What a GREAT idea. I never thought of going to the paint store to see what colors go together.
Thanks,

As an artist and a quilter, I recommend you get a color wheel. Color schemes using analogus colors or complimentary colors. Analogus colors are those on either side of a chosen color and complimentary colors are those opposite a particular color on the color wheel. You can also use a split compliment scheme which means you select the color directly across from your main color then choose the colors on either side of that. Another means of selecting colors is to pick a print that you like then select you other lights and darks from the other colors in the print.

I pick out all the bolts that feel like they go together best, then I step back and squint at it, so it's kind of fuzzy. If anything stands out crazy bad I take it out of the pile. This is a trick I read about long ago when I first started quilting - 1976! Lots of bright fabric back then!

I just see colors and designs in my head, Then I look at what I have to work with, and go from there. God bless. Penny

Picking colors for a pattern or picking a pattern for the colors. For me its kind of like which came first: the chicken or the egg. All depends on which one speaks louder to me. LOl

I pick the focus fabric to set the mood of the quilt then go togethers according to what makes the focus look best.

I have a friend who has a wonderful eye for color so when I want to start a project I invite her over and we go through my stash to see what I have then go to lunch and hit the fabric store for any fabrics still needed!!

I pick a quilt pattern first and go from there. Many patterns call for a focus fabric that has multiple colors in it and you then choose other prints that have those same colors in them and have those be different values, as well. Other times, I get an idea in my head of what I want in the end and choose colors that go together or contrast, depending on the design. Sometimes, I've not been able to find the exact color fabric I wanted, so ended up using lots of thread to achieve the look I wanted (when fmq). You can always go with analogous colors, complimentary =opposite each other on the color wheel, etc. like others have mentioned. I personally think you can't go wrong with using whatever colors you like together. I do think it's a good idea to cut out your fabric choices and place them on a pattern of your block to preview what they'll look like - before you go to all the work of sewing a block together. It's much easier to change out a small piece of fabric from a block when it's glued on verses all sewn together.

Here is one that I did that way just recently.

just poked in, so i don't know if anyone directly answered.

a backing for a generous queen quilt - 96 x 96 - needs at 3' of 108" or 9' of 40" seamed fabric. add in your amount for seam allowances on the front.
the more pieces you have in the design. the more you need for seam allowances. if you know anyone with a computer program, it can be broken down for you.

just poked in, so i don't know if anyone directly answered.

a backing for a generous queen quilt - 96 x 96 - needs at 3' of 108" or 9' of 40" seamed fabric. add in your amount for seam allowances on the front.
the more pieces you have in the design. the more you need for seam allowances. if you know anyone with a computer program, it can be broken down for you.

Mary,
I love your r/w/blk quilt and I too am a fan of D9P I made 2 of them this summer. Actually one I only helped with it was my neighbors daughters wedding quilt and it turned out lovely.

Jack
You have lots of great suggestions here for choosing colors.
I actually probably enjoy choosing my fabrics more than any other step of quilting. I just love to go to the quilt stores and play for hours pulling fabrics and trying different ones together or now in my stash.

I will be doing the fw's quilt on this board in Kansas Trouble fabrics these have a lot of the colors like you said you like and I did purchase various lines of them when I started collecting them a couple years back so they all go together very well.
Have fun and enjoy the process,
Muriel

katier825, what are tonals? I saw some fabric once that blended and got lighter as it went toward the bottom but I haven't been able to find the place again. Thanks

Of course all of the above are great suggestions. I try to be sure I use an odd number of colors--artists will tell you that 3 is a good color.
Our guild says to put one in that is a "sizzle" color; something you don't expect.
I also go by color families; all of the shades of one color, in an odd-no. amt.
No doubt there are many more great ideas!
Mariah.

