Just wonderin...

Julia,

You are a dream! I will have to go look up the 'definition' of some of those choices and get back you you.

As for the colour info I'm printing it out and will take it with me next time I go to the NotSoLQS. They are going to think I've lost my mind and my DH will probably die of a heart attack when he sees the CC bill hahahaha.

Shona getting very excited in NZ

How about you decide what skills you want to learn next? Choose a block recommended for beginners in that particular skill. Color up a bunch of copies of that block in different colors til one looks good. Something else you might think about is where the next quilt is going. Is it for your bed, your wall, a friend, a relative, a future gift? Sometimes the function comes first and the form follows. Hope this helps a little.

Elena in Tx ( who always has an opening on her bed for an OMG quilt. grins )

They're not going to think you're nuts at all. The advice I gave is standard stuff, not original with me at all. You'll find the same or similar advice in lots of quilting books. Chances are good that you'll walk in looking for a focus, and the salesclerk will suggest that they have some nice focus fabrics over that shelf over there. Then she'll start making tons of suggestions for fabrics that will look nice with your focus until you gently but firmly tell her that you were especially looking forward to getting practice doing this for yourself.

Also, you'll have enough in each quarter yard to put that fabric in 2-4 blocks so you it isn't like you need 3 different fabrics for each block. Depending on which block you choose and how big your quilt will be (mine always grow- I have so much fun trying different combinations of fabrics that I start out making a lap quilt and end up with a largish queen), you might do fine with a half yard of your focus and about 12 supporting quarters. There's another advantage to this method. If you decide that something is missing, you can always run out and buy another quarter yard of something or another. Getting everything you need in one shopping trip isn't vital so doing all the math ahead of time isn't too important.

--Lia

Sh> Julia,

Its from Quilters Warehouse and is called CHANGING SEASONS made with Benartex's Fossil Ferns. They give you yardage and everything.

You can definitely learn it!

First, go to your local art supply or paint store and ask to buy a colo(u)r wheel. Printed somewhere on the color wheel will be some basic rules about color schemes, such as what are complementary colors, analogous colors, values, shades, etc. These are good starting points for what goes together.

Once you have a starting point, the way to go from there is just experience. A friend of mine teaches a color class where she passes out several copies of a line drawing of a simple block (like an Ohio star). Using a glue stick and rotary cut pieces from scraps, make up several copies of that block, playing with things like different intensities, different kinds of color schemes, big prints vs. small prints. There's no right or wrong to this -- you are just learning what effect you get when you use fabric a certain way. Some ways your star will pop out and hit you in the eye, and some ways it will just fade into the background. (This is a good excuse to beg for lots of scraps! LOL)

Hope that helps!

Ooh, wow, and zippity-doo! That's some colorful quilt. I love it, but doubt I'd be able to fall asleep under it--except on very dark nights.

It's a start, but I can tell you from years of experience doing both that working with fabric is a totally different animal than working with paint chips. Paint is a single, solid color (well, usually! LOL), whereas most quilters aren't restricting themselves to solids. Nothing like experimenting with actual pieces of fabric! :)

Usually I let the fabric lead the way or should I say shoves me in the right direction? An elegant fabric leads to a more complex design and a 'fun' fabric usually means something easy. Don't ask me why but that's the flow my mind works toward.

Peg in NE PA

Ooooh I've done this - I have some lovely colour combos that they've done for me. Not just different shades of one colour but gorgeous things like pale stone gray with a deep cherry maroon plus dark grey/blue and brown. Or there's the Gossamer pink with plum and posey red and a deeper purple red and beige. Too too nice!

Whoa! Whatta quilt!

I just have to climb in here late but want to add this about choosing colors. Shona has written -

Don't even get me started on picking colours! I've signed up for a wee class at the NZ symposium and the needs list says 1/4m each of 3 darks, mediums and lights, 1 feature and enough of 1-2 for a border. Do you know what stress having to choose colours that don't look like poo causes me?? I lose sleep over it LOL.

