Google Groups no longer supports new Usenet posts or subscriptions. Historical content remains viewable.
Dismiss

Fabric Colors

3 views
Skip to first unread message

Stephen

unread,
Apr 4, 2003, 4:14:52 AM4/4/03
to
I am having the dickens of a time with the color wheel. Many of you endured
my whinning about categorizing my growing stash. Much of my struggle was
about separating out colors. I joined Yavonne's swap to develop my stash,
especially those colors I don't normally gravitate towards. So, tonight I
went to three fabric stores shopping for 12 yellows. It was really hard to
select them because I want to do this right and not have my FQ rejected, but
I didn't know what to buy. I had to ask people what was meant by "reading"
yellow. I had a hard time finding tone on tone yellow. Most were yellow
with other colors like a little blue or green. Others were more mustard
than yellow. I also couldn't tell where yellow stopped and tan or orange
started. It is all rather silly, but this was really stressful.

Anyway, my problem said, what I need is help with choosing colors and
understanding how colors work together. Are there any classes out there
that I can take that will help with this? I see "foundation piecing"
classes, "applique" classes, and classes teaching a specific block, but I
have not seen any fabric selection classes that tackle the color issue.

Thanks again for being patient with my muddling through in this new world of
artistic expression.

--
Stephen in Santa Rosa
(aka Genopsych)

---
Work honestly
Meditate every day
Meet People without Fear
And Play.

--Baba Hari Dass


Polly Esther

unread,
Apr 4, 2003, 6:07:24 AM4/4/03
to
Stephen, your friendly library will have some books on color, all over the
place; in the home decorating section, the artists' shelf, the beauty group
(self or garden). Somebody here can probably explain hue, value, intensity
to you. Color, as with cats, can't really be pinned down or completely
understood. But, oh boy, it can be enjoyed.
You could just study yellow, for example, until you're a grumpy old
coot. Yellow can be soft, harsh, sparkle, tone-down, anger, soothe. It can
have vague names such as ochre, cadmium, gold, Naples, Indian, oxide. This
is another one of those things in life that, "it's not the destination, it's
the journey." You will know when you have colors that make you happy and you
can change your mind. And, you can get help from someone on the other side
of the world. It's one of the pleasures of quilting. Polly


Stephen <geno...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:g2cja.2922$JX2.2...@typhoon.sonic.net...

Ocean Gypsy

unread,
Apr 4, 2003, 7:02:05 AM4/4/03
to
In article <g2cja.2922$JX2.2...@typhoon.sonic.net>, "Stephen" <geno...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>I am having the dickens of a time with the color wheel. Many of you endured
>my whinning about categorizing my growing stash. Much of my struggle was
>about separating out colors. I joined Yavonne's swap to develop my stash,
>especially those colors I don't normally gravitate towards. So, tonight I
>went to three fabric stores shopping for 12 yellows. It was really hard to
>select them because I want to do this right and not have my FQ rejected, but
>I didn't know what to buy. I had to ask people what was meant by "reading"
>yellow. I had a hard time finding tone on tone yellow. Most were yellow
>with other colors like a little blue or green. Others were more mustard
>than yellow. I also couldn't tell where yellow stopped and tan or orange
>started. It is all rather silly, but this was really stressful.

Yellow is my favorite color, but I have found it incredibly difficult to
pick up any predominantly yellow fabric. There's that glorious
yellow and royal blue that I will gravitate towards, but not real
bright or mellow yellow. Puzzling.



>Anyway, my problem said, what I need is help with choosing colors and
>understanding how colors work together. Are there any classes out there
>that I can take that will help with this? I see "foundation piecing"
>classes, "applique" classes, and classes teaching a specific block, but I
>have not seen any fabric selection classes that tackle the color issue.

I wonder if you can "get" this in a class. It really helped me to have
someone who would question me about some choices I made
while shopping. It made me think about why I was getting it ("See -
I want to bring out this blue" or "I'm tired and this looked close
enough" ). When I go to put colors together for things I'm
making at home, it has become easier to do. Well, easier in
one way - I'm getting a lot better at sensing what really does
seem to belong together in the end. It does seem to take an
excruciating amount of time though - it took me a whole day
to come up with maybe 6 strips of fabric and their placement
out of about 12 fabrics I had gotten to do a shore landscape
quilt. And for my Delft plate style wall hanging that's only four
blocks? I'm about to switch one fabric out, even after I finished
two of the blocks already because I haven't been truly happy
with anything I've put there yet. Cross your fingers for me that
the 6th one's the charm. :-)

>Thanks again for being patient with my muddling through in this new world of
>artistic expression.

