I love to piece. I love to quilt. I love to pick blocks!! I hate to pick colors. I can't look at fabric and mix up colors and prints. So my quilts tend to be two colors. White and either a print or a solid. I can mix a solid and a print, if I have a solid color that is also in the print. Then I guess I have three fabrics. I can't seem get the concept of color ranges. I don't know how to mix two prints. I can pick fabrics I like, but I can't mix them up. I've tried light, medium, dark, but then is one a solid, one a small print and one a big print. Do you see the problem?

The best thing I can say is to keep trying. Pick out your favorite schemes from magazines and look at how they mixed print and color. I used to cut up my hancocks catalogue and just play with the swatch squares. Or embrace the two color concept as your own signature style and go with it. Plenty of museum pieces are just two colors.

I feel the same way. This has to be a special gift and I wasn't in the line! I have made three quilts so far. I call them ugly!!!!! It is hard to finish something that you don't really like. I am hoping that this gift will come in time. I am going to order kits that I like and maybe I will eventually get the special gift. Hang in there! We'll get it.

You need to move near me and we can tag team ... I LOVE picking colors *now*. When I first started quilting I had only garmet sewed and was frozen at the thought of picking fabrics for a quilt class. The wonderful lady at the LQS ask my favorite color so we looked at floral fabrics that had a lot of different colors but was primarily purple. Then she had me look at the other colors in the fabric ... green, pink, yellow, and we went and pulled those colors. You just have to remember to look at the color and block out the print. Keep trying ... soon you will have a blast. Just pick a fabric with lots of colors to start. In the beginning I couldn't image pairing bright blue, bright red, deep yellow, and medium green but that's what I used in a block I made over the weekend. Bottom line is have fun!

Susan

that's also why they sell kits....

If you really hate it, just buy kits. If you only hate it because you feel you aren't good at it, maybe the answer is to read a book on color theory for quilters and learn more about the subject, and play with some scraps to practice. Your local library probably has a couple of books to get you started.

Picking colors for me, is fun. (I guess I was in the correct line :) )

Another thing that can help you, those colored dots/numbers that are in the selvage. Use them to help you choose your color(s). Line up your choices, stand back 5 feet or greater and SQUINT (or remove your glasses). The squinting helps you see just the colors and not the prints.

Like most of our quilting endeavors, it does take practice.

That's one of the reasons I buy quilt kits. But I find the more I pick out fabrics the better I seem to do.

I Have been in your shoes. It seemed all my quilts were technically good, seams matched etc. But just lacked some real zip or pizzaz. One year when I attended International quilt show it finally dawned on me why I was just awed by the beautiful quilts. yes they had fabulous designs , but it was the colors. .. I made up my mind no more two or three colors , No more depending on solids to resolve indecition. I dove in , made mistakes but they still looked better than what I had been doing. A few things I learned along the way always have a light, dark and a medium it gives depth. For balance work to add more in each category , light dark and medium. Work on the color wheel , neigboring colors or opposite colors.
One trick is to focus on a season, for me its fall, when I look out and see the range of colors , thats why I like fall. If you like spring think of the beautiful colors at the garden center and why seeing them all in a mass appeals to you. Take the vision and pick your fabrics from them . Color inspiration can come from any where ..a painting ... a jelly roll of fabrics etc. There is a reason jelly rolls are popular .. part of it is the preselection of fabrics we may not have picked. maybe work with one to get you out of your color issue.
To overcome my issue(s), I made a quilt with 19 colors. I went to the store and told myself I only had 1/2 hour to pick, but allowed my self to pick 2 extras , just in case. It worked! I broke out of my issues. I still can get stuck now and again, but I like my final results better.
You can work through the whole color thing! Some LQS will have work shops specifically on this topic.

Get some kits! After a few of them, you will feel brave enough to move out to new colors and combinations.

I'm with you - I can pick colours ok, but the prints throw me off. I'm trying to ignore the prints and focus on colour, but I still have a hard time. Like you, I often use a large print, and pair it with small prints, solids and marbles. I generally am not drawn to large prints, though. An idea for you could be to try buying different fabrics from the same line. They WILL match, because it's the same line of fabric, even though the prints might not look or feel cohesive to you.

I am not good at the color game. i tend to go overly matchy matchy.
I will admit I bug who ever is in range of me and ask. Does this look good together?
I ask the clerks, random customers, family members. Who ever, A lot of the time I get nods or people telling me what they think i want to hear, but often I get real lucky and strangers are brutally honest! I LOVE THAT!

I take my husband to pick out colors he is good at it and it works two fold, when he picks out fabric I get to spend more money as he i the one who loads up the shopping cart, it works for me!!!!

Thank you for building my confidence. I thought I was sick! I am trying to do the Star BOM and I am hating it because I can make the square, but can't pick the colors. I have four colors that I picked out for the first block. I hope I have enough to do the rest of the blocks, at least they will go together. All of your advice is fantastic!! I will definately keep trying. This color thing is not just quilts. I can't do wall paint or upholstery either. I was definately in the wrong line when they passed out this skill, but I'll keep trying. I didn't know about the little dots in the selvage. I'll start looking for them.

I'll pick for you :) :) I absolutely love chosing fabrics, I love mixing colors, patterns, etc. I hardly own a solid!! Most of my quilt friends are surprised when my choices actually look good together, they usually think I've lost my mind with my choices, then they say I never would have thought to use those together.

