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3 Dark Color Palettes to Inspire

Broken Weave Quilt

In Issue 6 of Modish Quilter we dived deep into the dark side of quilting and explored dark background quilts. Utilizing colors like black or dark gray can provide a beautiful contrast next to cooler toned colors. A great example of this is our Broken Weave quilt. For the background we used a charcoal gray. The pastel pinks, teals and tans visually popped as a result of the stark contrast. 

Advice from an Expert

Wet Mountain Quilt Co

If you’ve never used dark fabrics as a background before it can be intimidating to try. We interviewed Genna Calkins-Musgrush of Wet Mountain Quilt Co, the master of contrast and using black in quilts. Her number one tip was to remove the negative thoughts from yourself surrounding trying something new. We have to remember that it’s just fabric. You never know what you might be able to achieve or enjoy until you try it.

Berry Inspired Palette

Pastel Color Palette

To make this adventure into the dark side of quilting less daunting we’ve created some color palettes to help inspire you and be leaping off points for your next quilt project.

Not every dark background has to be a black or dark gray to get the same effect. In this palette we’re using Art Gallery Fabric’s Blueberry Zest as our background color. The pale pinks and purples would stand out against the purple-ish blue tones of the Blueberry Zest.

Earthy Color Palette

Earth tone color palette

Color inspiration can often be found in nature. This earth toned color palette pulls colors from the soil, streams and trees. This color palette incorporates a traditional black, but also uses the dark bluish-green of Northern Waters. When incorporating multiple dark colors be sure they still have contrast if they will be touching within the quilt design. Also, don’t forget to include light toned colors like the Mystic Grey and Spruce. Using a scale of color creates interest and movement within your quilt design.

Autumn Color Palette

Autumn Color Palette

A color palette can also spark emotions and memories. The warm golden yellow and orange colors mixed with the brown gives a not so gentle nod to the Fall season. Taking a familiar color palette and adding an unexpected pop, like the Denim Blue, gives a sense of familiarity that feels fresh and modern. 

You can find more dark color palette inspiration in Issue 6 of Modish Quilter, The Dark Side of Quilting. Take a peek at the gallery below to see what you’re missing in Issue 6.