Colour Inspiration Tuesday: Jewel Tone Triangles

Jewel Tone Triangles color scheme from Clever ChameleonColour Inspiration Tuesday: a free resource of colour combinations to try on your quilts.

Hi – Welcome to another Colour Inspiration Tuesday! When I was first introduced to quilting, the group I met regularly with had a thing about fabrics in rich jewel-tone colours. Specifically, batik collections in saturated turquoise, sapphire, emerald, topaz, magenta and amethyst colours. These were good times, so these colours will always transport me back to the fun afternoons we spent sewing and eating and laughing.

Today’s colour palette was inspired by a photo strong in both geometry and colour. Because the purples, blues and turquoise reminded me of quilts in jewel-tones, we have “Jewel-Tone Triangles”.

Jewel tone triangles colour scheme from Clever Chameleon

Colour Inspiration Tuesday: Jewel Tone Triangles

The “Jewel Tone Triangles” colour palette is amethyst, sapphire and turquoise in several shades of each. These varying shades allow you to create depth, interest and even the optical illusion of 3D by using cleverly placed colour value contrasts.

It is very tempting to sit down and design a triangle quilt (or a tumbling block quilt) in these colours, using the colour transitions in the photo as a muse. I shouldn’t, due to time constraints…..

Of course, I did anyway …….. here is a free layout as an example of how you could use this colour palette (with two additional shades over and above the starting seven Jewel Tones) on a tumbling block quilt.

 Play with it until you find Your perfect combination. I just did!

I’m even tempted to make this quilt….. I could cut the diamonds with my GO! die. My daughter has spotted this post and said “Ooooo, I’d like that on My Bed”.  Not sure that I am going to make it bed-sized, if it happens at all. Perhaps she can aspire to have it on her wall…. I’ll let you know if this one gets to the top of the ideas queue. 

Update, this one is a goer – you can read about the start of the process here.

And read about my progress, including a tutorial on how to sew Y-Seams, here.

Don’t need rich geometry today? Try something more subtle.

There are several gentler colour schemes within the Clever Chameleon collection already….. why not take a look at Lily Pad Glow or Purple Tulip?

Today’s Photo Credit

Today’s stock photo is from Unsplash.com. Unsplash is a collection of free, high resolution, “do what you want with” photos. If you would like to also use this lovely photo, it was provided by Ferdinand Stöhr via Unsplash for license-free usage. Find more of Ferdinand’s photos here:
Ferdinand Stöhr

clever chameleon logoDon’t miss a post – follow along by subscribing to this blog. Or follow Clever Chameleon Quilt Colour Inspiration on Pinterest and pin your favourite colour palettes to try later. 

P.S. For your convenience, I have placed all the Unsplash photos from Colour Inspiration Tuesdays in one place. Find them easily for free in my Colour Inspiration Collection.

Colour Inspiration Tuesday: Red-Eye Flight

Red Eye-Flight color scheme from Clever ChameleonColour Inspiration Tuesday: a free resource of colour combinations to try on your quilts.

Happy Colour Inspiration Tuesday! Today’s palette is “Red-Eye Flight”, inspired by a stunningly intense stare from a bird of prey. This colour scheme is every bit as powerful as the bird looking at you!

Red-eye Flight Owl Colour Inspiration Tuesday color scheme

Colour Inspiration Tuesday: Red-Eye Flight

The “Red-Eye Flight” colour palette is black, crimson red, stormy grey, limestone grey, pale grey, sienna and fire orange.

These colours lend themselves to a quilt with a strong geometric design. Or take a leaf out of the bird’s book and use the neutral colours for extensive negative space. Then use reds and oranges to piece or appliqué a minimal but vivid design. The result will be a very strong, modern quilt that will be every bit as attention seeking as the inspiration photo.

This colour scheme a bit too strong for the quilt you want to make next? No worries…..

