# 03 Selecting Quilt Colors

Our Ribbon Star quilt progress:

* [x] Select your quilt grid
* [x] Import or design your quilt block
* [ ] Choose your quilt fabric colors
* [ ] Add blocks to quilt grid
* [ ] Finessing your quilt *(optional)*
* [ ] Add sashing *(optional)*
* [ ] Add borders *(optional)*
* [ ] Add binding
* [ ] Using printed fabric swatches *(optional)*
* [ ] Download quilt map, blocks & swatches

Now that you've done some of the groundwork of creating the overall size of our quilt and deciding what block we'll be using, now let's color it in! Since this is an introduction, let's explain the easiest way to manipulate color in PreQuilt - [*<mark style="color:blue;">Color Tags</mark>*](/welcome-to-prequilt/about-this-help-guide/glossary.md#color-tags).

## <mark style="color:blue;">What is a Color Tag?</mark>

{% hint style="warning" %} <mark style="color:orange;">**ALERT:**</mark> When a Color Tag is changed (either from a solid to another solid - or from a solid to a printed fabric swatch), everything that is linked to that Color Tag will also change.
{% endhint %}

A [*<mark style="color:blue;">color tag</mark>*](/welcome-to-prequilt/about-this-help-guide/glossary.md#color-tags) is a labeling device that allows you to tag and associate block pieces with a particular color. If you change the color of a color tag, all the pieces linked to that color tag will also change.&#x20;

### <mark style="color:blue;">01 Setting Color Tags</mark>

{% hint style="info" %} <mark style="color:blue;">**TIP:**</mark> You can rename the Color Tags to any name you like. A, B, and C are defaults.
{% endhint %}

In [*<mark style="color:blue;">02 Creating Quilt Blocks</mark>*](/prequilt-101/starter-quilts/first-prequilt-quilt/02-creating-quilt-blocks.md), we used 2 different color tags - A & B for our Ribbon Block, which are defaulted at Kona Haze and Kona Black, respectively. But say we want to use different colors, how would we change them?

1. Click on the '<mark style="color:blue;">**COLOR TAGS**</mark>' tab on the [*<mark style="color:blue;">Left Side Control Panel</mark>*](/welcome-to-prequilt/about-this-help-guide/glossary.md#control-panel) (it will expand).![](/files/0tISJtjPQsEFhYlejPgV)
2. To change the color associated with Color Tag A, click on its '<mark style="color:blue;">**Edit**</mark>' button.

   ![](/files/AkJOa6sAuJxOENShTKKb)
3. Using the dropdown panel (down arrow), select your preferred <mark style="color:blue;">**fabric manufacturer**</mark>. We have the solid fabric libraries loaded for most of the major fabric manufacturers. For this example, I'll use the Free Spirit line.

   ![](/files/fpfpZAeczXxH35nlmOBU)
4. Click on the <mark style="color:blue;">**square of color**</mark> you'd like to link to Color Tag A. For this example, I'd like to select Marigold.

   ![](/files/5ggrl6bbxO3UtwZvfn1I)
5. The window will automatically close once you select your new color for Color Tag A.
6. Repeat ***Steps 01.2-4*** for Color Tag B and C (optional - if you'd like a third color).

   ![](/files/XvQUgvMs2bgg49eoOlge)

### <mark style="color:blue;">02 Using Color Tags</mark>

{% hint style="info" %} <mark style="color:blue;">**Explained:**</mark> When the color of a Color Tag changes, all the block pieces that are linked to that Color Tag will automatically change to that color as well.
{% endhint %}

<div><figure><img src="/files/y7BuUMKiRw3IM9FwVm7X" alt=""><figcaption><p>Block using default Color Tags A &#x26; B</p></figcaption></figure> <figure><img src="/files/Hd9mDamBHxYpazQkibf1" alt=""><figcaption><p>Block using updated Color Tags A &#x26; B</p></figcaption></figure></div>

Now that we've selected the overall quilt colors for this quilt and set them as color tags, let's use them by linking our color tags to the patchwork pieces in the Ribbon Star quilt block.

1. Click on the '<mark style="color:blue;">**Edit Block**</mark>' button next to our Ribbon Star block.

   <div align="left"><figure><img src="/files/QiZiLfwRh4VOxyroNfWE" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div>
2. Imagine that we'd like to have 2 different colored ribbon corners. To do this, we'll need to change the colors in 2 of the diagonal corners.
   * ***Note*****:** Because the block patches were linked to color tags A and B, the colors of our block have automatically been updated to Free Spirit 'Marigold' and Free Spirit 'Stargazer'.
3. Click on <mark style="color:blue;">**1 of the 3 pink (Stargazer) HSTs**</mark> that make up the ribbon patches in the top right corner of the block.
4. Click on the '<mark style="color:blue;">**Link**</mark>' button next to Color Tag C (Snapdragon).

   * ***Note*****:** Now, the selected HST is now orange (Snapdragon)

   <div><figure><img src="/files/Cmh0U1c7N1yzFC8auM4s" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure> <figure><img src="/files/q2EaJytxdzqabI1q9XCT" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div>
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until the 2 diagonal ribbon corners are relinked to Color Tag C.

   * ***TIP*****:** If you want to change the Color Tag on all the remaining 5 HSTs at once, hold the shift button as you click on all the pieces.

   <figure><img src="/files/KWmP7ALgbc1basAAyYMQ" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>


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