The Quilter's Color Scheme Bible: More than 700 stunning color combinations [Spiral-bound] Review

Every quilter gets stumped, at some point, when considering the fabrics and colors to use in a quilt. None of us want to invest the considerable amount of time, energy, and love that goes into creating a quilt, only to have the end result appear muddy, or garish, or with one color clashing with another.

The Quilter's Color Scheme Bible does indeed show you 700 variations of color on quilt blocks and in (somewhat abbreviated) quilts (that is, you see a 3x3 grid, not an entire quilt). Each page in the easy-to-flip-open book shows a given block (say, a bear's paw), with 7 examples of color schemes that will work.Since the book is separated by theme -- harmonious colors, saturated colors, shades, etc -- the most common blocks are shown with a couple dozen color combinations. So if you're stumped for how to choose colors with "puss in the corner" and not sure whether it'll work better with fall leaf colors or lilac shades, this book should certainly help you make choices. Certainly, it's rather stunning to see how your color choice can change the mood of the quilt or the patterns your eye follows.

However, this book isn't about teaching you to _think_ in color. It's primarily giving you a handy menu shortcut to help you _choose_ color. If you're staring at two indigo fabrics in your stash and wondering what would contrast best with them, this book could be a helpful tool. (I think I could accomplish almost as much by browsing colors in Electic Quilt 5, but the book is a lot cheaper than the software.)

One sign that this is not a book that is serious about explaining how color "works" and how to make your own choices is that its color wheel repeats an old error... one that makes me wince every time I see it. The color wheel is presented with the primary colors as red, yellow, and blue -- when that is NOT SO. The "blue" that you first met as a primary color in kindergarten is actually _cyan_. In most of life, who cares -- but this is a book about color, and it ought to be explicit and correct. Amazon has several books about color theory for quilters, but the one with which I'm most familiar (and I like quite a bit -- I learned a lot) is Color Play: Easy Steps to Imaginative Color in Quilts, by Joen Wolfrom.

As a result, the value of this book varies based on what you're shopping for. If you want a "Cliff's Notes" to color choices, this one will do just fine. It will not serve your needs adequately, however, if what you seek is a book to help you "think better" about color.

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Product Description:
-Offers quilters a versatile skill useful in other hobbies
-Unique approach answers the question of how to select colors for a quilt
-Lie-flat binding creates the perfect guide for hands-on learning
Colors often make the quilt; but too often quilters aren't sure which colors are best and which combination of fabrics works well together. This book solves the issue of selecting the right colors and fabrics for any quilt, by giving quilters tips for developing an eye for color, and an understanding of how fabrics and colors relate to one another.
In this informative book, quilters will discover:
-Chapters devoted to testing colors using swatches, colored pencils and computerized quilting programs
-Guides for selecting colors and fabrics based on desired effects in a quilt
-Five different color themes -- demonstrated on block designs from 10 popular block families
-800 color images to demonstrate various color schemes of the same quilt

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Hunter Star Quilts & Beyond: Techniques & Projects with Infinite Possibilities [Paperback] Review

The Hunter Star is an old-fashioned quilting block, but in Hunter Star Quilts Beyond, quilting expert Jan Krentz has developed six new ways to build upon the blocks to obtain a fresh, new look. This gathers quilt projects which can be either pieced or quick-fused. Template piecing, strip piecing, and fusible web are all discussed as options, while the chapters cover using the Hunter Star as a block or in log cabin settings. An inspirational presentation packed with color photo examples.

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Product Description:
Hunter Star is an old-time block with a fresh new look, thanks to quilting expert Jan Krentz. Here are nine complete Hunter Star projects, all using Krentz's pieced or quick-fused methods. Choose from template piecing, strip piecing, half-square triangles, fusible web, and more. Krentz shows how to use the versatile Hunter Star as a block, for sashing, to create wreath or log cabin designs-the possibilities are endless!

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Diamond Quilts & Beyond: From the Basics to Dazzling Designs [Paperback] Review

Diamond shapes in many sizes and configurations dazzle the eye in this instructional quilt book by Jan Krentz. Thedirections, hints and tips for making a striking quilt with diamonds areeasy to understand with Jan's detailed descriptions and photos. The gallery quilts are stunning and inspiring, and make you want to rush to the sewing room to start one of your own.

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Product Description:
4 gorgeous projects feature shimmering diamonds. Lots of inspirational photos and a breathtaking gallery.

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