Do you ever get side tracked? I was hard at work, preparing orders and checking a supplier's website for a pattern reference, then promptly fell down a rabbit hole of colour.
One of the most common questions, I get in the shop is "how do I put colours together?" One answer is to look for a 'catalyst' fabric that you can use as a jumping off point to suggest a colour scheme. Simply analyse the fabric, see what colours it contains and then run round the shelves, pulling off these shades and tones to build up your palette. Sometimes once you've assembled a good stash of patterns, plains and tonals, the original catalyst might be discarded in favour of other designs.
Well, Moda one of our fabric suppliers, have a really fun tool on their website www.unitednotions.com called Palette Builder (find a link right at the bottom of their web page). Simply upload a photo and it suggests a range of solids. You can then alter the colours, so it's a really good exercise in looking at colour, balance and contrast (as well as a lot of fun). To say I have been distracted, would be an understatement! I now have colour schemes for at least a dozen new quilts... but I'd better finish my work first, before I start rummaging through my shelves of fabric...
