Color Can Make a World of Difference!

UPDATE (4/24): If you are interested in learning more about how color theory as it pertains to quilting or would like to improve how you pick patterns, prints and colors for your quilts, enroll in our Color Palette Class taught by Cheryl Bridges, a trained graphic designer! For more details, check out our Quilting Classes Page on our main website.

In art and design, whether it's interior or quilt design, color and color placement can make a huge difference! I'm sure you've had a situation where you see a quilt and are not immediately impressed overall because the color scheme or the way the colors were placed did not strike your fancy. But then you saw the exact same quilt but with a different color scheme and were then in love!

This year, we are offering a Block of the Month class unique to previous years because we are offering the Stitchin' Star quilt to be made in two distinct color combinations. The first is a triptych color scheme, as seen in this example using red, black and white.

The second option is a scrappy, Civil War era inspired color scheme:

Look at the significant difference between these two quilts, even though they are the exact same pattern!! The first is bold and balancing a traditional look with a contemporary feel while the second is colorful and upbeat while still traditional and warm. 

We want to encourage our students, as well as all our customers, to not stop at just a few options for any given quilt but rather to see the raw pattern as the jumping off point to creative thinking about color theory and placement. In this way, you expand the possibilities and thus the longevity of a well-written and well-designed pattern. Simultaneously you also learn about depth, perspective and texture that can be applied to a quilt and how this can result in an infinite number of visually-appealing and unique designs. 

Using an EQ program, or Electric Quilt software, Peggy created these additional looks simply by playing around with the color and placement:

If you would like to practice on your knowledge of color, color theory and color placement, we've attached a line drawing of the Stitchin' Star Quilt for you to print and color in. Print several and play with different color combinations and/or color placement to get an idea how each one conveys a different appearance and feeling. 

If you'd like some inspiration to get started, check out and follow our Color Scheme Pinterest Board. Finally, check out this nifty tool we sell to help you in picking out a color scheme for your next quilt. The Pocket Color Wheel is an invaluable tool because, thanks to it's compact size and mobility, it can be taken with you for other design adventures you may have such as redesigning a room in your home, planning a wedding, or building your next house.