Color and fabric
Color and fabric. When taken individually, two amazing words. When taken together, they can make magic!
Well, that’s the hope, anyway…
Sometimes, though, it’s not so easy. Sometimes the colors work, and sometimes they just don’t. Choosing colors and fabrics can be pretty frustrating at times. This can also mean that fabric shopping can be overwhelming – even though it’s supposed to be fun!
Colors have relationships with other colors – and just like people, opposites can grate or attract, similar colors can get along well, and a diverse group can create synergy and energy. Then, add the texture of fabric, along with its scale, pattern, intensity, and value, and voila! Quilt Magic.
Figuring out how fabrics work together - and why fabrics don’t work together – is what’s behind the magic. Learning some of the “rules” of color and the characteristics of fabrics can give you more hope that you can choose great fabrics to create a quilt you love, much more often.
Since color theory is science, learning some basic principles could help you to make better fabric choices. Practicing with value and identifying fabric characteristics can help. Inspiration and your likes and dislikes add some mystery and challenge to the process.
My experience
I had been making quilts for a couple of years, and loved the process but wished I knew better how to make good fabric choices. I started to think about what it was that I liked about certain quilts and what I didn’t like about others, and began to investigate how some other quilters chose such great colors and fabric.
Eventually, I worked out a process for choosing fabrics that I still use today. It’s a combination of a bit knowledge about color theory (I am not a scientist!) and learning about how fabrics interact with those near them. Usually, these principles get my fabrics in the right direction, and then playing and trying possibilities out result in some wonderful surprises. The color and fabric aspect of quilting is now my favorite part.
Quilt magic
Color and fabric choice takes practice. Each quilt you make is a puzzle to work out. If choosing fabrics for your quilts is not your favorite part of quilting, let me help you push through the frustration and learn to enjoy the process. Let’s make some quilt magic!
How many times have you wished that you were “better at color”?
Some helpful resources from elsewhere in the Dynamic Quilting website:
Three things to consider when choosing an inspiration fabric
How to make your quilt your own
The Dynamic Quilting Color and Fabric Plan - Check out my tool for quilters to use as they choose fabrics. Starting with an inspiration fabric, it helps you analyze that inspiration fabric and in choosing the rest of your fabrics.
Join my email list (below) to hear more about colorand fabric. As a gift, you will receive my free wall hanging pattern that works well for trying out a color palette or showcasing a particular fabric. Practice your color and fabric knowledge with this pattern!