I also teach a class based on this concept, and it’s a blast:  it’s like going to a quilt show, as everyone’s quilt and results are different.

Enjoy!  And you can subscribe to my YouTube Channel here.

Color Mastery by Maria Peagler is an exciting book for the quilter who knows she needs to understand more about color and how to make it work, but has been frustrated by less organic and less hands-on approaches. This book would best be used by you if you can buy the book, review it a little on your own, and then take a class from the author.  Of course, some of you won’t be able to take Peagler’s classes, but if you are diligent and really do the exercises in the book, you’ll achieve a lot of skill on your own.

The very practical exercises in the book are set up to bring the student of color to a natural level of skillful use, by having you use your own fabric collection for all the exercises.   (This is not a book for learning to use paint or dye to create the colors of quilt compositions, but rather to learn to use fabrics as the colors in piecing and appliqué to create designs.)

Peagler asks, “Do you know where all of your fabric is stashed?” and advises you to take the time to collect all of your fabrics into one place, in order to have a very broad selection for the exercises ahead.  As a person trying to help the Earth become balanced again, I really appreciate this philosophy of Peagler’s, to ask us to work with what we have now and use it up!  We all know we own too much fabric now!!!

Of course, this is not a hard and fast rule, but it’s good to try to use up your stash, and using what you already were attracted to, in buying it, helps you learn your own natural taste in colors, as Peagler points out.  She is leading you gently into the sometimes scary realm of understanding color, and helping you see that your own preferences can all be made to work together in the right combinations.  Very interesting technique:  all exercises are done with color swatches of your very own, so you have a comfort zone right from the start in working with familiar things you love, in order to learn.

By creating a color wheel from your own stash, you start to realize your very own, personal vocabulary of color awareness.  Peagler then instructs you to work always with color swatches from your own stash of fabrics, in creating a color journal, as a way of “sketching” your ideas for your quilts.  She has you make your own color studies in your journal for grasping the color issues of hue, value, intensity, harmony, contrast, etc, which she explains in very practical terms.  Then you move on to in-depth studies of various kinds of color harmonies, such as complimentary and triadic, and eventually get to make up your very own color harmonies.  This is all done with hands-on exercises of pulling fabrics from your own stash, and making studies in your color journal.  I applaud that she suggests it’s fine to break the color rules when you feel like it, too.

The latter part of the book includes instructions for making specific quilts designed by Peagler, but with the specific color harmonies used being decided by you, with your fabrics.  She even includes instructions for some quilts intentionally made with leftover scraps from her earlier quilt designs, which makes me very happy to see.  Recycling is where it’s at!

I particularly enjoy how Peagler helps you focus your plans for your next quilt by pointing out that you need to know why you’re making this piece.  Your simple motives: you love a particular color; you want to make a soft, restful piece for a particular person; you have a topic you’re addressing, etc – will give you differing clues as to which colors and color harmonies you’ll choose to work with.

Color Mastery is packed full of very useful charts, illustrations, lists of tips, things to think about, and color wheels and harmony patterns.  Maria Peagler is a gifted teacher who understands your fears and frustrations with quilt color combinations.  She does a beautiful job of merging the normally dry process of learning color principles with very intuitive exercises that let you relax and play.  Encouraging you to take risks, try new things, and do your own thing, she will guide you to the other shore, where you handle color with joy and success.

So get your copy of Color Mastery now, rein in your entire stash to work with, and roll up your sleeves.  You’ll soon be helping your friends solve their color issues, passing on this nurturing and down-to-earth way of understanding your own joy of color success!

Last week I stopped by Michele Foster’s Quilting Gallery blog and premiered my Color Wheel video, offering a giveaway to those who made their own color wheels and sent photos to me.  Only two Quilting Gallery readers took advantage of the offer, so guest what girls?  You both win!!!  Just like on Ellen DeGeneres’ talk show, when she holds a contest, she can’t stand for anyone to lose – me neither.  So Sarah and Ellen:  you are both lucky winners!  Send me your mailing addresses and your personally autographed copies are on their way to you!

See how different the color wheels are?  Both are a reflection of their owner’s stash, they used completely different fabrics, but you can see the transition of color around the wheel.  Great job and congratulations!  You can get your own color wheel chart by clicking on the link in my sidebar.

Day Five of the Color Mastery blog tour includes the premiere of my second video over at Michele Foster’s Quilting Gallery blog.  The Create Your Own Color Wheel video is a great color exercise, and the first I do with my students in class.  Check out the video, the downloadable chart, and the chance to win a copy of Color Mastery by creating your own color wheel with your stash and sending me a photo!  This is the second international stop on the blog tour – Michele’s a Canadian girl and her blog is relatively new but has made a big splash in the quilting community.

Don’t forget to chat with me over at LibraryThing, and watch for my blog tour stops next week when I visit a homeschooling blog, applique blog, and art quilt blog.  What an awesome tour!  I hope you’ve enjoyed every day of it.

Day Two of the Color Mastery blog tour finds me over at Kim Kight’s TrueUp fabric blog. I’m giving my top ten tips for cultivating a more color-rich stash, and you won’t want to miss it!  Kim has an awesome blog that’s all about fabric, all the time.  So if you’re a fiber artist, you’ll want to visit and subscribe to Kim’s excellent blog.

Don’t forget to join the author chat over at LibraryThing today and all through next week.  It’s a unique opportunity to have a conversation about color and quilting!

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