I know, I know! You read the subject about the fabric colours cards in my stash and probably groaned knowing I’d be talking yet again about my love for fabric colour cards – ha!
But I just can’t help it. I initially thought they were super expensive for what they were and didn’t see the value in investing my fabric dollars in a swatch card. I couldn’t have been more wrong. And that’s why I’m always yammering on about them because I don’t want you to make the same mistake I did.
So, today, I thought I’d share some of the reasons why I love the fabric samples, why I think you’ll benefit from having some too, and see the different ones I keep stocked in the sewing studio for inspiration.
*This post contains affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, if you click through and make a purchase, I may receive a commission.
Why I love having fabric colour cards on hand in the studio
Even though I’d discounted them as something I’d need on hand, I started questioning that decision when I found myself:
- quilting more regularly,
- ordering most of my fabric online, and
- realized being able to see the colours and materials in person would be super helpful
That’s when I finally took the plunge and purchased my first set back in late 2015.
It didn’t take me long to realize what an asset they were to have on hand in the sewing studio. They make it so easy to:
- Order accurate fabric colours (saving time and money)
- Plan my fabric pulls.
- Match solids to fabric prints.
- Get inspired by colours and combination ideas.
I mean how could you not get inspired just looking at these cuties?!
Why I think you’ll love them
You might be sitting there thinking “that’s all great, Shannon, sure they’re cute, but will I get use out of them?”
There’s something that clicks when you sit and play with colour cards. It gives you the opportunity to see your colours side by side and determine:
- Do you love it?
- Does it feel good to you?
- Are you excited to see it come to life?
These are just a few of the questions you can ask yourself as you’re playing with your fabric pull. Don’t underestimate a good gut check 😊
Fabric colour cards I keep in the studio
Now, don’t get me wrong, you certainly don’t have to invest in all the fabric colour cards I’m going to share with you today. I love being able to pull inspiration from different colour ideas and that means having a plethora of swatches on hand.
This also helps me immensely when I’m including design ideas for you within Shannon Fraser Designs quilt patterns. Most of those are inspired by real fabric swatches and combinations that I’ve come up with from my own fabric play. I want those options to be as realistic as possible for you to recreate.
Fabric colour cards help me do just that!
Colorworks Premium Solids
I was introduced to Colorworks Premiums Solids by Northcott Fabrics when I met the team at FIGO Fabrics. I’d been working on my Harvest Falls Quilt and Mini Wall Hanging for Love Patchwork and Quilting Magazine when they mentioned Cathy Nordstrom’s Rollakan collection an as option.
I loved it! And was super excited to get to work with Cathy’s fabrics again (the first time was her Forest Talk collection) 😊.
To incorporate a little balance with all those prints, I used the Northcott Solids which have beautiful colour saturation and feel amazing too!
Quilts made with Colorworks Premium Solids:
Cotton Couture Solids
Have you ever worked with Cotton Couture solids by Michael Miller Fabrics? They’ve got a glorious hand to them: soft and drapey. They’re a little bit thinner than the other quilting cottons, making them especially great for summer quilts and garment sewing.
Quilts made with Cotton Couture Solids:
Cotton Supreme Solids
The quilt I use every day is made using Cotton Supreme Solids by RJR Fabrics. I love how soft they feel with a good weight to them. Yummy is a great way to sum them up. The challenge I face is finding them at local quilt shops.
Quilts made with Cotton Supreme Solids:
Essex Linen
You know I’m all about the tactile feel, which is why I’ve been sneaking linen into my sewing and quilting projects since the day I started cutting into fabric and sewing it back together!
I was over the moon when I realized Robert Kaufman offered an Essex Colour Card. This has made planning my quilted coats so much easier!
Quilts made with Essex Linen:
Kona Cotton
Kona Cotton is where my quilting with solids journey began. They have the widest colour offering in the industry, making them a great choice if colour is your primary factor.
To help play with all those colours, I went ahead and cut up my card and keep the swatches stored in my thread case I got my first year as an Aurifil Artisan.
In terms of the feel, Kona Cotton has a lovely weight to it, but the hand feel is the roughest of those shown here.
Quilts made with Kona Cotton:
Petal Signature Cotton Solids
This is a new addition to the studio! I got the Petal Signature Cotton color swatch book while attending my first QuiltCon, after popping by the Spoonflower booth to ask about which fabric had the best hand feel 😉
The colours are stunning, and the hand feel is softer than Kona, but a little thinner.
Quilts made with Petal Signature Cotton Solids:
None yet – stay tuned!
PURE Solids
One of my favourite solids to play with are the Pure Solids from Art Gallery Fabrics. I love the colours they offer and the feel is just so silky soft. I love it! They keep coming out with new colours every year, so keep an eye on new shades to inspire you.
Lisa, from Sew Curated, has created these lovely Pure Solids Swatch Cards that comes stored in this handy storage sleeve. The size of the fabric swatch is nice and big, giving you a good idea of how the colours will play off one another.
