My first love, my truest passion is COLOR. It's what drives my making and cultivates deep satisfaction.

I love to help others explore color through Instagram challenges, mosaic contests and process posts. Now I'm going to do that with my quilting patterns too. Why not? After all, with each quilt I was playing with color myself. Why not help you do the same?

This year as I update my patterns, I'm re-releasing them as part of a new series: Color Mentor. At the start of each pattern, I invite you to explore your color instincts through the project. In this way, the quilt becomes not just another project, but a lesson!

My guidance and color perspective empower you to try something new. No, not to make a quilt just like mine (though you could), but to tap into your sense of color in a new way. Just like a photo challenge or a mosaic contest, following a prompt can ignite your creativity. With Color Mentor I hope to do just that!

Looking at my patterns through this lens is exciting! I could see right away the need to create three levels of difficulty:

Really these are levels of color confidence. The purpose of the levels is to help you understand which patterns, which lessons, might be most helpful for you. If you struggle to choose colors and fabrics, Level 1 is a great place to start. Experiences just on the edges of your skill set are most likely to move you forward, color-wise, into new frontiers.

I've also created a list of new patterns to create! First on that list is a pattern to help you explore creating a rainbow blend. I hope to begin cutting today. Such fun! Color is awesome.

Two patterns are already available in the Color Mentor series:

Wheel Quilt Pattern

A cloth color wheel is an excellent primer for the color-careful quilter. Selecting fabrics and finding their place in the wheel is a slow, meditative process that invites you to compare, consider and explore. This Level 1 Color Mentor pattern is an excellent place to restart your relationship with color.

and

Lake Cabin Pattern

Scrap quilts are some of the best quilts, but do you ever find that your scraps don't seem to play well together? Or, are your scraps leaving you feeling uninspired? Sewing a scrap quilt can be daunting for the color-careful quilter. With Lake Cabin quilt, learn to use color to unify diverse scraps. This Level 1 Color Mentor pattern will help you push your color envelope.

More to come!

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