Nice way to put it. I'll add my hearty thanks as well.

Crystal

georg

unread,
Apr 4, 2003, 6:43:46 AM4/4/03
to
Stephen wrote:
>
> Anyway, my problem said, what I need is help with choosing colors and
> understanding how colors work together. Are there any classes out there
> that I can take that will help with this? I see "foundation piecing"
> classes, "applique" classes, and classes teaching a specific block, but I
> have not seen any fabric selection classes that tackle the color issue.

Color is something that comes more with practice. I personally have
trouble with the lines between red-orange, yellow-orange, red-brown, and
orange-brown. So I avoid orange whenever possible, and stick with colors
I can see and understand- like purple, blue and green. Unfortunately, my
beloved is blue-green colorblind, and cannot see the distinction as well
as I intend it to be- blue and green are both grey to him.

I have seen folks use color filters while looking at fabric. Most quilt
shops sell a red filter. This is good to help judge tone- light to dark.
It's also good for seeing what color besides red is in the fabric. I own
a pair of yellow sunglasses, and they help prevent migraines for me. But
I bring them to the fabric shop when I want to filter out yellow... and
things will appear more brown if there is red in the color, and more
green if there are any colors muddled in that way. Yellow doesn't appear
the same as white, but it is obvious what is "yellow" instead of "tan".
Consider getting filters of your own. They also make sunglasses with
blue lenses that could probably be used the same way. By filtering out
one color, you see the other colors more clearly.

As for which color goes better with another... you are better off
expiramenting. An excuse to fondle fabric! Lay one color with a stack of
others, and see how well they dance. Colors that lay next to each other
in the rainbow do well, all primaries (red, blue, yellow) do well, the
complimentaries (purple, orange, and green) can do ok, but not as
easily, and complimentary pairs do very well for contrast (blue-orange,
yellow-purple, and red-green). Play!! It may help to get graph paper and
colored pencils and lay out several quilt designs in a variety of colors
to help you see how the colors play together.

-georg

QuiltR1024

unread,
Apr 4, 2003, 7:19:18 AM4/4/03
to
Stephen,
Boy I wish you lived by me. I loved working with colors and picking
fabrics. A lot of my friends call me to go fabric shopping with them. I'm
good at putting colors together and Pat & kathy Z. can vouch for the amount of
yellows and reds ( I needed moer variety for my stash) I bought at Houston.
I even used the ravels ( that you get tangled in the washing machine , when
washing the fabrics for the first time) from the yellow for the hair for my
self-portrait mermaid quilt. Here is the web site to see her. Just click on
the self-portraits and I'm the second quilt. I also have three more of my
quilts on my individual page here. ( This is the web site for a small art
quilt group that I have been ini for about two years). I slao enjoy making
traditional quilts.

http://www.quiltaholic.com/quiltartists/

I also do traditional quilts and did you a wonderful "barn raising" log
cabin flannel quilt that is published in the book, Quick Cozy Flannel Quilts.

I typed in the words "color wheel" on my alo web search and came up
with all these sites. If you can't get to this site, just typr in "color
wheel" in your own search engine.

http://aolsearch.aol.com/dirsearch.adp?gotcha&query=color%20wheel
or
http://www.saumag.edu/art/studio/chalkboard/c-wheel.html


Send me your snail mail address and you might find a treat in the mail
someday.

Kris ( in northern Virignia)

Elena

unread,
Apr 4, 2003, 7:35:52 AM4/4/03
to
Stephen, it's okay to have other colors in the yellow fabric. Just as long
as the background "reads" yellow. Yes I know that's not much help. You
could try taking a piece of cardboard about notebook paper size, and cutting
out a 6" square. Lay that on the fabric, so you only get an isolated
instance of it. Cover up the rest of the bolt if you have to. If you think
most of the fabric in that square is yellow, then Bob's your uncle. (
English expression. makes me giggle )

I want to say one more thing. In Yvonne's swaps, you don't have to have 12
different FQs of yellow to send in. Each of your FQs will be in a separate
baggie, and she will sort them out one at a time to different people. 12
people will get your fabric! So it's okay if all 12 are of the same fabric.
It's easier and less expensive to buy 3 1/4 yards, wash it (you'll lose some
of your 1/4th yd there) iron it, and cut your FQs from there. If you want
to play, buy 1/2 to 5/8th of a yard, however many fabrics you like, and then
you have one for you and one for them! Did that make sense? Don't stress
over finding 12 fabrics!

