In my opinion, C & T Publishing has come up with two winners.  Along with the QUICK AND EASY BLOCK TOOL, The 3 in 1 COLOR TOOL should be part of every quilter’s basic supplies.  Several years ago, a friend who was just starting out with quilting asked my advice about what books to purchase.  My reply was “If you can afford only one book, it should be COLOR PLAY by Joen Wolfrom.  If your color selection is poor, it really won’t matter too much how perfect your technique is.”  Now Joen has designed a companion tool that to be honest, could stand alone.  The sturdy COLOR TOOL is 2 ½” by 8 ½, “ a good fit for your pocketbook or glove compartment.  It comes with a vinyl case.  Of course, its value isn’t limited to quilting, but is very helpful for any craft requiring color selection.

The tool begins with clear instructions for its use and an introduction to the Ives Color Wheel.  The 24-step color wheel is the perfect size for most applications.  An explanation follows, of color families, color scales, value, and the roles of color in a color scheme.  Five basic plans for color schemes are explained and illustrated; monochromatic, complementary, analogous, split complimentary and triadic.  Each of the 24 colors has a full page in the COLOR TOOL.  Each page has illustrations of tints for that color, shades and tones.  One merely has to match a color sample with one of the nearly 800 provided and flip the page over to see the examples of all five basic color schemes.  Find the color cards for the color plan you select and there you go.  It’s that simple.

This tool takes the uncertainty out of planning for even the most “color impaired” among us.  Think of the money you’ll save by eliminating bad fabric purchases.  Think of how much more beautiful one’s quilts can be when the colors really work.

Review by Diana Norris