THANK YOU !!!!!!many times over
#21
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 432
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.
#22
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.
#26
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Southeast Georgia
Posts: 2,526
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.
#27
Super Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Chula Vista CA
Posts: 7,401
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.
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.
#28
Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: TEXAS
Posts: 12
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/
#29
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Killeen, Texas
Posts: 329
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. :-)
I do find the color wheel to be of help. But with the fabrics having the color chart on the selvage is the biggest help of all. I like to look at the selvage and see where all the colors are in the fabric. If a color is the majority of the fabric I see what they complimented it with and choose fabrics with that dominant color. If I'm doing a quilt in all shades of one color I make sure they have the same undertones of blue or yellow. Color is the biggest thing most quilters struggle with. Look at home decorating and fashion magazines for how they use color.
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CarolinePaj
General Chit-Chat (non-quilting talk)
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09-07-2011 04:46 PM