If you want, I will send you a picture of my "Orange" swap fabrics. They
ranged in color from peach to rust. Lots of different patterns.

HTH (Hope this helps)
Elena


"Stephen" <geno...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:g2cja.2922$JX2.2...@typhoon.sonic.net...

QuiltR1024

unread,
Apr 4, 2003, 8:15:15 AM4/4/03
to
Stephen
Here is a great color wheel web site.

http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/TEACH/floral/color.htm

Kris ( in nrothern Virginia)

CHARLES MURPHY

unread,
Apr 4, 2003, 7:23:21 AM4/4/03
to
The challenge you are runiing into is the fact that color is
relative...that is a fabric changes when put next to another color
fabric....the subtractive and additive properties of color......A lose quote
from Doreen Speckmann, a fabric looks nothing like the color it is until it
is cut into the size it is and put next to the color it is supposed to be
next to. ....Color is subjective that is whatever you see as a good
combination is fine....my theory is that color choices are a learning to be
confident of your own choice.....For beginners looking to establish a
palette for a quilt.....I suggest they choose a fabric with many colors that
appeals to them.....Then use the colors in that fabric to select additional
fabrics for the quilt...You need not include that first fabric in your
quilt, it only is used as a palette identifier.....Do you know that the
colors in a fabric are separated in the dots of color along the selvage edge
of most fabrics?
Yellow is one of the most trouble of all colors, because it is a "high
color" meaning like white it affected by the colors around it strongly.
Very strong or weak depending on location...Pick up some color chips from
the paint department and fiddle around with those....
Early on in quilting a lady told me she always added some form of yellow in
a quilt since it was like introducing sunshine into a quilt.....

--
Mauvice in Central WI USA


"Stephen" <geno...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:g2cja.2922$JX2.2...@typhoon.sonic.net...

Kees Mom

unread,
Apr 4, 2003, 7:25:14 AM4/4/03
to
Stephen,

Quilt University has color classes. I've taken several of their classes
and have thoroughly enjoyed them. I think their prices are very
reasonable, and of course with taking them online you can set your
schedule for "attending" class. The instructors are terrific and
available via email at all times during the course.
The URL is www.quiltuniversity.com.

Deb Partridge
Kees Mom in VA
Remove kissoff to reply personally
quail...@kissoffattbi.com

"Stephen" <geno...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:g2cja.2922$JX2.2...@typhoon.sonic.net...

frood

unread,
Apr 4, 2003, 8:24:19 AM4/4/03
to
I'd like to recommend the book Fabric Shopping with Alex Anderson. This
gives practical tips on selecting fabrics for projects, and for basic stash
enhancement.

It will get easier with practice, and asking for advice is a good (and very
inexpensive) way to find out how others think about colors. Ask all the
questions you want, Stephen. This group just loves to offer their opinions!!

--
Wendy
http://griffinsflight.com/Quilting/quilt1.htm
de-fang email address to reply


"Stephen" <geno...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:g2cja.2922$JX2.2...@typhoon.sonic.net...

Elena

unread,
Apr 4, 2003, 8:35:32 AM4/4/03
to
I have this book and I think it's good too. I'm not sure I use it enough to
keep it around though, maybe we can work out a barter arrangement for it.
Just let me know. :)

Elena

"frood" <Mam...@FangGriffinsFlight.com> wrote in message
news:0zfja.104885$Tn5....@fe10.atl2.webusenet.com...

Phil...@webtv.net

unread,
Apr 4, 2003, 10:35:56 AM4/4/03
to
Stephen,

A good book is "Color Magic for Quilters" by Ann Seely and Joyce Stewart
(Rodale Press). It uses great photos from actual quilt blocks so you can
get away from that "ideal yellow" on the color wheel into the infinite
variety of yellows (and yellow-greens and yellow-oranges) in real-life
fabric.

"Color Foundations" was my favorite class in art school. I was drawn
into quilting because of the opportunity to do graphic designs with so
much color.

Working with color is like any art. Learning basic color theory (which
really ain't all that hard) and playing with lots of colors will sharpen
your eye. I like getting hands-on instruction, so I'd recommend that you
find someone who knows the theory stuff (maybe an employee at your LQS,
or a good local quilter), take them to your fabric shop, and ask them to
teach you about hue, intensity, and value. They'll probably have as much
fun as you will, and you'll have a whole store of your favorite art
materials to play with.