Quilts made with PURE Solids:
Ruby & Bee Solids
The Ruby & Bee Solids collection is designed by Heather Ross and Annabel Wrigley for Windham Fabrics. I love that it’s two makers that have come together to create the colours they wanted 😊
Not only are the colours wonderfully bold and saturated, but the feel of these cottons is simply glorious. They’re not as silky as the Pure Solids, but they have a super soft hand feel that makes them extra cozy.
Quilts made with Ruby & Bee Solids:
Sprout Wovens
This is a recent addition to my fabric stash! If you love adding texture to your projects as much as I do then you’ll love the Sprout Wovens by Fableism. Their colours tend to be more natural with a lovely payoff. The weave is loose enough to create a lovely drape and is thinner than an Essex. The woven X detail in the design creates added texture without the need to add hand quilting.
Quilts made using Sprout Wovens
Tip – don’t forget your thread!
While you’re at it, don’t forget to grab your thread colour card too!
I hope this post has inspired you to consider the endless options fabric colour cards offer you in your own sewing and quilting journey. Don’t let the cost of them dissuade you from purchasing a set (or several!). They really do help make fabric selections and online purchases easier for you.
I’d love to know what your favourite colour card is to have on hand. Share it in the comments below.
Happy fabric planning!
xo
Shannon
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Do you have every vendor’s solid color cards? I was going to ask which should I collect? And of course thread! I am always trying to figure out online what thread color, especially for quilting, would be best. How should I start to collect the fabrics cards? or where do I start?
Great question, Cynthia! I would start with the solids you love working with the most. If you love Art Gallery Fabrics prints, then I’d pick up a PURE Solids color card to match. There are lots of other color cards you can pick up by Riley Blake and Moda Fabrics. The best advice would be to grab the one you tend to stitch with most often! The ones I turn to on the regular are: Ruby & Bee, Pure Solids and Essex Linen!
Thanks, Shannon! That’s where I thought I would start. Most of my fabric gathering is online and I’ve made some wrong choices based upon the color I saw and the color that actually showed up.
Ugh, isn’t that the worst?! Been there! And the swatches really help! You should have seen me dance away 💃 when I found the Essex Linen set 🤣
What a lovely variety of colour cards. Very helpful to see your collections and which quilts you’ve used them in. I love the colour selection of Kona but I’ve just used some AGF solids and LOVE the softness. Unfortunately I’m having difficulty finding Ontario sources.
Thank you for the description of the “feel” of the different brands. So important!
So thrilled this round-up is proving helpful, Roberta! Pure Solids are quite lovely and you can find them at a few places in Canada: check Sew Curated (ON) and Thread Count Fabrics (out West) 😁
Haha… AGF and Essex Linen are the 2 top on my list! I should open a shop just to sell my uncut, wrong color fabric but I keep thinking I will use them in another project…. Great idea that I didn’t know existed, fabric swatches already labeled on a board. Thank you for all your tips and tricks!
So happy this tip is coming in handy, Cynthia! Might I suggest using your new colour cards to challenge yourself to create new combinations with your pile of wrong color fabric?! 😘 I bet you discover some real gems!
I have several of these color cards—Kona, Bella, pure Solids and at least two more I do find them helpful because I have to shop online for fabric. HOWEVER my biggest peeve is that there is no way to update them with new colors which are constantly being introduced. It’s out of the question for me to just buy the entire card again to get the newer colors. I wish companies would recognize this and offer supplental cards with new colors to purchase at much lower prices than the entire card!
My most used and loved card is my DMC perle cotton thread card. I’m saving up to get the aurifil card because I find it even harder to select thread online than fabric colors. Thanks for this really helpful guide. Some of these I didn’t know were available. Katherine
I get that frustration, Katherine. If it helps, I noticed that AGF has expansion cards so you don’t have to buy a full new set. And Sew Curated adds to her Pure solids swatch card sets 🙌💕
I want ALL the cards!! I would sit on the floor for hours with them spread all around me. And yammering is an awesome word. Made me chuckle.
🤣🤣🤣 I love that word 🤣🤣 happy it made you chuckle 😊 The cards are definitely inspiring! They especially brought me so much joy during the pandemic when I didn’t have my sewing machine but I did have my colour cards to keep the play going 😉
After sewing with nearly every major solid line, my favorite is Painter’s Palette solids by Paintbrush Studio, about 212 colors. The fabric is awesome and the colors are beautiful.
Oh, I have worked with their solids before and they are glorious!! So fun when you find a collection that makes you happy and excited to stitch with ❤️
I have used mainly Kona to date as it’s getting easier to find and has such a colour selection. Then I found AGF and fell in love with the softness and drape but it’s been difficult to locate. Will try this brand now. Thank you!
Where do you get your material from? This isn’t a brand I’ve seen before.
I found this Canadian shop that sells PBS Painter’s palettes solids: https://www.hyggeligt.ca/painters-palette-solid-cotton/
Do any of the color cards provide color specifications for the swatches that I could use to adjust them on my computer? Thanks so much – I always thought color cards would be a total waste of money.
Great question, Fran!! I haven’t seen these details shared, but they’d be super helpful!!