One of the most important elements of a successful quilt can often be the most challenging. Selecting a color scheme to complement the pattern you have selected for your project takes time and practice.
Choose a project, then choose the fabrics. Color delights the eye and speaks to the heart. But how do you decide among all the wonderful color selections? You might look outdoors to the colors of nature in all the seasons. You will find everything from earth tones to flamingo pink and brilliant turquoise. Butterflies, rocks, tress, and flowers can inspire you. Let nature guide you; then use the information below to help you express yourself.
The Color Wheel
Use the color wheel as a starting point for creating your own color combinations. Primary colors are red, blue and yellow. Halfway between the primary colors are the secondary colors: orange, green and violet. All the colors between the primary and secondary colors are intermediate colors.
Terms
Pure color is undiluted, intense and brilliant. The use of pure color creates excitement and energy.
Tint has white added. Pastels are tints. A tinted color conveys a feeling of softness and delicacy.
Shade has black added. Shades have depth and richness. They include the warm hues of autumn and the and the deep blue tones of night.
Tone is pure color, a tint or a shade that has been grayed. Tones are subdued, subtle colors. Tones enhance the colors around them.
Intensity refers to the degree to which a pure color has been tinted, shaded or toned.
Value refers to its darkness or lightness. The contrast between the values of colors can be very strong, such as black to white, or very subtle, such as yellow to white.
Color Schemes
They can be combined in endless ways. Certain types of combinations will always produce pleasing results. Deciding on a scheme depends on your project. Home décor items usually are based on the colors in the home. Wearing apparel often is based on the preferences of the person who will be wearing it. Choose colors you love and have fun finding new ways of combining them with other colors.
Decide what mood or feeling you want to convey. Warm colors such as red, orange and yellow suggest heat. They can be fun and exciting to work with. Cool colors convey a wintry mood, relaxing and subtle. Choose the type of color that will enhance the feeling you want: pure color, tints, shades, or tones. Allow one type to dominate. The next consideration is value. How dark and light the colors are in each project affects the feeling of the piece. Strong contrasts in value are dramatic. Low contrasts in value are calming.
Monochromatic schemes use colors from the same "family." Choose one from the wheel and use different values, tints, tones, and shades to create a scheme. Monochromatic schemes are cohesive and sophisticated.
Complementary colors are opposite each other on the wheel. Allow one of the colors to dominate. For example, if red is the dominant one, use a touch of green to complement it.
Analogous colors are next to each other on the color wheel. Choose three to seven colors that are side by side. Include tints, tones, or shades with intense colors for a dynamic color scheme. Vary the values of the colors you have selected to add interest to your color scheme.
Split-Complementary schemes use an analogous combination of colors with an added twist: a complementary one. Your complement will be opposite the middle color of your analogous group. If the analogous scheme is made up of red, red orange, and orange, the complement would be blue-green. Split-complementary schemes are among the most beautiful.
You will find that your quilts are quite different simply by changing the scheme. Choosing quilt fabrics is so much fun and can be done in so many different ways even with the same block designs to produce different quilts and feelings associated with them. Whatever scheme you use for your quilting projects, you will have fun playing with the colors.
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