Color Wheel
 

Do you use the color wheel?

I attended a guild program on The Color Wheel held at a local quilt shop. The presenter of the program showed Quilts to explain how the colors played nicely together and other quilts where something was off with the colors and the pattern was lost. I find the color wheel fascinating however I rarely use it to plan my fabric selection. How about you?

I think of the Color Wheel like a tool in my sewing box, one that isn't needed very often but handy to have occasionally. I recently dug mine out to determine what color would compliment a fabric with yellow, orange, magenta, and deep purple. I rarely use this combination of colors. My thinking was a green teal and the wheel confirmed what I already knew.

The absolute most boring class I ever took in art was on the color wheel! :-)

Yes. I even used acrylic paints to make my own 4-tier color wheel, and really learned a lot about color in the process. I started with primary and secondary colors in the first tier. Then tertiary colors in the second tier. Then black and white mixed in for the third tier. Then instead of mixing in grey, I mixed in brown for the fourth tier.

Another secret about selecting fabrics is to use fabrics and colors that are already put together in a fabric line. It's kind of cheating, but that's how we put most kits together at a quilt shop.

No, never have used the color wheel. To me, if the colors look nice together, then that's what I use. I don't want the stress of trying to fit what to use into a 'cube'. If the colors I pick are pleasing to me, then I'm happy!

I don't use one, but most of my quilting friends say I have a good eye for color, or something like that. I don't have any education in art, other than what we had in grade and middle school.

One of my favorite things in past years has been participating in Bonnie Hunter's fall mystery - but I often dislike the colors she chooses and change them. I'm pretty confident in doing so. While most of my quilts these days are the scrappy style, even if cut from yardage, when I do use a specific palette, I can easily choose what I want. That's one of the benefits of having a nice stash to work with - I can pull and audition things against each other. That's my line and I'm sticking to it.

I have several color wheels but seldom use them. I choose colors of fabric that look good together. In using the color wheel any colors will go with the others. There is not a grouping that says don't use these colors together.

I've never used one. I just go by what looks good to me.

I have a color wheel. Just in case someone asks! The rest of the time, it sits in the back of the bottom drawer of my sewing cabinet. I take it out and spin it once in a while. Think oh look at all those pretty colors, then back in it goes. Yeah, I pick from my stash.

I have a color wheel (somewhere) in my quilting supplies but I have never used it. I like to audition colors/patterns and go with my instict of what I think plays well together. Example spent 15 minutes laying out fabric bolts on table at LQS. I started with a batik I really liked and then looked for colors to compliment it, had about 6-7 bolts on table and decidede on 2 based on color and also did the pattern look good with original fabric. Was heading to cutting table when a nonbatik fabric caught my eye, laid it next to my fabrics and picked it and rejected one of the batiks. I look for fabrics that play well together my friend Nancy Chong taught me long ago when picking fabrics for Hawaiian quilts to put fabrics together and then walk a few feet away and turn around and look at them (do you love them or just so so) and I find it works for my piecing quilts too.

I have a color wheel "someplace" in the sewing room. I also go by what pleases my eye. Whatever works for you.

I don't have a color wheel. I just know what I like, what I don't like, what works for me, and what doesn't. I like specific color combos, and gravitate to them. Whatever works!

I don't understand color that well. I can intellectually understand the color wheel, but I think the best combinations of colors are ones I happen upon by accident, like glancing at my scrap drawer and seeing two pieces of fabric together, or seeing an accidental pairing on my fabric shelf. I don't think I'm very good at 'thinking outside the box.' The most useful thing I can do with respect to color, is to look at tons of quilt photos. That teaches me what I like the look of.

I've read Jinny Beyer's theory about colors blending into each other, but I don't really get it. Maybe I'll pull that book out and have another look.

I know the color wheel from art classes but sadly, I don't really use it. I recently found this website which has some interesting color palettes. Stitch Palettes Its for hand stitching but I find this more interesting and useful than a color wheel. You can take pictures and it will break them down into the individual colors and give you a pleasing palette.

I've got a couple of color wheels/tools, but never use them. I do use my red and green plastic value finders for many projects, though.

Value is much harder for me than color.

Take a photo and break down the individual colors for your palette
 

Thanks for the Stitch Palette link. It's fun to see how the colors are pulled from the photo examples they show. It reminds me of using the selvage color dots from a print. I have also used Paint chip cards for value and tints. So many ways to choose color.
The more the merrier.

I have a color wheel poster haging on my wall, and color wheels too. I use them all the time, it helps me with my indecisive mind.

I have two color wheels, one is posted to the bullentin board and the other rests on my cutting table. Seriously doubt if I've ever used them.

I'm aware of the color wheel. I just keep it in my head. I don't venture too far from the blue area.

My ophthalmologist tell me I am profoundly color blind. I see color, but not like the fully color perceptive do. A color wheel just won't work for me. I stick to simple quilts, use at most 4-5 fabrics in each of them. Bright colors are my favorites.

Admission: My husband has 'saved' me from several color disasters over the years. I'm OK with that.

I get color inspiration from lots of places. Sometimes it’s deliberate for a mood. Sometimes it’s what’s available in stash. Usually I like value contrast. And mix the temps; warm/yellow &orange with spot of cool/periwinkle. This particular one is split complementary.

Color for a mood....
 

Hmmmm....I like the way you stated that you sometimes use color for a mood when choosing your fabrics for a quilt.
I find certain colors make me happy. In our guild color wheel program, I leaned the term you used: spit complementary.
I tend to select the same temps in my quilts...all warm or all cool colors. Its time for me to Mix things up!

Thanks everyone for your tried and true tips on Color! Keep them coming!