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I'm like Rob. When I use a kit or collection, I usually add some fabrics to make it more to my liking.

I find that using collections or kits can help me to work out of my comfort zone and actually be very creative for me. I like to try new things and often have a fabric grouping laying out on my table so I can look at it and decide what it needs.

I've never used a collection. I'm too cheapt to buy kits and such. Usually I pick a main fabric and work from it. I like to throw in a "zinger" in a lot of my quilts...some colour that is unexpected. It's often orange.

Watson

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rhonda K (Post 8076696)

Do you have an eye for coordinating fabrics and colors in your quilts? Yes, we can always play it safe and use a charm pack or layer cake. The coordinating is done for us.

Do you push the envelope with fabric choices?

I am just ready to step out of the comfort zone when selecting fabrics for my next quilt. It has been a fun exercise for me to pick colors and designs that might not typically go together. I think mixing patterns will give the quilt a little bit of an edge.

Here is a sneak peak. Some are from a fabric collection so a little safe. There are still a few selections
to make with gray and teal blues but I'm almost there.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]596000[/ATTACH]

Definitely push the envelope here. Sometimes so far out of the box, I might get lost.

Some suggestions for color selections
Variety in print size and value
If a color sticks out too much, try giving it some friends
A fabric with a lot of value contrast within it self will draw attention. It can be used as a focus fabric and or to give contrast/variety.

The two most common ways I choose color combinations are from a focus fabric (choosing shades of hues that appear in the fabric), or by complete accident, noticing pieces of fabric thrown together on a shelf or in a drawer by chance and seeing that they look great together. I have no trouble deciding if colors looks good together, but I react to combinations more than I think them up.

I don't feel like I'm good a choosing colors either. You did really well and I LOVE the 4 grays on the left.

I have a quilting friend who can't make a decision about sashing or border fabric unless she gets approval from everyone she asks about it. Drives me nuts. I never ask someone for fabric choice advice. I'm making the quilt to suit me not them. I like modern geometric next to civil war, with 30's reproductions for borders. I usually buy three packages of precuts of very different fabric in each and mix them up. Sounds awful doesn't it? But I have about ten first place ribbons for my quilts so they aren't just a big mess of color. No national ribbons just state and local. LOL

I have never used a kit at all, barely ever used a "pattern" w/o changes of some kind, I tend to make up things as I go. Pretty sure I burned the "envelope" along w/ "the box" a long time ago. lol

Quote:

Originally Posted by Watson (Post 8076826)

I work from a main fabric a lot

I like matchy, matchy quilts. Since I started making scrappy quilts, I like the fact that anything goes. It was very hard for me to change.

I almost always buy a pattern of fabric I like in multiple colors. I tend to then make rainbow quilts that use the rainbow of colors. I am not a fan of scrappy quilts. Variety for me is using a white, grey, or black background fabric for my rainbow of colors. I am really trying hard to make some color story quilts. It is a struggle. I don't buy kits or patterns. Maybe this makes it harder too.