Wow!! I would love to have this talent!! I might let you do it!! :D

When I started quilting I had absolutely no color sense and putting fabrics together was frightening. I bought Color From the Heart by Gai Perry - http://www.amazon.com/Color-Heart-Se...7963965&sr=8-1

This book has several exercises that help you learn to put fabrics together. I highly recommend it. Now selecting fabrics is fun for me. Sometimes I do it from my stash and don't even start a quilt - just enjoy playing with the fabrics.

Thank you so much!! I'll definately be getting this book!

My quilt buddy has a wonderful eye for color. I rely on her to tell me what looks good together!

It will be my pleasure anytime. I should mention that as a hair stylist/salon owner color is my speciality.

i don't don't pick colors well either, our LQS is great help in that area, they will pull one or two for me and i'll like or not then pick another one and on and on for this I'm greatful or I would have a mess of what nots on my hand.

I love mixing fabrics!! I have one quilt pattern that uses a solid for the cornerstones in the sashing. That's the only solid I ever use. I love mixing florals with plaids, stripes and dots!!

Picking fabrics for a quilt is my favorite part!! I absolutely love putting fabrics together for a quilt and it's so much fun for me that I have made "bundles" of fabrics that go together for future quilts. I have 60 bundles ready to go! I start with my "inspiration" fabric, usually what I intend to use for a border as well as in the quilt. Then I pull fabric from my stash in the colors that are used in the focus fabric and if I don't have anything in my stash, I clip a sample of the ones I do have and put them in a little notebook to take with me when I shop for fabric. It's easy to pull the colors from the focus fabric, but keep in mind that you need a combination of lights, darks and mediums. Remember that you can find the perfect match in color, but you can also go with a lighter or darker shade of that color and it will look great with it. I might choose a large floral, then a smaller floral, maybe a check or stripe and then some tone on tones and maybe a solid to fill in. It is soooo much fun!

I love picking colors, but then I use to oil paint years ago, so I learned colors. A lot of times the quilt stores will have the new fabrics grouped together by collections. That way you can see what goes with what. They may have the same print in three or four different colors. Large prints, small prints and everything that blends. It's a good way to pick fabrics.

How do you use the colored dots/numbers?

I like to use collections and then maybe add a solid if I need one.

I bet you have more color sense than you give yourself credit for. Look at your closet and around your house. Those are the colors you love. Then love them into your quilting.

Give it a try. You will grow with it in time.

ali

Couple suggestions -
**ask at LQS for ideas - they usually can find companion colors if you find 1 special fabric you like.
** use the color dots along selvage to match coordinates to a fabric you like
** don't fret too much - a scrappy quilt or log cabin can look terrific with large variety of fabrics
** and finally, quilts with just a few colors are sometimes more soothing & pretty than ones with too many colors! Enjoy the process & don't worry about too few colors.

try this for color schemes if nothing else its fun to play with and see what ACTUALLY goes together!

http://colorschemedesigner.com/

This is a cool site!! Thanks so much!! I really appreciate all the good advice I am getting here. I don't feel so bad now! Thank you all again. :lol:

I love picking colors, and I usually bring me daughter who has always been great at it. I usually use lots of colors, if you use enough they will go together lol. Choose a color you like then grab bolts that you think will go together and put them on a table, usually the ones that dont go will jump out at you. Good luck

I'm with you. They call me "Two Color Quilter" in guild. I started taking a friend that has an art degree when I want to buy fabric or pic out of my stash. If she picks it out I can do at least 5 colors in 1 quilt.

Try some kits that are all made for you and you will get it soon enough.

I have the same exact issue...colors and prints. When I see quilts on here I say oh wow I love the colors. I got in the wrong line when that part was being given away also. ha ha ha

It does take some talent and fearlessness. Look at a color wheel and you would be surprised by what colors are opposite each other. The ladies who work at the LQS are very helpful, too.
Sue

The people at my LQS are really good at helping,but I also like kits, and precuts - I have gotten some BOM's but tend to get tired waitiing and lose interest.

I was like SuzyQ, I had garment sewed for years and there you didn't mix stipes, plaid flowers etc and usually only worked with maybe two colors. It has taken a coupel of years, but I am finally expanding my color choice for quilts. Working on one now with 4 colors, a long way from where I was and I love the combo.
One thing I know I did for a long time was to look TOO CLOSE for a match. You need to do as someone else here suggested and put the fabrics on a table and step back several feet. Best to turn and walk away, then turn back and look (not stare) and the odd ball that don't belong will jump out. It seems the longer you look the harder it is to be satisfied.

I love picking colors. There are many books out there that will help you learn the values of color and show you how to use the color wheel. There is an item called the Ruby Beholder that you look through to help you see how your fabrics work together.

Don't give up....it is so rewarding to learn the process!

Go go your LQS and ask for help. I used to work at a quilt shop (they are now out of business) and it was fun for us when someone came in and wanted help selecting colors for their quilt(s.) You'll get ideas that you may not think of otherwise (and you won't like some suggestions, that's OK.) This will help open your mind to new possibilities. There were ladies who were quilting buddies that came in to pick fabric for each other's quilts and they had different tastes & styles!

Line up the bolts you have in mind and back away at least 5 feet, this will help you to better see how the fabric looks together.

You should have no problem doing the scrappy things then. In them, anything goes. If you want to make somethingelse that requires fabric choices such as the log cabin, then bring it here. We'll help you decide.