Handmade by Emily Kona Club

This year I have started getting way more into solid fabrics. I’d always had some in my stash–stuck in the back of the cupboard to use as resting eye space only when absolutely necessary. I even brought my collection of Art Gallery Pure Elements solids out from the depths and started cutting into them more. But have you ever tried to find Art Gallery Pure Elements in Australia? It’s like trying to find an unopened bottle of champagne at my house! It happens, but it’s rare, expensive, and you don’t get much selection. 

So anyway, I started thinking I should explore this Kona business, and then I find out there’s like 303 colours. Seriously. Who needs 432 options in solids fabric? I got one of those Kona colour cards showing all 523 colour swatches and of course was a bit overwhelmed. By the time I had poured over all 681 colours (that was just the blues) I felt like I needed Christian Dior himself to approve of any colours I even considered liking. So that was that. I needed help. 

It was around this time that Ms. Emily entered my life. She had generously agreed to donate some Kona yardage to use for backing one of the Sewing for Sydney hashtag quilts. She had originally given me the job of picking the colour and I was like, “Girl, there is no way I’m selecting a colour from the 712 colours Mr. Kaufman has deemed necessary we need to fulfil our quilting lives. You do it.” She ended up sending this gorgeous shade of purple called Dark Violet that quilted up beautifully. I started talking to her about how Kona Wasabi was all the rage, my utter indecision on where to start amongst the 873 colours, and she said to me she was starting up a Kona Fabric Club. Oh, well, hello there, colour me interested. 

We discussed how there were so many (962 to be exact) beautiful shades, but like me, many people had no idea where to start, where to buy, or where to find their underwear on a Sunday morning after a big night out. “That’s where you and your underwear come in,” she said. “I want fabulous bloggers with superb colour sense like yourself to curate collections so customers can have faith that what they’re buying is going to be awesome.” In case you were wondering, flattery will indeed get you everywhere with me! I’m sure you know what this all meant though: I had to select only five fabrics from the available 1,063 to create a bundle. After many hyperventilating episodes later, I narrowed it down to these that I think coordinate with sophistication, pizazz, allure, radiance, kingliness, luxury, and elegance. See what I did there?

From left to right, there’s Poppy, Cyan, Wasabi, Titanium, and Dark Violet, all punchy, high saturation colours; low volume be damned! I wanted to test this theory so I started making blocks to see what happens. I had recently been sketching ideas for an easy way to make a repeating, woven design. Combining this with the Kona Cotton bundle created a bold and bright graphic pattern–exactly the look I was going for! I’ve made a few of these blocks now, and they’re being sewn up into an oversized floor cushion for some friends.

So how do you get in on this business?  Well, once you sign up, you get five curated colours sent to you per month at $22 / fat quarter bundle, $38 / half metre bundle, or $70 / metre bundle, and that includes domestic shipping. Hello! To sweeten the pot even more, if you sign up this month and use my “Glitterati” discount code, you get 5% off and an additional free fat eighth! Now I’m not telling you what to do, but if you’re like me and need help finding your way through the hundreds of Kona colours this might be a great way to get a little taste. Now, who’s thirsty?

To sign up, and get the finest of details check out: 

Handmade By Emily Kona Club