How do you pick colors for a quilt?
07-24-2010, 04:27 AM
#31
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Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: St. Cloud, Minnesota
Posts: 1,653
Originally Posted by gale
I bought this doohickey that came with a red and green plastic to look through. It also came with a bunch of color cards with color combo suggestions on it. I just got it so I haven't had a chance to play with it but the main reason I got it is because I want to use up my stash, most of which is not from certain lines.
07-24-2010, 05:04 AM
#32
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Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Winter PArk, Florida
Posts: 1,145
Originally Posted by koipuddle
I was wondering, how does everyone come up with such complimentary colors in your quilts? I like earth tones, so everything I pick are kinda dark. My wife says I can't match colors :? The material I've found has hues of brown/tan, some yellows, some lite blues in sky. I look at some of the wonderful quilts you all have made and posted pics of on here and wonder how you know what colors go good together.
Oh, another question please. How many yards of material does it take to make a queen size quilt?
Thank you,
Jack
Oh, another question please. How many yards of material does it take to make a queen size quilt?
Thank you,
Jack
07-24-2010, 06:42 AM
#33
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Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 1,804
Originally Posted by Spydee
I agree with go with what you like, but if you feel color challenged there are two tricks that might help...
1. Buy the all the fabric for a quilt from one fabric line. After all the manufacturer do make an effort to coordinate the look, so take advantage of it. This where charm packs/layer cakes/fat quarter packs/ etc. come in handy.
2. Another trick is a trip to the paint store-- yep the paint store. Those free paint chip brochures have wonderful professionally coordinated color combinations. Pick up a few of those and march off to the fabric store and let those guide your fabric purchases.
I am sure others will chime in with some of the tricks they use to pick fabric.
1. Buy the all the fabric for a quilt from one fabric line. After all the manufacturer do make an effort to coordinate the look, so take advantage of it. This where charm packs/layer cakes/fat quarter packs/ etc. come in handy.
2. Another trick is a trip to the paint store-- yep the paint store. Those free paint chip brochures have wonderful professionally coordinated color combinations. Pick up a few of those and march off to the fabric store and let those guide your fabric purchases.
I am sure others will chime in with some of the tricks they use to pick fabric.
I wouldn't have thought about using paint chips the that's a great idea and it's portable so you can take it with you.
07-24-2010, 06:54 AM
#34
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Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Greendale Twp: Midland, MI
Posts: 216
Even tho I have the purcased red plastic viewers, I prefer the red plastic ring binder sheet holders. After I've pulled my selection, I always pull extra just for choice, I lay them out on top of each other with about 2" in view. I lay the red sheet over them and I know immediately which to let go. Try it, you might like it, I do.
07-24-2010, 09:15 AM
#35
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Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Chili, New York (Rochester)
Posts: 1,147
Jack, go to the website "ColorMeBeautiful" and search there. That is based on what color pallette goes with your skin, but they put them in categories of spring, summer, autumn and winter. Spring and autumn colors compliment each other as do summer and winter. It's a good place to get ideas.
07-24-2010, 11:31 AM
#36
Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Phoenix,
Posts: 137
Originally Posted by koipuddle
I was wondering, how does everyone come up with such complimentary colors in your quilts? I like earth tones, so everything I pick are kinda dark. My wife says I can't match colors :? The material I've found has hues of brown/tan, some yellows, some lite blues in sky. I look at some of the wonderful quilts you all have made and posted pics of on here and wonder how you know what colors go good together.
Oh, another question please. How many yards of material does it take to make a queen size quilt?
Thank you,
Jack
Oh, another question please. How many yards of material does it take to make a queen size quilt?
Thank you,
Jack
It has lessons that go step by step to build color confidence and help you learn what all the theory really says in relation to fabric/fiber not paint. <G> Great book for those who are color challenged as well as those who don't feel they are. Good information for improving for everyone.
Pati, in Phx (not associated, but love the book)
07-24-2010, 03:40 PM
#37
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Odessa, Washington
Posts: 1,872
Use a color wheel. http://www.colormatters.com/colortheory.html explains it very well.
I also like to use those lovely color strips from the paint section that give you 5 shades of the same color...really helps to see which will work best with your focus color.
The general size for a queen bed quilt is 86 x 93, give or take a few inches. Each pattern is different in it's fabric requirements. In general, for a queen quilt, I would guestimate 7 yards of fabric for the top (I'm basing this on a quilt I am currently quilting that is 100 x 100 and I bought 9 yards of material for the backing).
I also like to use those lovely color strips from the paint section that give you 5 shades of the same color...really helps to see which will work best with your focus color.
The general size for a queen bed quilt is 86 x 93, give or take a few inches. Each pattern is different in it's fabric requirements. In general, for a queen quilt, I would guestimate 7 yards of fabric for the top (I'm basing this on a quilt I am currently quilting that is 100 x 100 and I bought 9 yards of material for the backing).
07-24-2010, 04:24 PM
#38
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Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Spring, Texas
Posts: 2,032
Jack you are a fairly typical male I think. My husband is all about earth tones too. If I don't contribute to his wardrobe he would only own brown, tan, green, yellow, orange or blue clothes. Nothing else. Not even black or white. He never noticed - until we pointed out to him that he bought each of us something brown for Christmas one year. He said "Well, I know brown goes with anything". Bless his heart! He's paying more attention to quilting now though and will actually tell me when something doesn't look right and he's usually correct.
Sounds like you're getting a lot of help here. I wish you well on your first quilt. The key is to enjoy the process. Your color coordination will get better as your stash builds. It's very rewarding. Have fun!
Sounds like you're getting a lot of help here. I wish you well on your first quilt. The key is to enjoy the process. Your color coordination will get better as your stash builds. It's very rewarding. Have fun!
07-24-2010, 04:39 PM
#39
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Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: West Roxbury, Ma
Posts: 10,353
I go to the quilt store and match many many bolts. I even lay them on the floor out of the way of other customers so I can get a good look.
Yardage depends on the pattern of the quilt you will make.
Send some pictures of your quilts and let us see your color choices.
Yardage depends on the pattern of the quilt you will make.
Send some pictures of your quilts and let us see your color choices.
07-24-2010, 04:48 PM
#40
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Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Tucker, GA
Posts: 2,042
Jack---Love your koi pond! Nobody said it yet, so I will: if you live near a Local Quilt Shop (LQS on here) or maybe more than one....go wandering through it/them and see what catches your eye. If not, find a catalog with lots of bedding and clothes and again, see what catches your eye. Then take that color scheme and stretch it a bit...make sure you have some lights, mediums and darks.
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