For solo practice, find a multi-colored print (like a batik or a floral)
at your LQS (you don't have to buy it; you're just playing with it
here). Then try to find other fabrics that match each color in the
print. At first you can carry the print around with you and hold it next
to other bolts. But then try to identify the qualities of one of the
colors (Is it yellow with a hint of green? how bright or muted is it?
How light or dark is it?) and go try to find that color by memory.
You're a rare person if you get it exactly right, because colors are
hard to remember precisely, but this playtime can help you learn to
really "see" the qualities of a color.

The color wheel helps you learn about color relationships. Don't let it
intimidate you, though, into thinking there are "rules" about color
combinations. You can put together any colors that please you.

Have fun!

Philip

Phil...@webtv.net

unread,
Apr 4, 2003, 10:41:49 AM4/4/03
to
Stephen,

Here's a bit of quilting heresy. If you have a good fabric/quilt shop
nearby, you don't *have* to build a massive stash at home. I consider my
LQS as my personal stash. And it's already organized by color. <g>

Philip

Pati Cook

unread,
Apr 4, 2003, 4:14:36 AM4/4/03
to
Stephen,
part of the problem is that different people read colors differently. And color
names are a whole 'nother thing. Some quilt stores do do color classes, but in
general you can do it yourself, it just takes practice.
When you first look at a fabric, squint your eyes, look at it and you will
generally see mass of color...... what color is it mostly? If you had to choose
one color word to describe it what would it be? And only use primary, secondary
color names (red, blue, yellow, green, orange, purple/violet, ) or black, white
or brown.
When you get to tertiary colors you run into complications with color names, and
what they read. In some cases a yellow towards the orange end will read yellow,
in other cases it might read orangy. A lot of times it really does depend on
what you put it with.
Some people see colors differently too.... as do manufacturers. Periwinkle can
be a bluish purple or a purplish blue. and so on.

When working with what goes together, start with a print that you like.
Choosing colors that are in the print will give you a coordinating combination.
But don't try to "over match" . Each fabric may not be exactly the same as a
color in a print, but may look good with it, perhaps a lighter or darker
tint/shade, or a small step to one side or the other on the color wheel.

Plus which...... what you like and what I like together may not be any where
near the same. Develop your own style. Ask for help when selecting fabric. Ask
for opinions, of the store clerks and other customers. They will all be glad to
give you an opinion, possibly make suggestions. Many will be conflicting, so
you have to make the final choices.
In the long run, if you like it it is fine. If you call it yellow, then it is
yellow (unless of course it is green or blue or something....<G> )

Have fun, experiment and try new things.

Pati, in Phx

Pati Cook

unread,
Apr 4, 2003, 4:23:30 AM4/4/03
to
georg, and Stephen,
the value filters actually allow you to see the difference in value of
fabrics. Red works best for warm colors (reds, oranges, yellows) Green works
best for cool colors (blues, greens and purples). You can also check value by
copying the fabric on a black and white copier.
Value is often more important than color in a quilt. But is very different
from color, although somewhat related. <G>
Hue is the basic "true" color. Tints are hues with white added. Shades are
hues with black added. And then there are all the other combinations that
occur. A lot of the "folk" colors have brown added to them...... if you look
at the backgrounds you can tell this. They look better with ecru or light
beige than with white. Mustard yellow is a yellow with brown in it for
example.

This is very basic and not technical, but may help

Pati, inPhx

Dragonfly

unread,
Apr 4, 2003, 11:57:09 AM4/4/03
to
I have heard very good things about a local series of color classes,
which the instructor based on the book, "Color from the Heart: Seven
Great Ways to Make Quilts With Colors You Love" by Gai Perry, Lynn
Koolish (Editor), Liz Aneloski (Editor). Amazon.com lists this book
with some sample pages.

A color wheel can help you distinguish when a color changes from
"yellow" to "orange" -- which one does it look closer to? But when
you're doing a "yellow swap", generally any shade of yellow is ok --
neon yellow, mustard yellow, pale yellow, golden yellow, etc. --
unless the directions specifically state otherwise.

"Reading yellow" means that when you step back and squint at it, it
looks more yellow than any other color. Big yellow daffodils, close
together, on a blue background might "read" yellow. Far apart, they
might "read" blue as more of the background shows through. Tiny pale
blue flowers on a yellow background might "read" yellow, but if the
flowers are bigger or bolder, the fabric as a whole might "read" blue
or even green.

I hope this helps!

Dragonfly

"Stephen" <geno...@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:<g2cja.2922$JX2.2...@typhoon.sonic.net>...

JG

unread,
Apr 4, 2003, 12:17:45 PM4/4/03
to
Dragonfly, that is a wonderfully clear explanation about how to know what
color a fabric "reads".
--
Ginger


"Dragonfly" <dragonfl...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:685292fc.03040...@posting.google.com...

