt colors that would look awful with my complexion and wouldn't be something I'd wear. But it's always something I like and *would* choose if it looked good on me.

Hugs,
Charlotte