Color and Design

Choosing colors for any project, be it an embroidered pincushion or a patchwork quilt is always a challenge. While design is essential, the colors your choose can make or break a project.

Color pushes one object closer (using warm or bold colors) while allowing others to drift to the background, (cool or muted colors). Mix them up and its like playing "Where's Waldo" with your focal point. Get it right, and the one thing you want to highlight, is front and center, even if it is not front and center.



When you forget or ignore the color rules, nothing takes front and center. Which is not always a bad thing... sometimes it's fun to create a color jumble.


While color is important, you should also consider, contrast,(light and dark) and value, (how light or dark a color is compared to similar colors around it).

Contrast- Using dark and light red prints can create areas of interest and allow design elements to shine.

Value- If the colors are all light, or all dark, the values are similar. While the design may create a focal point, it doesn't scream, "look at me!!!".

Tweet the values a bit and things will softly whisper, "I'm here.", but in a soft, kind of shy way.

I'm a person who loves to use color. I want to be knee deep in rich, saturated felted wools, and piles fun, colorful prints. Playing with these extremes requires a bit of restraint, or at least some understanding of how to tame these lovely beasts.
These amazing woven wools are hand painted by Pat at Misty Pond Primatives on Etsy.
The hand painted wool roving is from Woolie Bullie. Please visit there shops. You'll find it hard to pick just one color.

This post was totally inspired by a very talented blogger, fiber artist and quilter extradinaire. Her name is Jeni, she's lives in Madison, (go Wisconsin!) and her website and Etsy shop are called, In Color Order.

She has a number of lessons on color theory and quilting, how to choose, "The Art of Choosing", where you can learn about different types of fabric, building and organizing a great stash, and lots of info on color theory and color wheels.
Here are a few images from her blog...
Triangular Pincushion Tutorial;

Warm and Cool Colors


Vintage Sheets, Sparkling Cider Quilt




Visit her shop and take a look at Vintage Sheet Fabric Selections. I'm can't wait to get my Stash of Vintage Sheet Fat Quarters
or a Scrap Sheet Skinny Hem Grab Bag



Well I hope you dive into color. Its such a lovely lesson. Color is absolutely about the journey. The destination is everywhere!



Wool Leaf Pincushion