June 24, 2024

Ever wonder how to pick the right color of fabric for your quilt? Never fear—in this blog post, we’ll cover everything you need to boost your color confidence, from basic color theory to tips and tricks for creating your own color combinations. Let’s dive in!

Sometimes it can be overwhelming to know which colors to use in a project, but becoming “color-aware” is a great first step to leaving color indecision in the dust! Here are some questions to ask yourself:

• Are there colors you immediately gravitate toward?

• What colors do you associate with certain seasons? (e.g. green and brown for fall)

• Are there any cultural or emotional associations with color that you find interesting?

• How do you feel about bright vs. muted colors?

• Do you have a preference for warm colors (reds, oranges, yellows) or cool colors (blues, greens, purples)?

• Can you easily distinguish between similar shades of a color?

• Do you enjoy complementary colors used together, or contrasting colors?

• Which colors remind you of places and things you love?

Becoming more color-aware is really about recognizing the ways that color inspires us every day and using that awareness in our personal quilting projects. Colors can have a strong effect on our emotions and can bring us comfort, joy, excitement, and peace.

Let’s get back to basics! When it comes to choosing colors, a color wheel can be a quilter’s best friend! Today, we’ll talk about the three color groupings found on a color wheel, and how you can use this handy tool to pick colors with ease.

Primary colors - red, yellow, and blue - are the building blocks of all other colors.

Secondary colors are created by mixing two primary colors in equal parts. The three secondary colors are:

• Orange: Made by mixing red and yellow

• Purple (Violet): Made by mixing red and blue

• Green: Made by mixing yellow and blue

You can use a secondary color and the colors next to it on the color wheel to create pleasing color combinations - for instance, green, green-yellow, and yellow.

Tertiary colors, also sometimes called intermediate colors, are formed by mixing a primary color with a secondary color. There are six total: Red-Orange, Yellow-Orange, Yellow-Green, Blue-Green, Blue-Violet, Red-Violet. Tertiary colors are inherently more subdued than primary or secondary colors, making them ideal choices for accents or contrasting elements within a quilt dominated by primary or secondary colors.

When choosing colors for your quilting project, there are several color schemes to consider:

Monochromatic Colors: Use variations of one color exclusively, for example, using only purple.

Complementary Colors: Choose two colors that are directly opposite each other on the color wheel, such as purple and yellow.

Triadic Colors: Choose three colors that are evenly spaced around the color wheel, forming a triangle, such as purple, red-orange, and green.

Analogous Colors: Select a range of colors that are next to each other on the color wheel, such as red, orange, and yellow.

Spectrum: Use all of the colors on the wheel to create a rainbow of possibilities!

Now, let's talk about color value, which refers to how light or dark a color is. Choosing solid fabrics in different shades, tones, and tints changes the value of the colors. To create contrast within your quilting project, it's important to consider the following:

• If you tend to choose colors of medium value, they may not create much contrast. Try to pick fabrics that are either lighter or darker to achieve the desired amount of contrast.

• Pure colors, without any added black, white, or gray, will stand out the most.

• Warm colors are generally more dominant than cool colors. Remember, adding black to a color makes it darker (shades), adding gray makes it more neutral (tones), and adding white makes it lighter (tints).

To easily determine the color contrast between your fabrics, start by gathering all your solid fabrics and stepping back to squint. Which colors stand out?

Another helpful tip is to use your phone's camera and take a photo of your solid fabrics together. After that, edit the photo and select the black & white or monochrome mode. If you can't differentiate between the fabrics in the photo, it means you need to choose lighter and darker solid fabrics to achieve the desired contrast.

Published by Danae M.