Color Confidence!

Quilter, author, and fabric designer Jinny Beyer is the host and instructress for this excellent program on improving one's color sense. Out of her own frustrations with working with color in her quilts, Beyer created "The Portable Palette" (a set of colored cloth swatches which can be spread out like a fan) for help. With the "palette" (or with paint samples), Beyer is able to fully explore "color shading," that is moving from one color to another in a smooth rather than visually abrupt transition. Beyer offers several demonstrations of "color shading," using a wide variety of colors and patterned materials. Once the basics are established, she offers further counseling on "theme fabrics," "visual texture," and then provides tips on "home decorating," using her kitchen and living rooms as examples. Not to be confused with color-and-one's-personal-moods types of programs, Color Confidence! is a soundly reasoned guide to getting the most out of one's color selections, which will be an invaluable aid to knitters and quilters alike. Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. (Available from: Concept Videos, 7910 Woodmont Ave., Suite 1214, Bethesda, MD; 1-800-3338252.)