Can’t get your hands on the right shades of Kona Cotton? Fear not! As quilters grapple with a national shortage of the modern maker's favourite fabric, we've put together these tips for where to find it in the UK and US, and suggest some alternatives if you still can't find the solid shade you need.
Where to find Kona fabric in the UK
Try these stockists, and if you're still stumped, read on for our suggestions for alternatives you can use.
- Love Crafts – have a sale of some Robert Kaufman Kona Solids still in stock at the time of writing this article
- Plush Addict - have a range of shades in stock, available by fat quarter or by the metre
- Wool Warehouse – have a large collection of shades available
- Eternal Maker – also have a great range to dive into
- Quilt Essential – stock a range of shades
Where to find Kona fabric in the US
- Joann Stores – stock a large number of Kona fabrics
- Fat Quarter Shop – have a range of charm packs and roll ups to help you stock up on pre-cuts
- Etsy – have a number of sellers who stock some of our favourite shades
Where to find alternative shades if you can't find the one you need
As the whole world (or so it seems) is desperate to get their hands on Kona Solids, if you struggle to find the one you need, fear not! We’ve worked out the best alternative shades if you swap brands and replace Kona with Moda Bella Solids or Art Gallery Fabrics Pure Elements – so that you can get to work on your quilt with whatever’s available to you.
We've based these recommendations on the quilts in issue 88 of Love Patchwork & Quilting magazine, but they'll also come in handy for Kona fans across the country who need a hand with their fabric shopping!
Yasmeen K Branton’s Blomma Block of the Month series uses the following shades of Kona Cotton Solids:
- Snow
- Dusty Peach
- Lupine
- Hibiscus
- Nautical
- Cadet
- Dresden Blue
- Seafoam
- Sage
In the same order, we’d recommend the following shades of Moda Bella Solids:
- Off White
- Sisters Pink
- Sugar Plum
- Purple
- Midnight
- Cobalt
- Blue
- Frost
- Teal
Or if you switch with Art Gallery Fabrics Pure Elements, use these shades in the same order
- White Linen
- Cotton Candy
- Field of Lavender
- Purple Pansy
- Heart of the Ocean
- Night Sea
- Parisian Blue
- Icy Mint
- Warm Wave
Allison Jensen’s Simply Charming cover quilt uses the following shades of Kona Cotton Solids:
- Gumdrop
- Carnation
- Flesh
- Salmon
- Peach
- Melon
- Lemon
- Cactus
- Peapod
- Aruba
- Candy Green
In the same order, we’d recommend the following shades of Moda Bella Solids:
- Berrylicious
- Amelia Pink
- Sisters Pink
- Peach Blossom
- Bubble Gum
- Rose
- Sunshine
- Key Lime
- Acid Green
- Aqua
- Peacock
Or if you can swap them with Art Gallery Fabrics Pure Elements:
- Very Berry
- Sweet Pink
- Cotton Candy
- Grapefruit
- Peach Sherbet
- Quartz Pink
- Honeydew
- Lemonade
- Dark Citron
- Fresh Water
- Mirage Blue
Issue 89 Kona shades
Allison Jensen’s Pink Lemonade quilt
Kona Cotton Solids: Pickle, Ice Frappe, Melon, Snow
Moda Bella Solids: Citrine, Breeze, Honeysuckle, Off White
Art Gallery Fabrics Pure Elements: Lemonade, Icy Mint, Quartz Pink, White Linen
Rachel Singh’s Just Peachy quilt
Kona Cotton Solids: Peach, Tangerine, Snow, Pepper
Moda Bella Solids: Bubble Gum, Mango, Off White, Washed Black
Art Gallery Fabrics Pure Elements: Peach Sherbet, Burnt Orange, White Linen, Caviar
Marni Weaver’s Bedtime Bubbles set
Kona Cotton Solids: Torch, Cloud, Lighthouse, White, Aloe, Sprout, Shark, Harbor
Moda Bella Solids: Tangerine, Lt Blue, Zen Grey, White Bleached, Seaglass, Amelia Green, Steel, Lapis
Art Gallery Fabrics Pure Elements: Burnt Orange, Crystalline, Light Grey, Snow, Mirage Blue, Pistachio Crème, Ash, Royal Cobalt
Lorna Slessor’s Geo Lines quilt
Kona Cotton Solids: Coral, Creamsicle, Windsor, Curry, Grapemist, Blue, White
Moda Bella Solids: Geranium, Peach Blossom, Admiral Blue, Mustard, Baby Blue, Lt Blue, White Bleached Art Gallery Fabrics Pure Elements: Coral Reef, Grapefruit, Night Sea, Empire Yellow, Tranquil Waters*, Crystalline, Snow
Paula Steel’s Finding Structure quilt
Kona Cotton Solids: Bluegrass, Peach, Mint, Wasabi, White
Moda Bella Solids: Jade, Bubble Gum, Mint, Acid Green, White Bleached
Art Gallery Fabrics Pure Elements: Emerald, Peach Sherbet, Tender Green, Lemonade, Snow
Joanna Marsh’s Retro Groove quilt
Kona Cotton Solids: Red, Carnation, Creamsicle, Peapod, Capri, Ice Frappe
Moda Bella Solids: Ruby, Amelia Pink, Peach Blossom, Limeade, Seafoam, Breeze Art Gallery Fabrics Pure Elements: Flamingo, Sweet Pink, Grapefruit, Dark Citron, Cozumel Blue, Icy Mint
