Here is another color palette idea for you! The background is a simple patchwork of a bunch of blues, turquoises, and light gray, and the appliqué piece is all gold. Since gold and turquoise are almost opposite one another on the color wheel, they help each other stand out.
Since there is so much going on in the background, I kept all the golds medium in value (dark/light). I think if I had included some really light and dark golds in the deer, the whole quilt would look a bit too wild, and the silhouette would have gotten lost.
Also, had I decided to use golds for the background and blues for the deer, he would not have stood out as much as he does here. Remember-- warm colors (yellows, oranges, reds) POP and cool colors (blues, greens, purples) recede. Using a warm color for your focal point against a cool background will help it to stand out all the more.
Find the deer pattern, here.
Happy sewing!
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