Patti

unread,
Apr 4, 2003, 8:40:53 AM4/4/03
to
Hullo Stephen
You'll be getting fed up with me chiming in every time you ask a
question!!! And I'm never brief, am I? <g> Comes from having been
trained as a teacher - you always set out the picture with all the
details in case the homework gets done wrong!

I have never seen classes on colour (though there may be some, and I
live in the UK).
One reason this is difficult, and why it is so difficult to be helped,
is that we all see colour slightly differently. In fact we probably see
most things slightly differently, but who's to know? So your problem
with when yellow changes to orange was, I would say, due to the fact
that you were looking for yellow and had looked and looked. Your colour
vision was getting 'biased'. If you were given a fabric in isolation,
and asked 'is that yellow or orange', you would have no problem. You
were looking at yellow, but it could happen with blue/greeny blue/green.
Do you see what I mean?

Also, as I said when I mentioned something about value the other day,
colour varies, in the perception of it, according to its company. This
is why grey coloured thread is so great to sew with, because it 'takes
on' the atmosphere of the colour it is next to at the time. Try a grey
thread with a red or pink and then try it with a blue or green. Keep
your eye on the grey thread. You know it is grey, because you saw it
being grey when you took it out of the drawer; but now it looks a
pinkish grey and then a bluish grey. Fascinating.

There are books about colour theory, but they are a bit dry! I do love
the Joen Wolfrom one, though, The Magical Effects of Colour. I still
have lots to learn from it, but I have already learned quite a lot.

Yet another facet to this wonderful craft. You can see why we never
tire of it, can't you <g>

Have fun with your colours. Don't worry too much about theory. Just go
with what pleases *your* eye. You know what they say about rules
anyway! And, have we told you yet that there are no Quilt Police?
.


In article <g2cja.2922$JX2.2...@typhoon.sonic.net>, Stephen

<geno...@hotmail.com> writes

--
Best Regards
pat on the hill

Stephen

unread,
Apr 4, 2003, 3:08:12 PM4/4/03
to
I did succeed in getting the 12 different yellows at the three fabric stores
I went to yesterday. I got 1/2 to 1 yds of each and cut out a FQ of each
for the swap. This way I build my stash along the way. I didn't get the
part about the fabrics not having to be the same. I thought they did, but
the website certainly didn't say they did. It did say not to wash them
though. Wow, not needing 12 next month for tone-on-tone may be helpful.
Hmm.

Thanks,

--
Stephen in Santa Rosa
(aka Genopsych)

"Elena" <LN...@attbiSPAMTHIS.com> wrote in message
news:I_eja.364666$sf5.6...@rwcrnsc52.ops.asp.att.net...

Stephen

unread,
Apr 4, 2003, 3:08:13 PM4/4/03
to
Cool! I like Alex's books. I'll go out and pick one up if I can find it.

--
Stephen in Santa Rosa
(aka Genopsych)

"frood" <Mam...@FangGriffinsFlight.com> wrote in message
news:0zfja.104885$Tn5....@fe10.atl2.webusenet.com...

Stephen

unread,
Apr 4, 2003, 3:08:14 PM4/4/03
to
Name you price. I like barter.

--
Stephen in Santa Rosa
(aka Genopsych)

---
Work honestly
Meditate every day
Meet People without Fear
And Play.

--Baba Hari Dass


"Elena" <LN...@attbiSPAMTHIS.com> wrote in message

news:ESfja.362218$S_4.437017@rwcrnsc53...

Julia Altshuler

unread,
Apr 4, 2003, 4:45:39 PM4/4/03
to
I go with what I call the "force the decision" approach. I look at a lovely
floral with big bright green blue leaves, tiny pink flowers, a buttery yellow
background. Held up close, it looks green, blue, pink and yellow (duh). I want
to put it in my stash in with either the blues, greens, yellows, oranges, reds
or purples. Further, I can't decide if it is a bright green, a pastel pink, a
neutral white or tan or black. (I forgot to mention the dark blue-black outline
on the leaves.) It is the sort of thing that could drive one crazy so I Force
The Decision. I hold it across the room, close my eyes for several seconds,
open them quickly, look, pretend someone is holding a gun to my head demanding
that I name a dominant color, and decide. For the example, let's say I decide
pure saturated green. I put it in with the others. The fabric "reads" green.

When I started with FTD, it was out of expediency. I just needed to know how to
put away fabrics. Now I see that there are more advantages. I've learned about
my color sense. I live in a green shifted world. I believe most of us have
personal color shifts.

