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Quilt Colour Workshop: Creative Colour Combinations for Quilters
Fat Quarterly e-zine members share the secrets of using color in your quilting successfully. Discover more about color theory and how to use it in the context of quilting, then apply this theory to practical projects, from quilts and cushions, to wall hangings, table runners and bags. Features 6-color-themed sections with block ideas for every color theory combination offers plenty of inspiration for you to create colorful projects. Fat Quarterly members include Brioni Greenberg, John Adams, Tacha Burecher & Lynne Goldsworthy .
128 pages, Paperback
First published March 31, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
August 31, 2014
When I started this book I loved it.
When I got past the academic part of the color theory I was disappointed.
Then I looked carefully at the color sections and like the book again.
Thus, this is a solid '3' in the 1-5 scale.
There are four pages of color theory in this book, which I thought was great as I went through it until I realized that was all there was. A cursory look told me that there was only block and quilt patterns after the 4 pages of color theory and I was disappointed. Still I soldiered on and found that the rest of the book was basically a pattern book. The authors had cleverly tied the color theory pages to the patterns and that made the entire book into more of a workbook than a 4 page color theory pamphlet with block patterns.
In the color theory sections all of the types of color combinations are explained using quilt blocks and semi-real fabric designs. This techniques makes color theory more relevant for quiltmakers. To that end the authoros write "Value is a measure of how light or dark a colour is. Saturation is the level of black, grey or whit ein a color, ranging for pastel to a full-intensity colour right with pigment. With a patterned fabric you can have the same colour, but the amount of white present will affect how light or dark the fabric 'reads.' " This is relevant for quiltmakers, because many, many fabrics are made up from more than one color. Often white is included in the fabric to create a design.
The authors also say "One of the problems for quilters is that colour theory is mainly used for describing the relationship of solid colours, or the mixing of them. The huge variety of patterned fabrics with multiple colours creates some interesting problems." Fat Quarterly and the authors have hit the nail on the head with this statement. You can see from my Fabric of the Year quilts that creating gradation is not that easy with quilt fabrics, mostly because you can't mix them, but secondarily, because you cannot guarantee that they will be solid. Quiltmakers, notoriously love brightly and colored fabric.
The book explains the color relationships in multicolored fabrics and how to create a quilt using one of the color schemese described in the color theory section and the color wheel. Examples of current fabrics (pg.11) are included.
The short section on color theory is followed by a Color Wheel Quilt pattern, then by various sections organized by color. Each section has a series of blocks colored in different ways and labeled with the type of color scheme it is. I like this idea for a few reasons.
1. the reader can see what blocks look like when colored in different ways.
2. the coloration of the blocks supports the section on color theory (pg.7-11) in a very graphic and overt way.
3. the made up examples of blocks using different fabrics added to the support of the color theory and difference in how the blocks look.
After the blocks in each section are a few patterns, some of quilts, some of studio and home decor patterns. The format follows for all the of the colors: blocks first, then quilts or home decor projects. The projects and blocks are based on classical patterns, but venture off in their own direction. The blocks are interesting and the quilts are a bit off the beaten path. there are a wide variety of projects that would appeal to all different kinds of people.
The last section is a few pages on techniques. One or two paragraphs describe a multitude of different techniques used to make a quilt. Photos from the various projects illustrated the section providing continuity. There is a conversion chart from English and metric systems to inches in this section. I can imagine that this would come in handy in the future.
There is a pattern section in the back with full sized patterns. You will have to put pieces together that are too large for an 8 1/2 x 11 page.
When I got past the academic part of the color theory I was disappointed.
Then I looked carefully at the color sections and like the book again.
Thus, this is a solid '3' in the 1-5 scale.
There are four pages of color theory in this book, which I thought was great as I went through it until I realized that was all there was. A cursory look told me that there was only block and quilt patterns after the 4 pages of color theory and I was disappointed. Still I soldiered on and found that the rest of the book was basically a pattern book. The authors had cleverly tied the color theory pages to the patterns and that made the entire book into more of a workbook than a 4 page color theory pamphlet with block patterns.
In the color theory sections all of the types of color combinations are explained using quilt blocks and semi-real fabric designs. This techniques makes color theory more relevant for quiltmakers. To that end the authoros write "Value is a measure of how light or dark a colour is. Saturation is the level of black, grey or whit ein a color, ranging for pastel to a full-intensity colour right with pigment. With a patterned fabric you can have the same colour, but the amount of white present will affect how light or dark the fabric 'reads.' " This is relevant for quiltmakers, because many, many fabrics are made up from more than one color. Often white is included in the fabric to create a design.
The authors also say "One of the problems for quilters is that colour theory is mainly used for describing the relationship of solid colours, or the mixing of them. The huge variety of patterned fabrics with multiple colours creates some interesting problems." Fat Quarterly and the authors have hit the nail on the head with this statement. You can see from my Fabric of the Year quilts that creating gradation is not that easy with quilt fabrics, mostly because you can't mix them, but secondarily, because you cannot guarantee that they will be solid. Quiltmakers, notoriously love brightly and colored fabric.
The book explains the color relationships in multicolored fabrics and how to create a quilt using one of the color schemese described in the color theory section and the color wheel. Examples of current fabrics (pg.11) are included.
The short section on color theory is followed by a Color Wheel Quilt pattern, then by various sections organized by color. Each section has a series of blocks colored in different ways and labeled with the type of color scheme it is. I like this idea for a few reasons.
1. the reader can see what blocks look like when colored in different ways.
2. the coloration of the blocks supports the section on color theory (pg.7-11) in a very graphic and overt way.
3. the made up examples of blocks using different fabrics added to the support of the color theory and difference in how the blocks look.
After the blocks in each section are a few patterns, some of quilts, some of studio and home decor patterns. The format follows for all the of the colors: blocks first, then quilts or home decor projects. The projects and blocks are based on classical patterns, but venture off in their own direction. The blocks are interesting and the quilts are a bit off the beaten path. there are a wide variety of projects that would appeal to all different kinds of people.
The last section is a few pages on techniques. One or two paragraphs describe a multitude of different techniques used to make a quilt. Photos from the various projects illustrated the section providing continuity. There is a conversion chart from English and metric systems to inches in this section. I can imagine that this would come in handy in the future.
There is a pattern section in the back with full sized patterns. You will have to put pieces together that are too large for an 8 1/2 x 11 page.
April 8, 2014
Fat Quarterly hit it right. out. of. the. park.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews