The tree is decorated, the presents wrapped, and the Christmas lights are all aglow. The sights of the Christmas season are all around. Now I don’t know about you, but all these fun, bright, and sparkling colors inspire me and my quilt design. Take for example, the complementary color combination of red and green. You see it all everywhere this time of year but really, this is a classic color combination that looks great together year-round and will never go out of style.
I found this Christmas photo and it was a great example of how red and green work together. The colors called out on the side are pulled right from the photo. A couple dark tones, a couple medium tones and a light make a perfect grouping for a quilt project. Don’t you just love the feeling of this photo! It makes me all cheery.
Complementary Colors
There’s a reason these two colors look so great together. Red and green are complementary colors. Simply put, they are opposite each other on the color wheel. Red being a primary color and green comprised of yellow and blue (the other 2 primary colors). It’s a perfect balance – one warm, the other cool. Side-by-side, they create the strongest contrast for each other. Other complementary color combinations are orange/blue and yellow/purple.
Red and green also evoke some powerful feelings. Red is a strong and energizing color. It’s powerful, attention getting, and bold. Commonly used to show love, it can also portray fear and aggression. Green is the balancing calm to red. It reflects nature and is a sign of growth.
Red and Green Quilts
Let’s take a look at the red and green color combination in real life. I used this color scheme in my Dream Weaver quilt. In addition to red and green, I also used high contrast black and white. I think it makes a striking combination.
What have you made in using a red and green color combination? Share a picture or leave a comment showing me how you’ve incorporated the complementary color combo of red and green into your quilting.
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