Let's imagine a roomful of students looking at a big color wheel, the nice kind
where the red turns slowly into orange which turns just as slowly into yellow
without clearly defining lines between them. The pure red, blue and yellow are
perfect thirds around the wheel. Orange comes exactly halfway between red and
yellow; green comes exactly between blue and yellow. The teacher points to a
spot between red and orange and asks what color it is. "Orange-red" comes the
chorus of voices. So far, so good. One can see that it is orange-red, and if
one were having trouble, there is the obvious spatial cue. One can see that it
is equidistant as well.

Now let's do an experiment with the class. Instead of giving the spatial cue,
take the colors and put them on cards. Duplicate a few for fun. Make a card
for pure red, a card for pure orange and 6 cards for shades between red and
orange. Do the same for the whole color wheel. Shuffle the cards, show them to
each student, and ask each student to force the decision. Each card must be
either red, orange, yellow, green, blue or purple, no in-betweens. Compare the
answers. The results will be interesting. The first interesting thing you'll
find is that each student's answers will be remarkably consistent. They may
disagree with each other, but they'll always agree with themselves. Shown the
same card twice, the student will give the same answer. If you arranged the
cards back in a wheel, each student would be able to draw a line separating the
colors into 6 parts-- not necessarily equal ones. There will be little or no
difference in opinion about what is pure red. It would be very odd if one
person in the class looked at the pure red and decided it looked more orange to
him. The same is true for the other pure colors. For the ones that come
between the pures, there will be loads of difference in the way the students see
the colors.

I tend to see pure yellow as yellow, but if you add even a little blue to it,
I'll see green where someone else is still seeing yellow. That's because I live
in a green shifted world. In fact, add a little red to the yellow, and I'll see
orange. My world has very little yellow in it. Your world will have its own
internal consistency. That's all that matters. Your colors will match.

I have run into color classes at quilt stores, but I'm convinced that a
beginning art course at a college would be better. (I am not speaking from
experience on this one.)

There's certainly nothing wrong with building a stash, but I hope you don't
think you need a perfectly well-rounded stash before you can start quilting. I
have more green than anything else. I love green. I make lots of green
quilts. When I find that my stash is missing a color I need, then I go out and
collect that color. Most recently I've discovered that I need more dark darks
and light lights so I try to buy them, but if I weren't using them and finding
them missing, I wouldn't bother.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that the color wheel should do service to the
quilt, not the other way around. Think back to the color wheel when you're
having trouble making a quilt with colors you like. Don't try to make a quilt
that follows the wheel. Start with looking at the fabrics and asking yourself
if you like them. Only go to the color wheel if you're stuck and can't figure
out what's wrong.

Jinny Beyer's _Color Confidence For Quilters_ was one of my first quilt books.
I still find it useful.

--Lia

Jennifer Hepworth

unread,
Apr 4, 2003, 5:36:52 PM4/4/03
to
Hi Stephen, I remember a long time ago that I read in an article or saw
on TV, the suggestion of paint chip cards being used for colour lessons.
There would be a lot more available shades now in this format but the
idea is that you would obtain two of each card from the paint section of
the home dec store - keep one set intact and cut the other set into
individual shades. The next stage of this game is to jumble all the
little squares into a closed brown paper bag or other such container -
then one by one, you remove a square and YOU decide what colour pile it
should go into - when your bag is empty, you then check your findings
with the complete shade card. This will give you an idea of your
perception of shade, hue, clarity, etc.

You can also use the shade cards to help you sort your stash when you
have finished the 'game'.

Hope you enjoy this little game,
Jennifer in Ottawa.

Maureen Wozniak

unread,
Apr 4, 2003, 8:40:13 PM4/4/03
to
First of all, everything you talked about, I would classify as yellow. (That
being said, I notice I only have two yellows in my stash).

Second, I think you're making this color thing to hard. But if you must read a
book I'd recommend "Color Confidence for Quilters" by Jinny Beyer

Stephen

unread,
Apr 5, 2003, 2:44:59 AM4/5/03
to
Thanks, Phillip. That was very helpful. I have been doing the thing with
the print I like and then finding fabrics with the colors in it. This is
really fun and is helping me become familiar with the various fabrics in
LQS. Yet, it is always the same with me that when I start to pay attention
to something, a zillion questions come into my mind. I have always been a
"why" kind of person, so I need to ask. You all are being very wonderful to
answer them.

Peace,

--
Stephen in Santa Rosa
(aka Genopsych)

---
Work honestly
Meditate every day
Meet People without Fear
And Play.

