Tips for Choosing Colors for the Rainbow Hues Quilt

Rainbow quilt drapes over a brown sofa in a bright room with white walls. A large leafy plant and woven decor adorn the space.

You know that feeling when you're so ready to dive into a new quilt — the excitement, the ideas buzzing — but when it's time to pick out fabrics, you freeze? Choosing colors can be the hardest part. With so many possibilities, it’s easy to second-guess yourself or feel overwhelmed before you even make your first cut.

That’s why I wanted to share some tips for choosing colors for Rainbow Hues, my newest quilt pattern. Rainbow Hues is a joyful, 22-color-packed celebration, and I had the most fun designing the cover version to create a vibrant, flowing look.

Even though there are lots of colors to pick out, I don't want it to feel overwhelming. Whether you’re dreaming of a bold rainbow, a soft gradient, or a soothing monochromatic palette, I’m here to help you get unstuck and start confidently pulling colors you love!

Folded fabric in a rainbow gradient from red to pale green on a light wood surface, showing a spectrum of warm to cool colors.

Let’s Talk About Color

First, a quick peek at some basic color theory.

Warm colors (think reds, oranges, yellows) bring energy and heat.
Cool colors (blues, purples, greens) are more calming and mellow.
Complementary colors (like blue + orange or purple + yellow) create bold contrast when placed together.
Analogous colors (like blue + green + teal) are neighbors on the color wheel and blend beautifully.

When you’re working with 10+ colors, one of the easiest ways to make your quilt feel intentional is to keep an eye on contrast (light vs dark) and saturation (bold vs muted). These little shifts can help guide the eye through your quilt.

Fabric swatches in various colors, labeled with names like "Evergreen" and "Brick," spread on a wooden table, creating a colorful pattern.

Building a Gradient or Ombre Effect

A gradient (or ombré) color palette flows gradually from one color to another — and it’s perfect for Rainbow Hues. It doesn’t have to be an exact match from light to dark or red to violet — the key is to keep each color transition smooth.

Some tips:

Lay out your fabrics in rainbow or value order to see how they “flow.”
Use swatch cards or cut small squares to test your layout before you commit.
Fabric bundles can be a great start — especially those curated rainbow stacks you’ve been hoarding (no judgment).

This pattern is your excuse to go all in on color. And if you’ve been saving that fat quarter bundle with 20+ prints? This is its moment to shine.

I initially wanted to make the colors in the cover quilt be a true gradient, but was having a bit of a hard time having it feel balanced and flow smoothly. My solution was to use 5 smaller gradients in rainbow-order. I ended up with 4 magenta colors, 4 reds, 4 oranges, 4 yellows, and 6 greens. This approach proved to be the special sauce that helped everything feel cohesive and still achieved a rainbow of colors.

Monochromatic = Mood

If rainbows aren’t your thing (or you just want something more chill), try a monochromatic colorway — meaning, different shades of a single color.

Think:

All blues from navy to sky
A cozy quilt in only warm terracottas and peaches
Forest-y greens from sage to emerald

To keep a monochromatic quilt interesting, play with:

Value contrast (mixing light, medium, and dark shades)
Texture and pattern (mix solids, blenders, small prints)

It’s still bold — just in a more understated, moody way. And it works beautifully with this pattern.

Rainbow Colors Not Your Thing?

If rainbow colors aren’t really your thing — no worries at all. The beauty of Rainbow Hues is that it’s super flexible. You can absolutely make a stunning version using a curated bundle from your favorite fabric line, or just pull your favorite prints from your stash, no matter the color story.

It doesn’t have to be ROYGBIV to shine. A moody palette, a spring-inspired mix, or even a bundle you’ve been saving because it felt too special to cut into could be a great fit.

There are no quilt police, and there are definitely no rules here. Use what makes you happy. If it sparks joy when you look at it, it’s the right choice.

Colorful striped quilt draped over a white surface with pampas grass in the background. Soft lighting, cozy and serene setting. — This is the crib size Color Repeat version using Wildflower Wovens from Art Gallery Fabrics.

Quilt with pastel rainbow arches on white floral background, creating a soft and cozy atmosphere. — It's a great example of using a curated bundle that isn't rainbow colors.

Choosing Your Palette

So how do you choose?

Here’s my favorite method:

Start with a color you love.
Decide if you want it bold (rainbow), smooth (gradient), or focused (monochrome).
If you're not into rainbow colors, try a curated bundle you’ve been saving, or just gather your favorite tones from your stash.
Pull what you’ve got and start laying it out.
Adjust from there until it feels right.

The most important thing? Make it yours. Your version of Rainbow Hues should reflect what lights you up.

Quilt with concentric rainbow arches in white, green, blue, yellow, and orange tones. Quilted leaf pattern adds texture. Bright mood.

Make a Digital Mockup on PreQuilt

I have all of the sizes and colorways of the Rainbow Hues quilt uploaded on PreQuilt, a free quilt mock up tool. You can find it here. It's a great way to test out different color options before committing and gives you a good idea how everything looks together.

Quilt patterns displayed in a grid with rainbow, snowflake designs. Title: Heck Yes Sew Co. Links below. Warm, inviting theme.

Using a Curated Quilt Kit

If choosing 20+ fabrics feels overwhelming, a curated quilt kit can be a great option. Many small fabric shops offer beautifully coordinated bundles made just for patterns like this — and Rainbow Hues is perfect for showing off those thoughtful palettes.

Kits take the guesswork out of fabric selection while still letting you create something stunning. Whether it’s a rainbow, a gradient, or a unique color story curated by someone with a great eye, kits can save time and spark ideas you may not have thought of on your own.

Plus, it’s a great way to support small business fabric shops — they do so much of the behind-the-scenes magic in this quilting world. You can find some wonderful shops below that are offering Rainbow Hues quilt kits. Your future self will thank you when you get to skip straight to the fun part: sewing!

United States

String & Story

Canada:

Northern Sky Fabric

Germany:

Floyd the Fox

Folded fabric in a neat stack, displaying a gradient from red to green, tied with a peach ribbon. Set on a wooden surface.

Make Your Own Rainbow Hues Quilt

Wherever you land on the color spectrum — bright and bold, soft and moody, or somewhere in between — the most important thing is that your quilt feels like you. Have fun with the process and don’t be afraid to play. Color is such a personal part of quilting, and there’s no “right” way to do it.

I can’t wait to see all the beautiful, creative versions of Rainbow Hues that come to life. If you feel like sharing, tag me @heck.yes.sewco on Instagram so I can cheer you on — I love seeing your fabric pulls, works in progress, and finished projects!