Blue Fox color scheme from Clever ChameleonHow about a colour scheme with a bit less contrast? Try the blues of “Blue Fox” combined with the greys of “Red-Eye Flight”. This will still give you a great neutral palette to work into the background. You can use the more gentle blue colours to feature your design. The inspiration in Colour Inspiration Tuesdays is just the starting point. Come up with your own fantastic design ideas to make a unique quilt and impress your friends!

Credit

Today’s intense photo is from Unsplash.com. Unsplash is a collection of free, high resolution, “do what you want with” photos. I am grateful to people who contribute to open source communities, so I would like you to know that this lovely photo was provided by Massimo Mancini via Unsplash. Visit Massimo’s collection here:
Massimo Mancini

For colour inspiration for your quilts in your inbox weekly follow along by subscribing to this blog. Or follow Clever Chameleon Quilt Colour Inspiration on Pinterest and pin your favourite colour palettes to try later. 

P.S. If you would like to use Massimo’s photo or another Colour Inspiration Tuesday photo for your own projects, you can easily find all the Unsplash photos from Colour Inspiration Tuesday in one place for free in my Colour Inspiration Collection.

Colour Inspiration Tuesday: Autumn Splendour

Autumn Splendour color scheme from Clever ChameleonColour Inspiration Tuesday: a free resource of colour combinations to try on your quilts.

Welcome back to Colour Inspiration Tuesday. Here in Adelaide we are now officially into winter. But summer lingered this year and there are still some wonderful displays of autumn leaves to be seen. Autumn (or Fall) is especially beautiful in the hills surrounding our city. So, I thought that before all the autumn leaves disappear altogether, I had better pay tribute to the beauty around me. Therefore, today’s palette is “Autumn Splendour”.

The photo I have chosen this week for inspiration, has of course, autumn leaves. But in truth it is as much the autumn colours of the background that really captured my imagination.

Autumn splendour colour palette from Colour Inspiration Tuesday

Colour Inspiration Tuesday: Autumn Splendour

The “Autumn Splendour” colour palette is burnt red, orange, coral, dark olive green, light olive green, saddle brown and olive brown.

I can imagine this colour palette being used in a paper pieced maple leaf quilt or a quilt covered in appliqué leaves. Or in blocks made of 2.5″ strips set on the diagonal. It would make a lovely lap quilt in any number of patterns or a wonderful re-interpretation of harvest colours for an original table runner. I’m sure your imagination could run riot with ideas for this colour scheme!

Not ready for Autumn yet? Thinking about Spring instead?

Lily pad glow colour scheme from clever chameleon

Find a little bit of Spring in the Colour Inspiration Tuesday archives with “Lily Pad Glow“. Softer pinks and greens evoke the feeling of growth and gentle warmth that epitomises the best of Spring.

Credit

Today’s photo of autumn splendour is from Unsplash.com. Unsplash is a collection of free, high resolution, “do what you want with” photos. I love to give credit where credit is due, and am always grateful to people who contribute to open source communities. So I would like you to know that this lovely photo was provided by Aaron Burden via Unsplash. Be sure to check out his collection of photos on Unsplash.

Aaron Burden

Olive green Clever Chameleon LogoFor colour inspiration for your quilts in your inbox weekly follow along by subscribing to this blog. Or follow Clever Chameleon Quilt Colour Inspiration on Pinterest and pin your favourite colour palettes to try later. 

P.S. If you would like to use Aaron’s photo or another Colour Inspiration Tuesday photo for your own projects, you can easily find all the Unsplash photos from Colour Inspiration Tuesday in one place for free in my Colour Inspiration Collection.

Colour Inspiration Tuesday: Knot Dramatic

Knot Dramatic color scheme by Clever ChameleonColour Inspiration Tuesday: a free resource of colour combinations to try on your quilts.

Another Tuesday, another healthy dose of colour inspiration for your quilts! Today we have a really strong colour palette, called “Knot Dramatic”. Inspired by a crisp photo of a coiled rope with beautiful lighting and textures. It is another blue and brown colour scheme, but in cool rather than warm tones like the lovely “Blue Fox” scheme we had a few weeks ago.

