How to pick fabrics and basic colour theory for quilters

Colour! What a wonderful thing it is!

I know you know how much I love fabric. It is after all what drew me to start sewing in the first place.

But fundamentally what I love about fabric is the colourways it comes in and the feel of it. It’s a tactile and visual sensory experience that I can’t get enough of. Since you’re here, I suspect you’re in the same boat as me 😉

Today I wanted to share a little bit more about my approach to colour and share some basic colour theory principles for us quilters to help get you started playing with colour!

This post contains affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, if you click through and make a purchase, I may receive a commission.

Let’s talk about colour!

With sharing my work on social media I’ve received lots of feedback and what surprises me the most is the response you have to the colours I choose. I’ve started to be recognized for it! So much so, that in one of my latest projects, someone was surprised by how soft and light the palette was!

I love that you have such a strong response to my selections, especially since I’m just being me and doing what I love.

Since I’ve shared with you all about where to score fabric, I figured it was also important to talk about colour (sidebar – I’m based in Canada where we spell colour with a “u”, I know my neighbours to the South spell it “color”, but my mum’s an English teacher, so it’s kinda engrained in me to spell it the way I learned. Just know that every time I type “colour” out, I’m thinking about its counterpart “color” 😉).

Now, I’m the first to admit that I’m no colour expert, but I think that should give you some reassurance that you don’t have to be one either to pull together a fabulous fabric pull.

Colour Theory for Quilters

I remember the theory behind color. At least I remember learning about it in school – primary colours, complimentary colours, white and black are not colours, etc. But teaching it is an entirely different can of worms.

So, I won’t – ha! Instead, I’m going to direct you to Justine Leconte’s fabulous YouTube channel. She does an amazing job summarizing colour theory in all of 8 minutes and 29 seconds! 

She comes at it from a fashion perspective, but those colour theory basics still apply to quilters!

Types of Colourways

But here are the main items summarized as a reference point:

Primary

This is where it all starts and includes just 3 colours: blue, red and yellow.

Secondary

There are 3 secondary colours and they are made by mixing two primary colours. For example:

• blue + yellow = green,
• blue + red = purple,
• yellow + red = orange

Tertiary

Tertiary colours are created by mixing a primary with a secondary colour. For example, red (primary) + orange (secondary) = red/orange.

Complementary

Two colours paired together that are located directly opposite from one another on the colour wheel. For instance, purple is right across from yellow – these are complementary colours.

Triadic

Triadic colours are similar to complementary colours, but here you’re working with 3 colours instead of just two and are evenly spaced across the colour wheel from one another. For example, purple + green + orange = triad colours.

Split Complementary

Split complementary colours are colours that are located left and right to the complementary colour directly across from your colour of choice. For example, red + blue/green + yellow/green.

Tetrad

Tetrad (also known as double complementary) means 4 and you get tetrad colours by pairing up 2 sets of complementary colour pairings. For example, red + red/purple paired with green + yellow/green.

Quadratic

A quadratic colourway (also known as a square palette) is made up of 4 colours equally spaced and creating a square on the colour wheel. For example, blue/green + yellow + red/orange + purple = quadratic colour palette.

Analogous

Analogous colourways are created by mixing a colour with its neighbour on either side of it on the colour wheel. So, if you mix red (primary) + purple + red = analogous colour palette.

What’s a hue then?

A hue is a colour in its purest form. From there you can mix in white, black or grey to create:

• TINT – a colour + white
• SHADE – a colour + black
• TONE – a colour + gray

Monochromatic

Monochromatic colourways are when you stay within a colour and focus on using different hues within that colour. So, red + red mixed with white (tint) + red mixed with black (shade) + red mixed with grey (tone) = monochromatic colour scheme

What are warm and cool colours?

Don’t forget you also have warm and cool colours. These are split on the colour wheel with one half being:

• WARM colours = yellows, oranges, and reds
• COOL colours = greens, blues, and purples

Colourwheel

To help you understand, visualize, and play with colour combinations, I encourage you to pick up a handy colour wheel. This will help you solidify your understanding of colour theory basics for quilters.

How I Approach Colour for my Quilts

I had to spend some time researching all of this for this post, but in all fairness, the theory probably kicks in on an unconscious level, in truth, I mainly go with three things:

1. Is it pretty – my version of pretty evolves, but fundamentally when I look at it do I find it appealing to the eye?
2. Am I excited by it? Again, it’s intangible and open to interpretation, but don’t underestimate the importance of excitement.
3. Is there a balance? Balance in the values of the colours. Balance in the tone. The balancing act will change depending on the end result you’re going for.

There are plenty of posts out there about colour theory, how to mix fabric or how to pair colours. How you should balance things out with a large print, medium and smaller print. How you need to focus on tone and value. And there is merit in understanding these elements. But what it really comes back to for me is 1 and 2 above!

That’s it!

What are the rules?

There are no rules for me when I plan a colourway!

• Sometimes I start with a print and build around it.
• Sometimes I build my colourway around the quilt pattern.
• Sometimes I want to work with a colour and I build from there.
• Sometimes I throw a colour in there that I’m not all that fond of! And then fall in love with it and realize my design wouldn’t be the same without it. (That’s how I initially felt when I purchased Curry by Kona Cotton for my Hexie Stripe Quilt!!)
• Sometimes it’s my mood that dictates the colours I choose.

See. No rules.

And I’m a firm believer that there shouldn’t be any either 😉

My philosophy

I remember when I was a teen I had a pair of deep blue jeans that I loved pairing with a black top. One day my girlfriends told me I shouldn’t be pairing black with blue, it was just a no-no. I know their intentions were good (I appreciate that they didn’t want me going around sporting the wrong fashion pairing), but I didn’t care what the fashion rules were. The combo made me happy!

I see my creativity as an exploration. A state of mind. Something to be explored and honoured. Not limited and boxed in. So, I create to the beat of my own drum! And I highly encourage you to follow your own instincts.

Let go of what “should be done” and focus on what “could be done”! It’s really liberating.

One area of inspiration that I think will help you discover the colours you are drawn to is colour cards. I was initially a little hesitant about picking these up as I found them a little pricey. But, the number of times I have reached for these beauties is priceless. Whether I’m starting a new project and looking for colours I want to play with, or looking to match solids for a print I’m working with, they really come in handy.

Plus, they’re just visual eye candy that makes me happy anytime I look at them. I’ve come to learn not to underestimate the power and impact colours can have on your desire to create.

I hope this basic colour theory for quilters intro inspires you to think about colour in a different way – your way.

xo,

Shannon

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