Friday, February 10, 2017

Cut It Up?!

After posting about Labeling Solid Fabrics the other day, there was alot of mention of folks depending on their solid swatch color cards rather than actually labeling their fabric. And I knew there were a variety of ways to do that. Of course, you could leave your color card as is (which is what I do), and use it as a resource that way. Or, you could CUT IT UP.

The first time I heard about doing that, I was shocked! (really) But this works for many of you, and here are some of the ways people store their individual swatches:

Silvia/@astrangerview purchased a Box Box transparent box from The Container Store. I couldn't find that exact product still available, but you get the idea. I've heard that an Aurifil thread case also works well.
























Then there's Felice/Sew scatterbrained, who punched a whole in each swatch and keeps them on a ball chain to create a swatch ring, keeping them in order as they were on the card for side by side comparisons.


Velcro was the answer for Melanie/Mell Meyer, who created her own Velcro Kona Color Card. Melanie has placement sheets available for you to print out to make your own on cardstock.


And then Sheila/thought & found's idea is a hybrid of labeling fabric vs. cut-up color card in that she makes swatch cards that offer larger fabric samples. The cards are available for a small fee on Craftsy.


What clever ideas, right? Anything here similar to what you do? Or is your color card still in one piece like mine? Do share what works for you in the comments. Oh, and I've started a Kona color card pin board with these ideas as well as quilts based on them. Here's to color!

14 comments:

  1. My color card is still in one piece... but I'm thinking of ordering a sacrificial second color card!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh crap, that reminds me that I need to label my white, berry, and chocolate...

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks for featuring and linking :) Love all the ideas you collected. BTW did you know that they also added a "on fabric printed color chart" to their products? I love my cardstock one but that sounds like a nice addition, too.

    ReplyDelete
  4. You remind me I cut my color card one year ago and didn't go further ... Each time I use my pile of swatches I sigh and ... leave it for tomorrow (velcro and cardstock waiting in the cupboard) :-(

    ReplyDelete
  5. My color card is still in one piece! I'd love to have the Big Moda Color Swatches some day. I find the little ones too little - but that could be because of my aging eyes :)!

    ReplyDelete
  6. This is very timely! I just bought a Kona card and am planning to maybe possibly cut it up. It seems like that would make it easier to play with color stories... how do you do it? Mckee.cassandra @ gmail

    ReplyDelete
  7. I cut mine up recently and bought the Box Box container like Silvia's on Amazon.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I don't have a Kona colour card, it would be great but I tend to buy from different manufacturers. Then of course I never remember what the colours actually are, I'm very disorganised. I love the ideas though.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I cut mine up and put strips of velcro onto A4 pieces of thick card (mount board, really), a little piece on the back of each swatch and put them in the same order as they were on the original card. They live in a leverarch file with a list of the shades in order in the back so they can be put back in order if needed. Took a while to do, but well worth it!

    ReplyDelete
  10. My Kona card is still in one piece but I've been thinking of cutting it up and putting the pieces on a ring. Matching colours using the card is pretty difficult, I just haven't gathered the courage to pull out the scissors yet.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I love all these ideas, but alas...I have no color card! If I did, I don't think I would be able to cut it up. It would freak me out a little too much!

    ReplyDelete
  12. i cut my color card up and store the pieces in a Box Box. As I find a new color I like, I make a new chip to add to the box. I bought yardage of the card, quilted it and have it hanging in my sewing room. The colors are close enough to know the order without all the Velcro should I need to look at the card as it once was.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I don't think I could stand having small pieces of Kona card floating around the house! I like some of the ideas though and I'm thinking of making some larger chips. I really like the ones from Sheila - very professional looking. Did you see these on instagram https://www.instagram.com/p/BPVSwiEjyVN/?taken-by=jacquietps ? I think I'll make it a rule to make some DIY ones as they come into the house.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Debbie, I just posted about this! I make them into cute little magnets that go on a whiteboard. https://angelabowmandesign.com/blogs/news/how-to-organize-fabric-swatches-with-magnets

    ReplyDelete