Knot Dramatic colour scheme

Colour Inspiration Tuesday: Knot Dramatic

The “Knot Dramatic” colour palette is dark slate grey, gingerbread, coffee, light powder blue, stone blue and aegean blue. It is quite masculine, but would also look wonderful against neutral decor in a living area, or as a throw rug on my dark blue couch.

I think this combination would work best by concentrating on the mid and light tones, using the dark colours more sparingly. There is definitely a risk that too much of the slate grey could dampen the mood of a quilt in the Knot Dramatic colour scheme, but a little would really lift the vibrancy of the rest of the collection. Play with it until you find Your perfect combination!

Purple tulip colour schemeDon’t need a masculine/neutral colour palette today?

There are much softer, warmer palettes to chose from in the Colour Inspiration Tuesday archives. Perhaps you’d prefer “Purple Tulip” in pinks, purples and greens or the gentle pastel confectionery colours of “Lily Pad Glow“.Lily pad glow colour scheme from clever chameleon

Today’s Photo Credit

Today’s stock photo is from Unsplash.com. Unsplash is a collection of free, high resolution, “do what you want with” photos. While there is no obligation for me to tell you where I got this photo, I love to give credit where credit is due. So; this lovely photo was provided by Robert Zunikoff via Unsplash. Robert Zunikoff

Clever Chameleon Logo blue

For colour inspiration in your inbox weekly follow along by subscribing to this blog. Or follow Clever Chameleon Quilt Colour Inspiration on Pinterest and pin your favourite colour palettes to try later. 

P.S. If you would like to use Robert’s photo for your own projects, you can find all the Unsplash photos from Colour Inspiration Tuesday in one place for free in my Colour Inspiration Collection.

Colour Inspiration Tuesday: Lily Pad Glow

Lily Pad Glow color scheme by Clever ChameleonColour Inspiration Tuesday: a free resource of colour combinations to try on your quilts.

Hello – Happy Colour Inspiration Tuesday! Today we have a soft feminine colour scheme for your quilt inspiration, colours that would look lovely on a little girl’s quilt or would suit a lady with quiet, dignified tastes. Introducing “Lily Pad Glow”.

The Lily Pad Glow colour palette was inspired by a pretty pink lily flower. The dark water and the yellowing leaves in the background really highlight the freshness of the flower as it reaches out of the pond. These colours make me think of Spring.

Lily Pad Glow colour scheme palette

Colour Inspiration Tuesday: Lily Pad Glow

The “Lily Pad Glow” colour palette is dark sea green, blue, taffy pink, egg nog yellow, light sage green and light sienna brown. 

Perhaps if I was using this colour palette for a little girl I would drop the sienna and replace it with a bright teal green. Here are the two related palette so you can see what I mean.

Lily pad glow colour scheme with sienna

Lily Pad Glow colour scheme with bright teal green

I would try this palette on a quilt by using most of these colours in fairly equal proportions. This would maintain the fresh, almost confectionary feel of this collection, especially if you used white sashing or background. But if you or your recipient really like pink, you could try concentrating on the warmer pinks/yellows/browns and just use the greens and blues as highlights. Play with it until you find Your perfect combination!

Don’t need girly colours today? Blue fox colour scheme

Perhaps you are looking for something a little more masculine? Try the “Blue Fox” colour scheme instead….

Today’s Photo Credit

Today’s stock photo is from Unsplash.com. Unsplash is a collection of free, high resolution, “do what you want with” photos. While there is no obligation for me to tell you where I got this photo, I love to give credit where credit is due. So, if you would like to also use this lovely photo, it was provided by Ahmed Saffu via Unsplash.

Clever Chameleon logo in light greenDon’t miss a post – follow along by subscribing to this blog. Or follow Clever Chameleon Quilt Colour Inspiration on Pinterest and pin your favourite colour palettes to try later. 

P.S. For your convenience, I have placed all the Unsplash photos from Colour Inspiration Tuesdays in one place. Find them easily for free in my Colour Inspiration Collection.