Color Inspirations
Selecting a color palette for your quilt or sewing project doesn’t have to be hard. Inspiration is everywhere! See how to choose fabrics for your quilt with tips from nature, fashion, and even home decor.
Orange Palette [1]
Combine light and dark fabrics of the same color. Here orange prints in varying hues team up in a warm, comforting palette. Add a dark neutral, such as brown, to balance the bright colors. Choose a brown with golden undertones to complement the warm orange fabrics.
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Notting Hill by Joel Dewberry, FreeSpirit [2]
Photochrome Petals by Julie Creus of La Todera, Clothworks [3]
Gold Star [7]
When selecting fabrics for a quilt, you don’t necessarily need equal proportions of color. In this holiday vignette, golds and creams outnumber powder blue hues. Choose prints with elaborate designs to bring the elegant look of a carefully wrapped present to your project.
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Tonga Poinsettia, Timeless Treasures Fabrics [8]
Cotton Solids by Kona, Robert Kaufman Fabrics [9]
Explorer by Punch Studio, Hoffman California Fabrics [10]
Peppermint Treat [13]
Include neutral fabrics in your quilt. They help the main colors pop and give the eye a place to rest. Gray is an unexpected neutral that balances cheery reds.
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La Femme by Melissa Crowley, Robert Kaufman Fabrics [9]
Stonehenge: Oh Canada by Linda Ludovico, Northcott [14]
Flirt by Sandy Gervais, Moda Fabrics [15]
Artisan Batiks: Elementals (Dotty Dot) by Lunn Studios, Robert Kaufman Fabrics [9]
Winter’s Glow [16]
Winter white, cool blues, woodland brown, and a bit of yellow combine perfectly and would make a beautiful quilt. The yellow and white offer pops of color while the blues’ varied prints add contrast and interest without overwhelming the palette.
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Shot Cotton by Kaffe Fassett, Rowan Fabrics [17]
Stonehenge Ginko — Woodland by Deborah Edwards and Linda Ludovico, Northcott [14]
Rebecca Embroideries, Robert Kaufman Fabrics [9]
Rich and Creamy [18]
Just like the double wraps on these cupcakes, two fabrics close to each other on the color wheel add texture and movement to a quilt.
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Galeria Encantada by Gail Marie, P&B Textiles [12]
Elegant Surprise [19]
The subtle nuances of the iridescent ribbon are reflected in the batik and multicolor fabrics. The batik has hints of green, orange, purple, and brown that tie the other fabrics together.
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Tonga Royal Velvet, Timeless Treasures Fabrics [8]
Bali Woodprints, Hoffman California Fabrics [10]
Sakura Park by Sentimental Studios, Moda Fabrics [15]
Citrus Heaven [20]
Balance bright oranges and pinks with soft grays and beiges. If two or more of your fabrics are the same color, make sure the patterns are different enough to tell them apart in your quilt.
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Sumatra batiks, Blank Quilting [4]
Serenity Taupe Prints by Daiwabo, E.E. Schenck [21]
Serenity Taupe Prints by Daiwabo, E.E. Schenck [21]
Dandelion Daydream II, Maywood Studio [11]
Butterfields by Margot Languedoc of The Pattern Basket, Henry Glass & Co. [22]
Emma by Michele Scott of The Pieceful Quilter, Northcott [14]
Berry Bursts [23]
Combine happy reds, bright green, deep purple, and calming tans to mimic the look of fresh-from-the vine berries. Add texture, just like the seeds on a strawberry, by choosing fabrics with tone-on-tone accents or subtle prints.
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J’Adore Stella Sunburst Stripe, Dear Stella [5]
Give Thanks by Deb Strain, Moda Fabrics [15]
Vintage Modern by Bonnie & Camille, Moda Fabrics [15]
Hoodie’s Collection Raindrops, Timeless Treasures Fabrics [8]
Cliff at Sunset [25]
Capture the beauty of a sunset against a natural landscape with fabric that pulls in rich golds and deep blues. A mixture of bold prints and subtle designs mimics both the surprise and grace that nature offers.
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Boys at Work, Northcott [14]
Sumatra batiks, Blank Quilting [26]
Marblehead by Ro Gregg, Paintbrush Studio [27]
Artisan Batiks: Cornucopia by Lunn Studios, Robert Kaufman Fabrics [9]
Apple and Caramel [28]
These colors are so scrumptious together—just like the fall flavors of caramel, apples, cinnamon, and oranges. Keep reds and greens from looking too Christmasy by choosing a lighter green and mixing in patterned neutrals.
