How to Use Photographs as Inspiration for your Quilt Colors

Ever have trouble deciding which colors to use in your quilts? Or get in color ruts and go back to the same color palettes again and again? 

I have a fun way for you to get inspiration for a fabric pull-- it starts with a lovely photo.

You can find inspiration for color palettes everywhere, a garden in your neighborhood, an art gallery, a landscape... or a beautiful photo!

Using a photo is a fun way to get outside of your box and pull together a color palette that might look quite different than what you typically choose. 

Here's an example of a photograph that I used to pull together a color palette. 

When you first look at the photo, ask yourself, what color jumps out at me most? Choose 2-4 colors, more if you like. Pay close attention to those subtle, barely-there colors that can really add a lot of interest to your palette. Once you've identified a couple of colors, start pulling fabrics of that color, and play around with different pairings. 

This will take some play and experimentation. Don't let yourself get overwhelmed or frustrated and just give up on the experiment. Start with one color at a time. Have fun with the process, you might end up with some surprising results!

You can use photos you've taken on family vacations, or at a wedding, or of your child/grandchild. What a lovely way to inject story and intimacy into your quilts! Even if the quilt design is completely different from the photo, you'll still have the impression and the inspiration from the photo embedded in the quilt. 

I'd love to hear from you! Can you think of a photo that might be fun to pull a palette around?