tk, yes, I used the lighter on the bottom and the darker on the top. In the center of the block I used a darker color blue.

Maybe this scanned fabric photo will help. Not sure it will work.

I have that center print in yellow. I love how it looks as I move.

Your light fabric is alittle dark for what you are using it for but not much. If you can center the floral motif on your darkest fabric for the center of the windows so the lighter color of the flower doesn't blend into the "frame", I think you are in good shape.

I would think that it is probably just that you have looked at it up close for a little to long. I'm sure after a rest you'll go back to loving it. The fabrics are great.

Well, the main part of the top is done ---6X8 units (9" finished blocks)........had planned to do 8X9 units but I want to be done with it. I'll put it away for a bit and work on something else. Thanks tk, for all your help.

I keep learning more and more from this tute :D:D:D Thank you!!!

So do I.

As I research to answer specific questions I learn new things and remember things from school long long ago.

Thank you for this tutorial. I've printed it out and am well on my way to memorizing it (that's what color-challenged people have to do, if they want to be safe). You have a good way with words, to make things very clear.

Thank you so much for your kind words. I'm glad you are able to understand it. Sometimes I can get pretty confused when I'm trying to explain things.

Didn't sound like you were confused to me - I followed right along in my imagination. Now, whether I can remember all that when I'm faced with fabric choices... well, as they say, that's the acid test. Am looking forward to your further instruction. I suspect there's a lot more I need to learn.

I know exactly what you mean. I like colors that have been dulled. So for me to pick out white backgrounds or or bright colors that really pop with my regular choices is hard.

My next quilt is going to be a pain. I choose a black focus fabric and I can't find a grey rain background. Everything I choose makes the black try and recede. I finally found a dull olive green bamboo that should work.

Black is one of those colors normal it will recede but if it is will dull or tinted fabrics it will pop.

sorry for all the grammatical and spelling errors.

I saw a 'gray rain' sort of fabric somewhere. Maybe on Fabrics.com or ThousandsOfBolts.com and search by color. Here's one: Sku #: 2045, Color: Grey, Fabric: Cotton,
Price: $8.25/yd at www.manhattanfabrics.com/search.cgi.
There's a Michael Miller fabric called 'Fairy Frost Silver' at fabrics.com, or 'Graceful Geisha Bamboo Stripes,' or 'Stonehenge Light Grey,' or 'Rainy Days & Mondays Cloudy Day'... all sort of rainy looking. Wouldn't you just know it - I found a couple I'd like to get myself. But until fabric.com learns to fold fabric and pack boxes neatly, as it used to do before just recently, I won't order there. You should see the mess I got from them the other day!

I had a nice package from them last month. Only problem was that some of the colors weren't what I thought they would be.

Funny I look for grey fabric and couldn't find a thing and you found everything.

Thank you so much for looking.

TK, I found some more 'grey rain' fabrics for you:

South Seas Imports Wild Horses
http://www.thousandsofbolts.com/inde...11&ParentCat=3

Hoffman fabrics Blue Christmas group has a gray mottled fabric that could be seen as 'rainy'.

I want to see your block when you finish it!

it's an appliqued geisha panel 9 by 29 that I want to extend out to 32 by 54 to make a window quilt. It is one of a series of three. The one I am starting with she is holding a parasol and has her other hand reaching out. That's what made me think of rain or snow.

thanks for the links I'm going to check them out.

But right now I'm gathering up the fabrics for a naval career memories quilt for my dad. He's excited and so am I. So far I've found the naval seal. Now I'm waiting on him to find his dd214 so I can gather up the rest of his stuff.

I don't like most quilts used by the color wheel. I like to use my own choices. I like matchy, matchy starting to make scrappy quilts just using colors I like or a mix of different colors. I give most of my quilts away, my choice of colors, my choice of patterns, so far everyone loves them.