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Kapalua Batiks, Moda Fabrics [15]
Artistic Pottery [29]
Museums are filled with ancient pottery, beautiful paintings, and stoic statues. Quilts are also magnificent works of art composed of intricate patterns, brilliant colors, and elaborate designs. Make your next quilt something to be hung in a museum by choosing a variety of prints. Florals, paisleys, stripes, and dots all add to the intricacy of your quilt. Pair bright colors, such as oranges and teals, with darker blues and greens to achieve the right balance.
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Splash, Blank Quilting [4]
Serenity Basics, E.E. Schenck [21]
Cuzco by Kate Spain, Moda Fabrics [15]
Tricks and Treats [31]
You can make any color fabric pop off a quilt by pairing it with black. If you’re using only two or three colors in a project, such as the orange, black, and white fabrics featured here, make sure to use fun and graphic prints to provide interest and contrast.
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Modern by Robin Zingone, Robert Kaufman Fabrics [9]
Tic Tac by Kim Schaefer, Andover Fabrics [6]
Guising by Lizzie House, Andover Fabrics [6]
Vintage Porch [33]
Conjure images of Grandma’s porch with the vintage look of light pinks and turquoises. Romantic hues and pretty prints create both a retro and a girly look.
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Fly Away by Amy Schimler, Robert Kaufman Fabrics [9]
Rock Candy by Mark Hordyszynski Design, Blank Quilting [4]
Bali Handprints, Hoffman California Fabrics [10]
Mosaic, Timeless Treasures Fabrics [8]
Lovely Lilacs [35]
If you look closely, flowers are complex in their colors and patterns. Learn from nature by pairing different shades of one color with a few standout colors. Subtle prints add interest without distracting from the quilt design.
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Fiona, Blank Quilting [4]
Nature’s Flora by Terri Conrad Designs, Robert Kaufman Fabrics [9]
Beautiful Blossoms by Deborah Edwards, Northcott [14]
Shadow Play, Maywood Studio [11]
Cherry Season [36]
See how each cherry has a different color and the light bounces off each in a different way? Help your quilt have the same nuances by choosing different prints of the same color. Add touches of an additional color with a muted green and neutrals that won’t overwhelm an already rich quilt.
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Marblehead by Ro Gregg, Paintbrush Studio [27]
La La’s Garden by Lonni Rossi, Andover Fabrics [6]
Grandeur, Robert Kaufman Fabrics [9]
Marblehead by Ro Gregg, Paintbrush Studio [27]
European Taupe by Kinkame, Clothworks [37]
Gatsby, P&B Textiles [12]
Nature’s Beauty [38]
Don’t be afraid to use wild prints in your quilts. Help these prints blend into your quilt instead of taking it over by pairing them with coordinating solid colors. You’ll achieve the harmony that nature presents in its beautiful plants.
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Marblehead by Ro Gregg, Paintbrush Studio [27]
Dutch Tulip eight-step fabric bundle, Cherrywood Fabrics [39]
Dancing in the Rain by Laundry Basket Quilts, Moda Fabrics [15]
Citrus Splash eight-step fabric bundle, Cherrywood Fabrics [39]
Fall Landscape [40]
Fall is nature’s last hurrah before winter sets in. Bright colors and chaotic movement are all part of this wonderful season. To cuddle up in a quilt that mimics autumn, choose fabrics with golds, oranges, and browns that feature a variety of prints, which will add movement to your quilt—just like leaves blowing in the wind.
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Candy Dots, Blank Quilting [4]
Candy Corn by Renée Nanneman of Need’l Love, Andover Fabrics [6]
Harvest Moon by Kansas Troubles Quilters, Moda Fabrics [15]
Everlastings by Sandy Gervais, Moda Fabrics [15]
Watercolor Parade, Blank Quilting [4]
Artisan Batiks Elementals: Dotty Dot by Lunn Studios, Robert Kaufman Fabrics [9]
Orchard Days [41]
Take a cue from your school days and mix primary and secondary colors in a quilt. Balance bright red, yellow, and orange with natural blue, green, and black.
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Tic Tac by Kim Schaefer, Andover Fabrics [6]
Madeline Flannel by Ann Kelle, Robert Kaufman Fabrics [9]
Sweet on NYC by Sugar Pixie, Timeless Treasures Fabrics [8]
Butterfly Bouquet by Renee Charisse Jardine, Blank Quilting [4]
Spin by Whistler Studios, Windham Fabrics [32]
Black Magic by Renée Nanneman of Need’l Love, Andover Fabrics [6]