i found that buying a good box of colored pencils and constructing my own "color" wheel from those and then just playing around with the colors: opposites, same family-different hues& values, in abstract doodlings made me comfortable with color. Way cheaper than doing it with fabric to start. My brother was a pastel artist who made these sensational abstracts where he gradually moved from one color to the next by using a range of the one from light to dark etc. Guess that is what gave me the idea. I find i can do this even when i travel which makes it fun and easy.

When I was new to quilting I would go to the LQS and choose a fabric that I liked and they would help my build the rest of the quilt. Most of them are really good at picking colors. Or I would go and say I want to make this quilt in a certain color way and they would help me. Now I mostly pick myself but usually have someone in the shop look at them before I buy to see if they think they work together. Just play with all the colors. Sometimes strange color combinations work.

I, too, suggest the use of a color wheel. It may take you a while to learn how to use it (complimentary colors, analagous colors, etc.) but you will "get it" soon and be on your way.

LOL, All of the above but I have a little cheater! My husband is a natural born shopper whose Mother taught him well! I should rent him out!!

I agree QB is the great. We can ask almost anything and get responses from all over the world. Great fun.

I always think if I like the fabrics together, then it works! After all, it's my quilt and I can do what I want. It usually works great, but I leave the fabrics spread out on my cutting table for a few days, just looking at them now and then. If I see one glaring at me, I'll pull it and replace it with another. By being able to look at the fabric, I can tell if I'm going to like the finished quilt.

Thank heavens my daughters have color sense. I do not. One or the other usually has the final say when I am buying fabric or putting together a quilt. My eldest has an artistic talent, she can but a bouquet of flowers on a table and they look artistically place. I set it on the table and it looks like I put a vase full of flowers on the table. Not sure what she does to the flowers, but people will come in and notice where mine they do not. Oh well.

But I do know what you mean about the board. If you need help, just ask. Usually there are enough comments to get a good understanding of what and how to do something.

Color lessons for the terrified quilter
 

Catchy title for the book. This article, an excerpt from the book, came in an email from Martingale this week. It is posted on their site. It is quite interesting. The book looks good, too, but you have to purchase that - the article is free. http://blog.shopmartingale.com/quilt...ified-quilter/

Yes, the selvage dots are a huge help and can get you going in the right direction. Another easy way to figure out color combinations is to look around at nature. Snap some photos of things that appeal to you and use those as a guide as well. It's also nice to breath in the outdoors once in a while...fringe benefit there. :-)

bearisgrey, Do you know the name of the Jinny Beyer book? The idea of "bridging' colors is new to me, and it would be interesting to check that out. Interesting conversation.