Tips, Tricks and How to USE your New Flexible Kona Color Card

Last week, I shared a tutorial on how I made my flexible Kona color card.  

Truth be told, I am a bit of a perfectionist and very linear (in thinking and execution).  So I like to have all of my color swatches neatly lined up and ready to pull at a moments notice.  However ... that's not all of you.  

Some fabulous alternatives that I have seen include:

Hanging by color family by Claudia at @ompompali

A wall mounted version (assuming this is via magnets) by Donna @xoxsew

Pages for a binder by Jenn at @jenn_tries_to_quilt

In their own little box by Beth at @bethchinderle

Many of the steps in the tutorial work for these options as well.  The trick is to pick out the best alternative for what works for you!

HOW TO USE:

I mostly use solids when I quilt.  I am drawn to the boldness of the solids and for me personally, they require more creativity in designing quilts.  

But a Kona Color card is NOT just for those of us who quilt with solids ... it's about those of us who crave color!  

Often, when working with clients, I will start with the flexible Kona Color Card.  Getting a client to land on the colors and shades they like is the first step.  Then I will take those color swatches and use them to find prints that coordinate well.  

Back when I lived in the city (Seattle), I was known for showing up at my local quilt shop with a little zip lock bag with the swatches from the quilt I was working on—whether it be to find quilt fabrics, backing or binding—the little swatches helped and could stay in my daypack for a few days (um ... I mean weeks) as I worked my way through a quilt.  

When I am working with color swatches, I find it best to put on a plain white piece of paper.  I just grab a clean sheet of white paper out of the printer.  

I also photograph all the different options with my phone—which helps with remembering different colors options we put together.  You can easily zoom in on the photo on the phone to see the names of the fabrics.  Once the final selection is made, simply delete all the other photos.  Saving the winning selection to an Album on my phone called "Quilt Projects".   

Then by putting the name of the project on the photo itself (I use Photomark for iOS), I keep a good record of fabrics and it sure helps months later when I am try to remember what a certain color was that I used in a project.  

Whatever your choice is for setting up a flexible Kona Color card ... I believe that you will find it to be a helpful tool in your creativity basket for quilting.

Cheers,

Lisa