Effective use of color can make or break even the best quilt design. When faced with piles of fabric in every shade of the rainbow, however, the process of coordinating color choices can feel overwhelming. Understanding the basics of color theory and the relationships between colors can simplify the process. By knowing how one color plays up or detracts from another, quilters can make better fabric choices for their projects.

The Color Wheel

Many of us first learned of the color wheel in our early schooling. To understand how to make better fabric pairing, quilters must return to this basic concept.

The color wheel is organized by groupings of Primary, Secondary and Tertiary colors. The Primary colors, red, blue and yellow, are the foundation from which all other colors arrive. Secondary colors, orange, violet and green, are created by mixing Primary colors. The final group of Tertiary colors is created by mixing a Primary and a Secondary color together to create blue-violet, yellow-green and red-orange.

Starting at the top center of the wheel, the major colors, moving clockwise around the circle, are:

yellow
orange
red-orange
red
violet
blue-violet
blue
green
yellow-green

Now, we all know there are more variations of color then outlined in the list above. In fact, the wheel can become even more detailed with the introduction of additional classifications. Value refers to the lightness or darkness of a particular color. Tint is any hue, or color, plus white. Shade is any hue plus black. A tone is any shade plus grey. Intensity refers to how bright or dull a color appears. The color wheel can be further subdivided to account for all of these variations.

The relationships between colors, however, are consistent whether or not one uses a color wheel of just twelve hues or one that encompasses an unlimited number of variations.

Complimentary Colors

Relationships between the colors become apparent when they are arranged in a wheel. Colors in opposing positions on the color wheel are considered complimentary. The difference between the values automatically grabs attention. Complimentary pairings of red/green, yellow/violet and blue/orange, for example, create a striking effect.

Analogous Colors

Another possible grouping to consider are analogous colors. Analogous colors are a set of three colors next to each other on the color wheel. This type of grouping is based upon a shared color. Blue, blue-violet and violet, for example, are an analogous group. They all have blue in common.

Color Ratios

In addition to pairing colors effectively, the ratio of their use determines how appealing a quilting design becomes. Swiss designer Johannes Itten discovered the following to be the most appealing ratios for color use :

red/green - 1:1 ratio (meaning both colors appear the same amount within a block)
blue/orange - 5:3 ratio (for every five occurrences of blue, orange is used three times)
violet/yellow - 6:1 ratio (for every six uses of violet, yellow appears once)

The intensity of a color's appearance determines the ratio required to create the most striking visual impact. Because yellow and orange are the most intense colors on the wheel, they do not need to appear frequently to create an impression. In fact, when they do, a quilt design appears off-balanced or without symmetry.

While the mathematical relationship between the colors is valid, it is not particularly practical when planning a full-sized quilting project. Relying upon your eyes to tell you whether your colors are working together or detracting from each other is the best place to start. If something seems off, simply decrease the appearance of the more intense colors until a point of balance is reached.

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