--Baba Hari Dass
<Phil...@webtv.net> wrote in message
news:3502-3E8...@storefull-2311.public.lawson.webtv.net...

Stephen

unread,
Apr 5, 2003, 2:44:59 AM4/5/03
to
Patti, Your posts are very helpful. Thanks and don't hesitate to chime in
anytime it pleases you.

Peace,

--
Stephen in Santa Rosa
(aka Genopsych)

"Patti" <Pa...@quik.clara.co.uk> wrote in message
news:EHHhDQDl...@quik.fsnet.co.uk...

Stephen

unread,
Apr 5, 2003, 2:48:01 AM4/5/03
to
Thanks so much for this response. I've put the Jenny Beyer book on my wish
list at amazon.com and will pick it up soon.

--
Stephen in Santa Rosa
(aka Genopsych)

---
Work honestly
Meditate every day
Meet People without Fear
And Play.

--Baba Hari Dass
"Julia Altshuler" <jalts...@attbi.com> wrote in message
news:3E8DFD1F...@attbi.com...

Butterfly

unread,
Apr 5, 2003, 1:05:32 PM4/5/03
to
Do *not* disturb the project you are working on......don't want it mixed
up in this 'quick exercise':

Quick..go grab ALL your reds.....bring them to the compie--
don't THINK.........just do.

I'm waiting.

Place them on the floor/table/bed ((if you don't have a QI that'll carry
them off--if you do, then you'll have to put them in a 'safe place' for
now))
DON'T THINK--don't 'change your mind' If it says RED at first grab then
that is where it goes.....
Done?
Good. Now how many reds do you have ((answering on here is NOT
necessary--you'll have all our RED lovers comingatcha ; ) ))

Now go do the Greens--same steps--
then brown
then yellow
then purple
then black
then orange
and finally blue.
Can't decide (lots of colors no dominate one), then put THAT in a 'can't
decide pile' but AWAY from those you are 'sure of'.

There, you have quite a selection of colors in each pile don't
you.....((I don't have a clue as to how long you have been collecting
your stash...so I don't know if you only have a few pieces or a bed full
--and I will be nice today and NOT yell Stash Raid--it's your lucky day
<vbg>))

Now leave your piles of color alone for a few hours--go work on your
quilt in progress--after lunch? dinner? go back and check out each pile
for the 'same color' and see if you still agree with your 'grab and run'
choice ((I call it my 'gut feeling' color wheel and I haven't been too
far off))
And what is your predominate color? ((Buying for the yellow exchange
does NOT count here--that was a definite purchase for a definite outcome))
If you still are in a muddle--didn't you have fun having a good
rootle: )
HTH
Butterfly

Mika

unread,
Apr 5, 2003, 1:58:36 PM4/5/03
to

"Stephen" <geno...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:g2cja.2922$JX2.2...@typhoon.sonic.net...
> I am having the dickens of a time with the color wheel. Many of you
endured
> my whinning about categorizing my growing stash. Much of my struggle was
> about separating out colors.

I have the same problem sometimes. I think that is why I go in for more of
the bright colors rather than browns and beiges. I'm color blind in the
browns and greens. So it's really difficult for me to even think about using
those colors.

Mika


Roberta Zollner

unread,
Apr 5, 2003, 2:49:25 PM4/5/03
to
I have become convinced that value matters lots more than color. You can
make a b/w photocopy of swatches of fabric to see their relative value.

My first efforts were totally boring -colors and designs that would look
great as clothes in my favorite colors. It took a long time to break free of
"dressing" in my quilts. So don't obsess about color. Get good value
contrasts and go with your instinct. You might enjoy analyzing the colors in
a favorite painting to figure out why you like it. And if you really look at
paintings, the best ones have some surprising color combinations.
Roberta in D

"Stephen" <geno...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:g2cja.2922$JX2.2...@typhoon.sonic.net...
> I am having the dickens of a time with the color wheel. Many of you
endured
> my whinning about categorizing my growing stash. Much of my struggle was

Pat in Virginia

unread,
Apr 7, 2003, 9:09:23 PM4/7/03
to
Hi Stephen!
Yes, it can sometimes be confusing to identify a fabric color. I
would be delighted to help you. Just cut your new yellow FQs in
half, attach numbered labels to each and mail half of each to me.
I will send you an email naming each piece. Thanks are not
necessary ... it is a pleasure to help a fellow quilter.
PAT in VA/USA

Queen of Everything

Stephen wrote:
>
> I am having the dickens of a time with the color wheel. Many of you endured
> my whinning about categorizing my growing stash. Much of my struggle was
> about separating out colors. I joined Yavonne's swap to develop my stash,
> especially those colors I don't normally gravitate towards. So, tonight I
> went to three fabric stores shopping for 12 yellows. It was really hard to

> select them ....cut...

