Choosing fabrics that go together can be filled with frustration for many quilters, so you're not alone. Years ago, I was helping my customer pick out 12 darks and 12 lights for a log cabin. When I had them lined up on edge (don't look at the side, just look at the rolled edges to see a smaller area) I realized what I'd done. Here is my Pattern Mixing Formula (forget the color)

1. Little background and heavy design
2. Equal amounts of background color and design
3. Lots of background and little design

Add color to the formula and repeat it as many times as you need to get a pleasing mix of fabric design. This formula was published in my first quilt book, Quilt-As-You-Go.

Sandy

Wow!! That sounds simple! Thanks. I will never be able to tell all of you how much I appreciate all the advice and tips I am hearing! Thank you so much!!

seems to me like you are a customer for the precut collections.

I just love picking out the fabrics and colors of a new project. Many of my friends do not.
The way I started was to pick a focus fabric first and then go from the colors in that. I have worked lots with the color wheel in my past life, so I think that has helped me some with colors for quilts. Many times, when friends are with me, they kind of look at my choices and say, "are you sure you want to put that in?" They are usually surprised how it turns out when I'm done.
It does take time to get the feel of it. If you're really not sure, just ask someone in the quilt shop and they will help. Even other customers will chime in. It doesn't hurt to have more opinions. Relax and enjoy the process, and don't be afraid to ask for help.

Check the selvage edge of a print you like. They usually have little circles of each color used in the overall print. Choose those colors to coordinate with the print and you'll do just fine!

i am the same way i dont have the talent to walk into a fabric store and pick a variety of colors look great together , it takes me some long pondering time and then i usually end up asking for help!!!

Don't feel bad - you would be surprised how many quilters
have the same problem you do. I have taught many beginning quilters how to make quilts, and the first thing
we do is take a trip to a fabric store so they can pick out
the fabrics for their quilt. I try to use that trip to help them
start to learn what works with what.

Choosing the right fabrics, colors, value, and textures just
happens to be my forte, and it is one of the things I love
to do. But I have seen many a quilter really struggle with
this. It does become easier as you go along, especially
if you can find someone to help you learn what to look for.
If you have a friend, quilting buddy, or even a favorite
quilt shop with someone who does have a knack for this,
ask them to guide you through the choosing of your fabrics
for your next quilt, and I'll bet you get the hang of it soon.
Have a Blessed Day!
Marcia

This is the 2nd time somebody mentioned the color dots on the salvedge. Can some one explain how you use them to match colors. Thanks

The colored dots on the selvege edge are actually all the colors that were used in printing that fabric. So a multi-colored print could have an orange red, a teal blue, black, lemon yellow, lime green, etc. This will help you with the shade of color to look for. (For example an wine red probably wouldn't look good with your orange red, unless you are making an all red quilt.)

Take the main bolt of fabric and compare those dots with some tone on tone fabrics and/or different size prints to draw your colors from. If you have a large scale design for the multi-color fabric I usually try to pick a mixture of small and medium sized print and maybe a tone on tone or solid-looking fabric.

Stack these bolts of fabric on top of each other so that you see the smallest area (the thickness of the bolt) and take a few steps back then look at your fabric. Do they look good together? Sometimes I rearrange the stack because some fabrics look better next to each other than another one in the same stack would.

If this still isn't clear send me a PM as I am afraid this response is probably longer than most folks wanted to read anyway.

Don't give up!

Peggy

I'm color-impaired too. Recently I gathered a few tips on colors.

:arrow: Select a print you really like. Look at the selvages and you'll see a series of dots that indicate the colors used in the print.

:arrow: Select some fabrics you like (or you think you like :wink: ), place them on a table, step back and squint at them. Do they do what you want them to? Also, the colors may work but you're not sure--it may be a matter of moving the colors in the stack.

:arrow: Lastly dealing with color-value from fabric in your stash, place them together on your printer and print in B/W. The value will become more clear.

Hope this helps.


I see this note fell right after one with the previous advice. :roll: