Fabric Color Advice Please
 

I am trying to figure out if Maroon colored fabric is the same as Burgundy colored fabric.

Thanks
stitchengramie

Well, here are the definitions I could find. Maroon is a bright, rich, deep, or dark red color, depending on which tone of maroon is in question; could also be purplish in color.

Burgundy is a deep shade of red. It is named after Burgundy wine. It can be a deep red, medium red or bright red in color.

So it looks like what separates the two of them is that possible purplish undertone in the Maroon. Otherwise, they are similar, but not likely interchangeable.

I like the definitions, but I think some projects will use all shades of reds.

I think I'll wait to see what others post before I comment and show my age. I haven't seen Maroon used to describe a color for quite some time (doesn't mean it hasn't).

Maroon to me has more black in it than burgundy does

I agree with others. They are different. But I would never choose fabric based on the name in any event. You will find that maroon in one place can be very, very different from maroon in another. Just think about how many shades of red, or blue, you see in the fabric store. All the "named" shades have variations too.

I would have said the opposite. We had a maroon car in the 60's and it was red wine color. I think darker when I think of burgundy.

Maroon, the word as a color name, has been in use since 1791. It is derived from the French word for chestnuts.
Burgundy, as a color word, has been in use since 1915. It is descriptive of the red wines of the Burgundy region of France.

When working with color, the name has very little use unless you are comparing the same product (paint, paper, cloth) from the same manufacturer (Glidden, Hammermill, Kaufman). Pantone has given Maroon the code 18-1619 and Burgundy the code 19-1617.

When you get right down to it, color names are never going to mean the same from one person to the next. All that really matters is an actual color's relationship to the other colors it is hanging out with at the time.

Just wondering why you are trying to nail down a difference between them...care to share? :)

These are the favorite colors of a friend of mine and I want to make a quilt that has maroon, black and gold prints and solids. This is why I want to know the differences between maroon and burgundy.

Burgundy is red. Maroon is purple.

Then you're looking for maroon as your friend sees it, right? If I were you, I'd try to find out from her what maroon is, not from us. She's the one that matters in this case. :)

She doesn't have to know what you're planning. Look around her house, check out her clothes, start a conversation about how people see color differently, go looking at paint chips together (tell her you want to paint something), lots of ways to discover how she sees it. Chances are you won't go wrong...she's your friend, she'll love whatever you decide.

ghostrider's advice makes sense

I've always thought of them more or less interchangeably.

Wikepedia has some interesting definitions of the colors. With a little color swatch off to the right - - - -

My MIL favorite colors are purple and green. Now we all know there are a million different shades of any color group. She wanted an organizer to go over the arm of her recliner to hold the remotes, books, pens etc. I found some lovely Moda fabric that had a true purple floral with a light olive green background. Well - it isn't the colors she wanted! She wanted very dark purple and sage green! She is pretty OCD if things don't match perfectly so she can't (won't) use it in her living room where it was intended to be used. She has it in her stitching room and uses it to hold floss, scissors etc.

I agree, look around her house, look at the color of her clothes, the color of her phone - anything that might give you an idea of what shades she is looking for.

I agree, they are not the same. Trust me I know from experience!!!

I come from a graphic design background and think of everything in Pantone colors. And in Pantone there is very little difference between Maroon 208 (C10, M97, Y37, K43) and Burgundy 202 (C10, M97, Y61, K48) - Burgundy has more yellow and black. However, when you get in to varying shades, tints and hues of each color, the differences become very muddled.

I agree the best think would be to ask your friend her definition and look at items she calls maroon. Perhaps she even has some fabric you could take with you to try and match.

in my opinion, burgundy would be a tad more purple than maroon. HOWEVER, people have different names for colors, so if you want a good match, take the focus fabric you'll be using and just match it, regardless of name.

LOL, and to me, it's just the opposite.

Ask your friend for a swatch - or swipe (I mean, borrow) something of hers that she calls "maroon"