taste impaired

I make stuff, and I enjoy doing it. I've learned (the hard way, sigh) to match thread to the background color of the fabric when sewing, or to lay thread across the fabric and pick the one that disappears. I've made afghans, and when I got near the end, had looked at them so long that I couldn't tell any more whether they would look good or not. I've put together a pattern and fabric and trim and later wondered how in the world I could have thought that they went together. Not every time (thank goodness) but it happens.

None of those things have to do with technical prowess, or how the item was structurally made. It has to do with taste, or at least I think that has a lot to do with it. Sometimes I think all my taste is in my mouth. Now, I would like to take a moment here to differentiate fashion from style for this discussion. Fashion changes, and changes fast. I don't really care about fashion (could you tell that just by looking?). Style, however, lasts. It is style that I would like to get a handle on. It is style that I would like to include in my creations.

So, here's my first thought on learning more about taste and style. Color wheel. I mean, I understand what a color wheel is and how to use it, at least basically. But I think if I can read up on them some, and find a good one, that I could use it to make sure colors did together what I intended them to do. That would be a big crafting learning step.