Choosing colors is a gift that comes easily to some people. Much like the 3 year-old we see on tv that can play the piano as if he's been studying for years, maybe even decades. There have been many times that I practiced a bit of music over and over, carefully finding each note and count. Later, DD would just go to the piano and play it - no written music, no training, no practice - just the gift of hearing and knowing. But, as with my working at it or her simply being given music, choosing colors can be learned. Begin with choosing what calls to you, colors you love. Lia's well-put lesson on color choice is a wonderful beginning. I have found that my quilting is much better with colors that I love. For a later lesson in the color selection trauma, you can give trying someone else's colors - a quilt for my sister in Florida who wanted blue and orange ( a bit too exciting for me) and for my nephew who sweetly asked for maroon and gray (could have been rather gloomy but wasn't). Now as to looking like poo - yellow ochre and viridian green will make an accurate "baby had too much spinach" color of poo. Avoid those two colors until the nightmares stop. Polly

I've done that, too....they make a good starting point, indeed.

One of the things I do when in that 'flux' state is to think about what 'feeling' I want a quilt to project. It seems that quilts I start in winter months are icy in colors and more pointed than quilts I do in the spring that are in turquoise and softer designs. If I feel the urge for a 'feel good' time I may do a quilt that is bright in colors and using fun fabrics with an untraditional block pattern. If I am feeling quite 'home oriented' I find I am using warm colors. I search out block patterns that best fit with the emotions I want to project. Somehow or another they all come together and 'life' comes into a quilt idea and then into reality. It works for me... juliasb

Sh> Hi all,

thank the lord for the xerox machine. i xerox my stash in black, white, and gray tones and pull dark, medium and light fabrics from from the xeroxed pages. i do not concern myself over color because if it is my stash, i must have liked it. if i don't think the colors go together, there is at least 1 of the four billion (or is it eight by now?) persons on this earth who will like my color scheme. . . . . i stress over finding that one person!

Hullo Shona I don't think you need a subscription, just get hold of a few magazines if you can. Do your newsagents ever stock them? Or perhaps they *do* all have to be ordered? I'm sure that within a few months' worth of magazine issues, you would find something you would love to do. If you do not have access to classes or an experienced quilt shop proprietor, I would hope it didn't turn out to be so difficult that it became a chore for you. Simple quilts, done beautifully, look wonderful and are much more satisfying to you than some fantastic pattern which has nearly killed you to get right and with which you are not really happy. There will be time in a year or so for the amazing statement. While you are collecting your magazines, though, it would be a grand idea to look at pictures of others here, when they put them online for us all to see, like Kitty said. . In article , Shona in NZ writes

Hullo again Shona The colour question!: some people do have a gift for colour; but it can come to you with a little time and a few quilts under your belt. To all the other advice you have had, I would add not letting yourself get into a groove early on. By that I mean, don't say I'm never going to use yellow, say. Or, when you find yourself always buying variants on the same colour, stop and say 'no', this one is going to be different. I was terrified of choosing colours. I still err on the side of caution, so don't take any notice of my colour choices if you look at my quilts ever!! but it is because of this that I can suggest that you don't avoid colours, or always use the same ones. I have a friend who always uses red, dark blue and some kind of neutral. Her quilt workmanship is superb, but they are a bit samey, which is a pity. Also, you will soon start to 'see' quilts all around you. Many people know that my favourite place to find inspiration is floors! complicated tiled ones. Also, for landscapes etc, have a look at greetings cards. I have bought cards just because the picture on the front would be quiltable! I have also just made a drawing for a block for our little group to do which is based on one of our members' coasters!! This will soon come. Don't worry. I have a box file full of ideas. Keep all little snippets - you never know when something you have might be just right for a border or whatever. It doesn't always have to be whole blocks or quilts. Just one final word (for now >gOoo Jalynne,

Polly,

I will take your sound advice and stay away from yellow ochre and viridian green. :-)

Shona hoping Kalee isn't feeding baby too much spinach in NZ

Kathy,

What a great idea for scraps! Any hints on the begging part LOL?

Shona going to study LNs posts in NZ

People are always looking to give away scraps. Keep your eyes open. I wouldn't be surprised if you get a few after your post! These people are like that!