I start with my focus fabric first then add colors from that fabric. I never want to overwhelm my focus fabric, just compliment it.

another help is the little color dots on the salvage of fabric is a dot of every color used in that print, so you can use those as a guide to help coordinate...
i used to really have a hard time picking colors, especially color runs where you need to go from dark to light say in 14 steps...i used to take the pattern or magazine what ever to either one of my sons or my nephew and say...i want to make this and i want to use...blues...(as an example) i need 10-15 fabrics...which ever one of the boys i handed it to would go in the back room where all the fabric is and a few minutes later would walk out with an arm load...drop it on the table in front of me and say, "there ya go, have fun" and they would go out the door. i don't think i ever had to change a single fabric they came up with...sometimes i would have a color run set out and be trying to figure out what was wrong...something just not right, one of those boys would walk over remove a fabric and say...that doesn't belong ... and they would be right. i kind of took it as a given that the guys were just naturally good at the whole color thing...sorry Jack; maybe you really are but are over thinking it? or maybe just not letting your self go...
all 3 boys are no longer here to help me, 2 moved to Florida, the youngest joined the Navy...so i am on my own again...hubby can help a little but i guess i did learn from them a bit because i am much better at it now than i ever used to be; infact when my oldest son receives his next quilt i think he will be quite amazed with how well i did without his help :)
and as far as it goes with the amount of fabric to make a queen size quilt...it really depends on the quilt pattern...anywhere between 5&11 yards (maybe more, maybe less)i have a king that took 15 yards of fabric, plus the backing...i have big block quilts that only took 4 or 5...it is all dependant on how many pieces you are going to cut the fabric into i think...look through some books and magazines with quilts that interest you and are in the same (style?) of what you like to make and start adding up the yardage called for...seems like alot, and it is but it is oh so worth it! how about a picture of the earth tone quilts you have made? we love to see them and many here could offer some advice on color changes once we see what you are doing :)

Until I picked up a book on color theory the other day, I didn't even know what a complementary color was. At my house the joke is I am "color challenged". I saw a color wheel the other day and wasn't sure if I should be frustrated with it or just knuckle down and work my way through the color lessons in the book. :lol:

I take a "color consultant" aka anyone other than me along to give a thumbs up.

Actually, I don't know if it is true, but I have heard that if a person is "color blind", they are much better at picking out fabric. I am not color blind, so I am not good at picking out fabric! LOL

Thank you for the responses. Actually, I've not made a quilt yet, just getting into the learning mode. Tomorrow I go into town to check on a quilting class. But am ready to get the material and start cutting. I need to get a belt for the ol treadle singer machine that my grandmother used, then will be ready to start putting the blocks together. I think. As for the pattern, thought I'd start with the D9P and have a border around every 9block.
Jack

Well Jack I taught myself how to quilt and never been to a class yet. Its really not hard at all you just do what feels right and enjoy the process of learning. And with it done on a treadle it makes it even more better.

Billy

That is a great pattern to start with! I am always amazed at the transformation when I cut and resew the 9 patch. It goes from nice to spectacular very quickly!

Another comment on the fabric selecting. It also looks nicer if you select different sized prints. Some busy, some more plain. It gives the quilt more interest. I have one in the works that was a kit my hubby liked. It's got several of the exact same prints in different colors, they are rather plain looking. The whole center of the top looks really blah to me. I was able to calculate out the back side and come up with enough floral for borders. I hope it does the trick. I put it aside because my heart isn't in it. I need to finish it up one day. I might add some applique to hopefully bring it back to life.

Here's a couple of color wheel sites that are fun to play with:

http://www.quiltopia.com/colorwheel.html

http://colorschemedesigner.com/previ.../index-en.html

Thank you Katie, that is a good idea on the size of prints. Have been looking at all the fabric on thousands of bolts dot com and the ones I liked and placed in my cart do have different size prints; although I had not really thought of that, just picked ones I liked. And the suggestion about using a darker color for a background makes sense. A friend loaned me a book and I found that what I called a border around every 9 block is called sashing. So the sashing will be a darker color; either a brown leaf type, or I found one I like with small sunflowers, but that may make it too busy. I know my wife is always telling different items I pick out to go together for wall paper, Christmas paper, etc. is "too busy". But so far she has not wanted to look at the samples of fabric online I have found that I like. I may just have to buy the fabric and wait for it to come to get her input. But I will keep in mind to combine smaller prints with larger prints.
Thank you for the color wheel sites, they are very helpful. And the quiltopia site has a page to build your block, that is helpful.
Checked into a quilt class today in town; she is looking at September to have a class. I'm not sure how fast I'll be, but I'd like to have this done for Christmas.
Jack

Also, marbles, blenders, tonals, etc. They add a little design but read more as solids. Fusions, Elementals, Essentials are a few. You can browse online and get an idea of what some of them look like. Fusions has some leafy looking and floral tonals.