Color from the Heart: Seven Great Ways to Make Quilts with Colors You Love [Illustrated] [Paperback]

Gai Perry (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2010

Learn how to work with color and fabric by using 40 unrelated fabrics in one quilt. Includes 7 wallhanging-size projects.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Many books on color theory and color in quilts fail to capture the interest of quilters by dwelling on technical explanations of color theory and ignoring the intuitive choice of color. In contrast, Perry admits gladly that despite her training as a painter and her strong technical background in color theory, she normally chooses colors with the heart, not the intellect. She emphasizes a hands-on approach to working with color by employing a series of lessons to illustrate seven effective and pleasing methods for choosing colors and fabrics for quiltmaking. In the process of working through each lesson, the reader learns color theory in small doses while making a small, illustrative wall hanging-size quilt. Seven quilts later, the reader knows how to incorporate myriad fabrics into one small quilt; how to pick a quilt color scheme based on decorative objects, photos, or paintings; and how best to use several tints, tones, and shades of each color in a single quilt. A good choice for all quilting collections.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 112 pages
• Publisher: C&T Publishing; illustrated edition edition (June 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1571200711
• ISBN-13: 978-1571200716
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.5 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #269,145 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

84 of 85 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Color from the Heart, January 25, 2000

By 

n. ellen (maryland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Color from the Heart: Seven Great Ways to Make Quilts with Colors You Love (Paperback)

Gai Perry deserves two "thumbs up" for this highly creative,informational guide to choosing colors for quiltmaking!

Her approach to sharing her knowledge about a complex issue- color- is fantastic because she gives us precise definitions of different types of colors and their characteristics without TELLING US what to do with them or squashing our individual creative impulses with EXCESSIVE RULES -- In other words, she gives us many creative tools, but lets us build what whatever we want with them!

Another BIG PLUS about Color from the Heart is that it displays beautiful color itself...many books on the topic of quilts,color and other crafts have dull, out-of-focus photos or monotone line illustrations, but NOT THIS BOOK! Gai has generously packed her book with fresh and brilliant colors (don't miss the excellent section entitled: Quilt Gallery), even in the diagrams, which give specific and clear descriptions on how to build each quilt block, right down to numbering each step and pairing it with a sharp, detailed illustrated guide.You just CAN"T GO WRONG with these instructions!

Finally, the book is written in an interesting and conversational style...no confusing chatter, predictable color 'wheels' or boring stories here. This is a book WELL WORTH the price: it truly belongs in every serious quiltmaker's library.

Thanks, Gai! When is your next book coming out!

54 of 54 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An inspiring workbook for any quilter!, January 17, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Color from the Heart: Seven Great Ways to Make Quilts with Colors You Love (Paperback)

I love this book! It's an important one for beginner quilters, and also for quilters who need confidence in putting colors and textures together in a quilt. Do you have a sizeable stash, buy the fabric medleys you see in magazines but freeze up when it's time to use them? Can't walk out of a fabric store without a sack of fabric in your hand, yet it turns into one more project on your to-do list because, mmmm, maybe those fabrics you bought don't go well together after all?

I have another book that deals with color theory, fabric texture, pattern and theme. I'm supposed to cut little pieces from my precious stash and paste them in the appropriate boxes in the book. I just couldn't do it! I like Color From the Heart because the author sets up seven lessons during which you actually make a little quilt in each lesson. Lesson One focuses on Spontaneity. You'll be asked to make a little postage stamp quilt. This was a fun exercise, and yielded some interesting surprises for me. Lesson Two turns to Color Enrichment, and so on. In each lesson there are colorful photos of quilts made that reflect the quilter's individual choices.

The author spends just a few pages giving you background on color theory. That's fine with me. You can get more on that elsewhere. Her purpose in the book, as I see it, is on teaching you how to expand your knowledge of fabric color, design, texture etc. and how the fabrics interact and influence one another. All this so you learn to trust your color instincts.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My Favourite Quilting Book, February 28, 2003

By 

Allison Brown (Beautiful British Columbia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Color from the Heart: Seven Great Ways to Make Quilts with Colors You Love (Paperback)

I absolutely love this book. Originally a painter, Gai Perry really delivers in Colour From The Heart with her 7 step formula for understanding and working with colour and quilts. There are dozens of colour photos throughout the book - I can't stand quilt books that don't include lots of photos - so you can really get a feel for what Perry is communicating. Her approach to quilting is also quite refreshing; she prefers a few basic tools and supplies, a contrast to the perhaps overly technological quilts being made today in the 21st century. I feel completely inspired and confident about using her ideas and my favourite colours effectively in my next quilt!