Welcome back, fabric friends! 

Today is another day, where we get to share our love for fabric and fabric prints! If any of you are reading this and you are new to the series, WELCOME! I’ve dedicated my time to share my knowledge that I’m fortunate enough from learning through my talented team here at AGF. Witnessing the design process, and learning about color, scale, and prints have greatly influenced the way I choose my own fabrics when sewing. 

This is part 4 of my series, which means you can read part 3 (all about our Elements) in our last post in case you missed it! Every day I see beautiful work come out of these sewing rooms, and there is never a project that doesn’t catch my eye. So, in this series, I really want to break down why sewing projects look appealing by some theories I have discovered. We’ve already learned about the color wheel, and today I want to dive a little deeper about this and introduce color themes. 

Color themes can simply be categorized by their hues, meaning how intense the Colors are! For example, we can simply organize them by seasons, and they are easily recognizable by just looking around you. Nature’s beauty always has a way to inspire and we may lean towards a season due to the way the colors make us feel! Below I will share with you these color themes and quilt block examples using the same pattern, but sewn with different fabrics for better visualization. 

Starting off with Fall colors (simply because it’s my favorite season hehe), these tend to be on the warm side, like yellows, oranges, browns, all the colors you can think of from the trees during the season. The more red the undertone of color is, the warmer is it. 

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Here is a block that is a great example of sewing with fall colors! To give you more examples, here are some more fall-themed fabric collections, that you can see how the colors match with the inspirational photos above. With collections like these, you have more options because you can easily sew them together. Having matching themes, just makes it a little easier for you to choose something from your fabric stash.

*Featuring collections: Spirited by Sharon Holland and Autumn Vibes by Maureen Cracknell 

Next, we have Winter theme colors! These colors can be taken from the first day of snowfall, it’s light, airy, with all the colors that remind you of the season. They are the least intense colors of the group, and they are on the cooler side, meaning they have a blue undertone. 

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*Featuring collections: Earthen by Katarina Roccella and Sparkler Fusion by AGF

The collections above are a great example of winter-themed fabrics, they're plenty of cool colors including soft peaches and pinks that serve as pops of color. Both collections also have winter elements like snow, deer, and foxes making these collections great to sew with each other. 

Now moving on with a Spring theme, which sometimes can be a little confusing because its colors are on the warm side but they are lighter in value. Pastel colors are popular throughout this season, so if it’s easier to remember just think about Easter eggs and spring flowers! 

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*Featuring collections: Printemps Fusion by AGF and Daydream by Patty Basemi

Besides spring colors, putting fabrics together by the theme’s elements helps too! Spring has a lot to do with natural elements, like florals and birds that can be put together with the hues. In the collections above you have a mixture of both, pastel colors with a combination of florals. 

Time for some summertime happiness! Bringing bright, saturated colors in this theme, and all the things you’d like to bring in your summer tote bag. Sunglasses, refreshing drinks, and sunny beaches are all elements in this theme that you can bring together. 

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*Featuring collections: Summer Side by Dana Willard and Hello Sunshine by Katie Skoog

Hello Sunshine and Summer Side took the best parts of summer, using vivid colors and elements that remind us of a relaxing day by the beach, such as tropical fruits and foliage. 

The way colors work can be something hard to grasp at times, but as long as we simplify them, we can use them to our advantage when it comes to sewing! This is just the tip of the iceberg, and of course, with so many other themes to talk about and including their elements, this blog series doesn’t end here! There are many collections that break the rules of these themes, but still, work together because they all tell the same story. That’s part of the beauty of quilting, telling your own story with the fabrics you choose. So, stay tuned next time where I’ll be diving a little deeper about themes and more sewing inspiration! 

Thanks for sticking with me in this learning journey,

Happy sewing!  

-Jannelle