To take edge finishing on your bags to the next level - explore color! You can use Edge Kote color to either match your project perfectly or give it a pop of color to really make your project stand out and unique to you.
As we did in our instructional Edge Kote blog, we are going to be using Fiebing’s Edge Kote as a finishing agent, but now we are going to venture into mixing colors together to get the perfect color match for your project.
Mixing colors is only a few more steps in your bag making process and you will have a one of a kind project! Click below to watch our tutorial, which walks you through the entire process.
Supplies:
- Fiebing’s Edge Kote Roller Pen
- Gum Tragacanth
- Your preferred Edge Kote finishing color
- A protected work surface
- A small mixing bowl
- Small airtight containers
- Toothpicks
- A toothbrush (which we use to clean our roller pen)
- Fine Sandpaper, we suggest using 220 grit (for smoothing out any rough edges)
- Paper towels
Playing with Color:
We used our Monroe pattern to show how much fun you can have with color!
We used three coats of gum tragacanth as a base coat, plus at least three coats of color. In some spots we added a fourth to really make it pop and have a bright finish. We have put different colors on all of the bag edges. This bag will truly go with any color in your closet! (Photo 1)
Whether a classic black, or multi colored, you have endless options on what you would like the finish of your project to look like.
Application:
You can apply colors straight from the bottle, as you can see on the Monroe examples above, or - to get that perfect color - you can mix colors, just like you would do paint.
Again, as a reminder, in this blog, we are covering color specifically, not application. So, check our other Edge Kote application blog for more information.
Color Mixing:
For mixing colors, you must first decide what color you are trying to match to. Do you want it to match perfectly? Or be a slight contrast but in the same color family?
Next, taking us back to art class, start playing with what colors you need to mix to get to the color you want. This is where the small containers come in handy. This way we aren’t wasting too much of our colors when trying to get that perfect match.
For our example, I am attempting to match our Sallie Tomato beige pebble faux leather. I took Fiebing’s Dark Brown color and mixed in white to match with our beige faux leather. (Photo 2)
You can do as many coats as you would like to get your desired look. (Photo 3)
Clean Up:
When using Edge Kote don’t worry about it getting on Sallie Tomato hardware, it will come right off with a scrap of your fingernail.
Also, you can wipe off any excess from the faux leather: We simply used a paper towel with water. (Photo 4)
If your edge isn’t as shiny as you would like, you can buff gently with a soft cloth for a brighter finish.
Here are our Sallie Tomato Top 5 Tips for Using Colors on your Edge Finishing:
- Plan Ahead: What pieces, how much time will it need to cure, double check to make sure you have everything cut.
- Mix those colors! Put your art lessons from school to work and create colors all your own.
- Have airtight containers at the ready. These are perfect for color mixing and saving those colors that you fall in love with.
- Mix enough to finish the project you have planned. This ensures that you don’t have slight changes in color throughout your project.
- Be Patient: Color mixing can take time to get the hang of. Don’t worry if it doesn’t turn out exactly as you hoped the first time. Try your mixing skills on a small project first.
We can’t wait to see how you bring color into your edge finishing! It truly creates a whole new dimension of creativity to your project. If you need an Edge Kote application refresher, don’t forget to check out our instructional blog on Edge Kote.
Please share and show off your finished edges on your Sallie Tomato projects! Use the hashtags #sallietomato on social media so we can see it!
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