milikaa1

I have been told by many people that I had an eye for color, one of the woman that told me this has been a long time quilter, she said she was jealous because I can take what I have, most fabric given to me by her, but I can take it and make it work, I just use what I have and go with it. It makes me feel good when people say such nice things about me, it makes me want to make more quilts and try new and different things. I think that we are all drawn to certain colors and we just stick with that color spectrum.

Gabrielle's Mimi

Some things to try: go to the paint dept of hardware store and select brochures or cards that have combinations on them that you like. Save photos, magazine ads, greeting cards, etc. that have color combinations that appeal to you. Take them with you when you shop. Create a binder or notebook and add swatches of fabric, paint chips, etc. of things you like over time. Learn to use the color wheel. Buy a good book on color theory or take a class. Best item: Buy Joen Wolfrom's 3-in-1 Color Tool. It teaches you to match colors and is small enough to fit in your purse. You select a color (or match to your fabric) and then follow the directions to match additional colors using a numerical coding system that is all worked out for you. Good luck!

tkhooper

In the tutorial section there is a lesson on color. I don't have a natural eye for color which is why I researched it and wrote the tutorial.

How to learn to choose colors is a lot more complex than it would seem isn't it?

When I first started I thought I could just choose colors and patterns that I liked and that would work. But having looked at quilts that are done by others I've noticed that color and pattern choices can make a huge difference.

This is what I am doing now. I have an overhead projector so I take a picture of the completed quilt usually from the front of the pattern. I make it large enough that I can cut out the pieces leaving enough paper to hold the pattern together. A template, then I take that shopping with me. It allows me to insert the fabrics where they will go so I can get an idea of how the colors work together.

Of course I still have to pay attention to the color wheel and other considerations.

petpainter

Thanks Paper Princess- this is a great reference! I have a friend that REALLY struggles with matching colors...I sent her the site.

Normabeth

I take my sister Donna with me, she has a real good eye for color!!

maryfrang

Have you tried to use a color wheel. That really helps me.

Scissor Queen

I have been told that I have a very good eye for color. I never use the color dots on the selvedges. I don't want my fabrics to match exactly. You can use more than just color to make fabrics work together. I can take any two fabrics that don't go together and add two or three bridge fabrics and make them work together.

Sandi

I think color choice in quilting is much more difficult than anywhere else. There are so many variables in color choice: style, pattern,
light/ dark, dull/ bright, size, shape.. to name a few. It will make you crazy but you can learn and study it and progress but it takes time. I still work at it.
I started out with colors that I liked naturally and then "trialed and errored" it by putting them up next to each other. I tried to adjust the size of the fabric when I do this. I asked the local quilt shop people. It took me a long time.

go easy on yourself and pick what you like as a focus.. go from there. It's a process and takes time

fireworkslover

Jinny Beyer has some classes on this. I think the one I saw was on The Quilt Show (TQS), which is a membership online show. It's well worth it tho, they have a lot of information on there, with a new show each week. TQS also has a color class, "Special Effects with Color" which gives you a lesson each week to make a paste up block on paper with your colors choices. That was helpful for me. Christine Barnes teaches that. There's also many books available with color combinations to pick from, check your library.

mcdaniel023

I think I am pretty good. I don't sweat it at all. I always get compliments about how well my fabrics go together. Maybe it just comes natural to some. Now if all other aspects of quilting would come that natural.....