AliceW

unread,
Apr 7, 2003, 9:11:28 PM4/7/03
to
You spent too much time with LN in Lancaster, Pat! But on the other hand,
you are learning from the best!

--
Alice in NJ
"Royal Cybrarian"
http://www.ourcyberfamily.us/
http://www.ourcyberfamily.us/fii2003.htm


"Pat in Virginia" <pat.q...@cox.net> wrote in message
news:3E922070...@cox.net...
: Hi Stephen!

Julie Insley

unread,
Apr 8, 2003, 2:43:06 PM4/8/03
to

> > Stephen,
> >
> > A good book is "Color Magic for Quilters" by Ann Seely and Joyce Stewart
> > (Rodale Press). It uses great photos from actual quilt blocks so you can
> > get away from that "ideal yellow" on the color wheel into the infinite
> > variety of yellows (and yellow-greens and yellow-oranges) in real-life
> > fabric.


I have to second the suggestion of this book. I had it read it from
cover to cover and I have loaned it out also. Most libraries will have a
copy of it. It gives the basics of color theory as it applies to
textiles and also has a few projects in it.

Julie
Richmond,VA

Dragonfly

unread,
Apr 8, 2003, 4:08:03 PM4/8/03
to
Lia, interesting about your green shift. I discovered when I was young
that one eye sees more yellow, and the other more blue. (Just checked.
Left has a blue shift, right a yellow shift.) I think your "FTD"
method gets to the root of it...it doesn't matter too much if someone
else would say it was another color -- what matters in *your*
organizational scheme that you'd find it where you'd expect it. BTW,
by my method it would probably go in green, too. :-)

Dragonfly

Julia Altshuler <jalts...@attbi.com> wrote in message news:<3E8DFD1F...@attbi.com>...

Julia Altshuler

unread,
Apr 8, 2003, 4:37:00 PM4/8/03
to
I'm not speaking from experience, but I have heard that seeing different colors
from each eye can be a sign of cataracts in one eye or the other.

Just now I noticed something else about the way I see color. It is a good thing
I love green because I see so much of it. Now I notice that I'm fussy about it
too. I'm working on this group project that I've mentioned elsewhere. (I'll
write an update on it. It is getting to the fun and interesting point.) When I
went to match a green, I went through my whole stash and kept finding that I
have a lot of dark olive green and light olive green but not as much pale true
green. I have tons of green and did eventually find something that matched.
When I went to match a pink, I went to my small collection of pink and found
something right away. I'm not fussy about pink.

--Lia

Ruth in Happy Camp

unread,
Apr 9, 2003, 2:49:31 PM4/9/03
to
Yellow: I find what I would call "true" or "pure" yellow is almost
impossible to find. In watercolor pigments, this is called either lemon
yellow or cadmium-light yellow. It has NO red or blue in it.
--
Ruth in Happy Camp

"Stephen" <geno...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:g2cja.2922$JX2.2...@typhoon.sonic.net...

Ruth in Happy Camp

unread,
Apr 9, 2003, 3:09:37 PM4/9/03
to
I don't know about different colors/different eyes, but I can testify that
cataracts affect color perception! The world got a lot brighter and more
colorful when I had mine removed.

--
Ruth in Happy Camp

"Julia Altshuler" <jalts...@attbi.com> wrote in message
news:3E9332E0...@attbi.com...

Marcella Tracy Peek

unread,
Apr 9, 2003, 3:46:31 PM4/9/03
to
In article <v98rugk...@corp.supernews.com>,

"Ruth in Happy Camp" <or...@sisqtel.net> wrote:

> I don't know about different colors/different eyes, but I can testify that
> cataracts affect color perception! The world got a lot brighter and more
> colorful when I had mine removed.
> --
> Ruth in Happy Camp

I do. My dad and son are colorblind and they surely see colors
differently that I do! Dad and Mom got back yesterday from a long road
trip. They went through Nevada and ended up eventually in southern
Utah. I asked Dad if there were lots of things blooming in the desert.
He said, "Yes, there were big patches of yellow and orange and some that
your mother said were purple." Cracked me up.

Grab a group of friends and hand them a pile of different red squares
from pinky reds to orangey reds to blue-y reds. Ask each person to pull
out the red square. You will get lots of different answers.

marcella

0 new messages