Carol in WI

I think I am going to give this a try and have pulled most of the fabric from my stash. But I would appreciate your evaluation of the contrast factor...is the yellow too pale, the purples not enough contrast and is that really magenta??? They seem a bit brighter in real life. I appreciate all of your input!

Kassaundra

I do not see a picture.

Carol in WI

OK, now I think I have it....I need advice on my colors and the contrast factors. Are the yellows too pale and the purples too similar. I don't know about the magenta....or is it just pink.

Kassaundra

Here are my thoughts for what they are worth. First I love the magenta, my understanding is the magenta is suppose to be the pop color different from anything else in the group which yours is. Your group of light purples has one extremely light shows almost white on my screen, I would remove it. You have a similar green that is exceptionally light almost yellow I would remove that one. The greens are a bit neon not sure how that will play out, but I don't think any of us can truly answer that I think that will mostly be up to your comfort zone. Can you post a pic of your neutrals next to your yellows?

joe'smom

lizzie3, that is a lovely combination of fabrics! I think they will make a beautiful quilt.

Carol, very pretty fabrics! I think you have enough contrast between your greens and yellows. I agree that a photo of the yellows and neutrals together would make it easier to see if there is sufficient contrast between them, as well. I think there is. I would take out the third lavender from the bottom and try it with the purples to see if it fits better there. I'm using some very pale lavenders myself, as Bonnie didn't mention contrast between the lavender and the neutral as something crucial.

Kassaundra

I was wondering about that one darker lavender also.

letawellman

I agree with Kassaundra - the very light purple is probably TOO light; and the yellow-y green is probably too similar to your yellows. Bonnie did mention in her post that the greens need to tend more towards olive tones, and Kassaundra is correct to be a little concerned about the neon aspect of the greens.

You could just group your greens and yellows together, step back a bit (like half-way across the room?) and see how well they contrast - if they blend together from far away, they will blend together in the quilt, and you will lose whatever pattern is being created.

Just my two cents' worth, and we all know that won't buy ANYTHING nowadays!

Carol in WI

Thank you Kassaundra and Lisa - I did pull out some of the neon greens and replaced with other choices, plus added some more "risky" neutrals (I'm rather bland and controlled, but do you think there is enough contrast with the yellows now. I also moved that one darker purple. This is getting harder than I expected....I never have been good at making decisions on colors.

sewbizgirl

Carol in WI, I didn't say anything at first because you don't have to go with olive greens if you'd rather substitute lime greens instead... but what I see with your purples is that the lights and darks all run together. Not much contrast. To "see" your color values, look at them (or your photo of them) and squint. Squinting will help you see your colors in terms of dark and light. The darks will jump out at you and the lights will fade out. Squinting at your purples I see only two that are darks, three that are lights, and the rest are in the medium range somewhere.

Also (and this may blow your circuits), that small bundled piece on the top of your green pile is actually a neutral. It has a white background and will "read" as a white. Squint at your greens and you'll see what I mean.

I don't want to make this any harder than it needs to be, just offering these comments because you asked. But actually you can use any colors anywhere and get a pretty quilt... just may not have some of the optical effects Bonnie intended. Don't get discouraged.

lizzie3

I have never heard of this tip but it really works!! I think my blue is a tad darker than I would like. They didn't have any lighter that I liked and was the right shade but I will check out my local quilt shops.