Hope you have a great time at your quilt class. Not quite sure what D9P means but I think I have an idea.
As for picking colors, I find a focus fabric and then call in my hubby, he is more agressive in color combinations. I have a tendency to play it safe.
So my suggestion to you, while in class get some recommendations from others. We all have these amazing color wheels in our heads, all different for the most part and it will help you to expand, try other combinations. So much fun to be with other quilters when you are at this stage. We learn from each other, no matter what stage of education you are at as a quilter.
Be sure to share your creation and what you learned and have fun.

Mary
Love the D9P - I believe it is also called a nine patch with a twist. Going to give it a try myself. Very dramatic and thanks for sharing.

Got my cutting board, ruler, roller cutter and additional blades at Hobby Lobby today. $86 :shock: I figured prob. 80 and that included an iron; not! The iron was an additional $11.
Jack

Jack,

Quilting is not an inexpensive hobby! Just wait until you send a quilt out to be quilted by a professional longarm quilter...1.5 cents per square inch (on up to about .06) does add up quickly! And don't forget the backing material and batting!

I have only done one quilt so far, but one problem I have is picking colors. My experience in sewing was with clothes and you don't mix patterns with clothes so much, at least you didn't used to. One good hint I received for picking quilt colors is Don't stand too close. Put the fabric out on the table and step back several feet to look. I was looking too close, so colors and patterns never seemed to match, this helped. Hope to see your project soon.

Even though I have enough of my own ideas to keep busy, I'm always impressed with the great ideas on display at my LQS......

Some people can really benefit from having a colorwheel. I have a nice one that came with various cutouts that make it easy to pair things up.

Ask for help at your LQS, whether it be employees of the shop or other customers!

Decided to just play a little with the DNP after seeing the post about making a triangle square with it. It is mushrooming, becomming a couch throw and I don't want to stop. It is addictive.....

Queen size is 84x92and takes 7 and 1/2 yards

A little trick I learned from a Jinny Beyer seminar. Take the fabric you really like, scan it, then enlarge it way up until you can't tell what it is and you will start seeing squares of colors, these will be the the colors you need to add to your quilt to make it come alive. It really works. I just hope I explained it correctly, I do it but explaining it is different.

Nice to see someone else has an old treadle mashine. What kind is it ? I have an old singer, about 104 years old,
[email protected]

It too is a singer. Not sure how old it is, but it's up there in years. Thanks for the info, I bought enough material then for the quilt.
Hobo, that's a pretty good way to do it. Am quite computer literate, so scanning and enlarging won't be difficult. Thank you for the tip.
j

Here is the material I bought online. Got it all cut into squares today. Not sure the one with butterflies fits, and not fond of the dark green one with apples. Going to Wally World tomorrow, going to get dark green for sashing and may look to see if they have any other that matches better.
jack

Guess it depends if you want mostly darker color, but I like the butterfly, to me it picks up the blue and gold/tan nicely. I do think I would actually put two of the butterfly and only one of the green/apple print. But as always, beauty is in the eye of the beholder/quilter.

Very clever!!! Never heard of this, but it totally makes sense! Finally, a good use for the pixels! Thank you :-D

Go to http://wwwsewalot.com/queen%20queenvictoria.htp
they can tell you how old your mashine is

I keep looking at this and love the colors, but the more I look, I think maybe it looks like the green and blue are competing for center stage with two greens in it. Maybe that's why I thought of taking one green out, my eye must have gone to the blue, even though there is certainly green in the jar fabric too. Hope you let us see what the final verdict is.

I pick my main fabric first, usually the busiest and most colorful. Then take a swatch with you everywhere you shop to match and blend other fabrics. Know your basic pattern pieces as well so you can decide whether the small ones work well with a large print, and vise versa. Just have fun with it and know that your creations is as right as it seems to you. No two of us see things the same way and you only need to please yourself or the person you are making it for. Have fun and enjoy the process.

Thank you for the advice. I too think the green is too much, so will only use one or no green squares in each block. Yes, need to play around with the squares before sewing them together, like a puzzle or maybe musical chairs?
jack