Those are great links!!! Thank you for sharing them, I like to know where I can find different fabrics for landscape quilts :D:D:D

Absolutely. Since I really want to head toward doing art quilts the landscaping fabrics are really important.

Thank you for the tutorial! I printed it out and will refer to it frequently. Heidi

thanks Heidi, I'm glad I could be of help.

That reminds me... some time ago through AsAMom.com I found out about a group in Arizona requesting memory blocks for soldiers lost in Afghanistan/Iraq. I made one in memory of the grandson of a friend of mine, but by the time I found out where to send it, it was already finished. Maybe we should do something like that here. I made one red-white-blue one, and one with camouflage-type colors. What do you think?

I'm really new to quilting. I would write a post just like the one you wrote here and put it in main. See how many people are interested and what there input would be.

What is done with the quilt after it is made? does it go to a military hospital or to a local military organization to be raffled?

I know when I offered to make dad a Naval Career Memorial Wall Hanging he got really excited.

I believe they said that one was going to a wounded soldier in a military hospital, or would be raffled off to raise funds for 'Care' packages for servicemen. Was so miffed that it had ended before I could get my squares in, that I sort of 'deleted' it from memory. There is a big VA hospital in Houston, and a huge military hospital complex at Brook Army Medical Base in San Antonio, where they have a burn treatment center, as well as rehab. I'm sure there are many returning soldiers there who would appreciate a quilt.

Do we (the QB) have a "rule" about raffling or things like that? We'd need to get advice on that first.

I should have pm'ed you. This is really off topic lol.

Thanks TK! Very valuable information, especially for newbies.

thank you I will have to print it out and mull it over!I have always placed my colors side by side to see if they go well and are pleasing or not but it might be a good Idea if I learned the grown up way!

Thanks tk for this great information. I'm a "real" beginner quilter and have a lot of problems with color. After turning in many circles, I had the lady at the quilt shop help me pick out my colors for my 1st ever quilt. I still have to finish it with borders, binding, quilting, etc. I'm going to print your postings so I can refer to them when needed. Very good info!
CherylR

Hi tk. I thought you might like to see my finished 'blue' project.

http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-40079-3.htm case you've forgotten, you can scroll down over 3/4s of the way to see the fabrics I used.

Here's a pic of the finished quilt. Sorry it's not a very good photo but it will give you an idea of how the quilt looks.

ranger, I think your quilt looks great! Perfect for a "blue" lover!

Once again, a demonstration of the generosity of the members here. Thank you for this tutorial, for all the time and effort you put into it. Without you all, where would the likes of me be???

WOW, Beautiful colors. You did a great job.

I want to thank tk again for her help. Also thanks again to Tracy at fiberbabble for her inspiration and help.

http://fiberbabble.blogspot.com/2009...-your-set.html

thank you, I have bookmark it and I know I will be reading over and over. :roll:

I love that term, "color-tarded". That's what I am - I always wondered. The descriptions here in this tutorial is great - it gives me more insight.

Beautiful - I think blue is my favorite color - and I have always toyed with the idea of making a monochromatic blue quilt. To see yours here in the picture is spurring me on to try it. Thanks

I really have a problem with using different prints in one quilt. Can you help me with that? Even using the monochromatic style of quilt.

I know what you mean about mixing prints. My "phobia" to mixing prints probably comes from growing up in the fifties and also having a "home ec" background. Now that I've made enough quilts and used a lot of different prints in the same piece, I hardly "see" print anymore. I find as long as I can use a proper balance and variety of print, I can handle it.

:wink:

This is so helpful thank you. Now to go shopping and start to plan my first quilt.

Wow I learned more here than what I've found in the books. Thanks for sharing your expertise. I appreciate reading how you build on your chosen colors, i.e. with neutrals etc. You've enlarged my understanding.

I saw this on the newsletter and I want to thank you! I took art classes for quite a while, painted for years, did stained glass for even more years. NEVER, until I read this, did I understand that darn color wheel!!! Thank you again!