Getting Started

What's QuiltInk

Web application to colour quilt patterns.

Use real fabric swatches to make your colour versions.

Easy, fast and fun way to make your digital mock-ups.

Eco-friendly: use your mobile device or computer and don’t waste paper and crayons.

Free for users and designers pay a small fee/month depending on the number of patterns.

How to use QuiltInk

QuiltInk is a software created to be used with a mobile device or a computer. It is not an app you can find on AppleStore or GooglePlay.
To use QuiltInk you have to go to https://www.quiltink.com
As a web app, QuiltInk can be installed in a mobile device like another app. Check our tutorial for Installing QuiltInk as an app.

Your QuiltInk Account

Registering on QuiltInk, you will get an USER ACCOUNT, which will allow you to:

  • Save your colour versions to check or change them later,
  • Share your colour versions on the QuiltInk Public Wall and save the colour versions from other users.
  • And people will be able to show you their love for your colour versions on the Wall.

Remember! It’s FREE and you can use all the QuiltInk features.

Designers

To place patterns on QuiltInk it’s necessary to update the account to a  DESIGNER ACCOUNT. Placing the patterns on QuiltInk you can have:

  • All the sizes for every pattern.
  • As many colour layouts you would like for every pattern.
  • Any sewing technique.
  • Embed the colouring page in your website.
  • Private rooms.
  • Restricting the colours.

Designers pay a fee to place their patterns on QuiltInk depending on the number of patterns.

If you want to offer to your customers a modern, fast and fun way to colour your patterns, check the Designer Info!

QuiltInk Features

QuiltInk has a mobile application format. It’s set up in 5 pages (icons) at the bottom:

"Home"

Header: with some links to the main features on QuiltInk.

Button to add QuiltInk like an app on your mobile device.

Latest news: every new pattern, new feature, new option on QuiltInk,… will appear here and the notification center on your Account. Read them to be aware of what’s going on in QuiltInk!

"Patterns"

Here you can see all the patterns you can colour on Quiltink, with the pattern name and pattern designer. 
They are sorted randomly, and at the top are highlighted the patterns released or have an important activity running (like a QAL) started during the last 7 days.

You can filter the patterns (right top icon) by: Size, Technique or Designer. Or you can search a pattern by name or designer.

By clicking one pattern, you access the different sizes and colour layouts the pattern designer has chosen as a basis for you to colour the pattern. 

By clicking one of the options, you access the coloring page for this pattern option.

Start colouring! pick one colour palette, pick one colour and click the pieces you want to change the colour! Learn all the features to colour a pattern in the tutorials.

"Wall"

The QuiltInk Wall contains all the colour versions shared by users, and designers. The best place to get inspired before starting colouring or sewing!

To share a colour version on the Wall you need an account and save your version as finished, your drafts will never appear in the Wall.

From the colour versions in the Wall you can: like and save as favorite one colour version; and you can visit the user profile who did it by clicking over their username.

"Account"

Your personal page with your photo, description and contact info. You can edit you personal info by clicking the person icon at the top right fo this page.

Below you personal info you will see your colour verions:

  •  “Saved”: colour versions you saved as final and you can’t change. They can be shared on the Wall.
  • “Drafts”: colour versions you saved to be finished or changed later. they can’t be shared on the Wall. When a Draft is finished, it can be turned in to a Saved version and shared onto the Wall.
  • “Favorites”: colour versions from other users you selected by clicking the star over it in the Wall.  

At the top bar you can see:

  • “?” icon: where you can acces all the tutorials. Every new tutorial or the ones you haven’t read are in red. Make sure to read them all and you will be able to use all the QuiltInk options.
  • “Bell” icon: notifications about any new on QuiltInk: new patterns, new fabrics collections, new options on QuiltInk, etc.
  • “Person” icon: from there you can acces to edit your account and log out. 
“Designer on QuiltInk” below the username appear in the Quiltink users that has patterns placed on Quiltink. If you are interested on becoming a Designer on QuiltInk, check the Designer Info.
If you are a Desginer on QuiltInk you can acces to you “Designer Page” at the “person” icon at the top bar.
If you have been invited to a Private Room you will see a purple floating button at the top right in you Account page. Learn how to use the Private Room in the tutorials!

"Info"

Here you can see QuiltInk general info, instagram link and contact info (email).

Check the Designers Info.

Access to the Quiltink Tutorials.

Check the Terms, Conditions and Legal Policies you need to know while you are using Quiltink.

Check the actual version of the web app and the version you have installed. So you can check if you are using the latest version.

 

Colour and share!

Colouring with QuiltInk will allow you to export the colour versions you make to share them on social media or to print them for reference when you cut your fabrics, for example.

You can export just an image or a sheet with the image and all the info of the pattern and colours used. The exporting can be made in png or pdf format. You can learn all about exporting the colour versions in the tutorials.

QuiltInk updates

Quiltink can be updated at any time to introduce new features, fix any code mistake, etc. Be sure to be using the lastest version by checking it on the Info page.

The software will show you a message when you need to update to a new version.

The new patterns are uploaded automatically to the software. It’s not related to the software version you are using.

Colouring a pattern

Before colouring a pattern, you need to choose the pattern you need to colour up, so go to the patterns tab by clicking on the icon on the centre of the bottom menu as shown below.

On the Patterns page is where are all the patterns available for colouring. You can choose the one you like best to customize it, and each pattern can have one or more sizes available, depending on what that designer offers.

Click on the size/design you need to colour up and this window will open where you can make all the changes and functionalities of the pattern.

On the right side menu highlighted above you can:

  • Select your preferred colour palette, depending on the fabric manufacturer. There are the main firms: Robert Kauffman, Paintbrush, Andover, Moda, Free Spirit, and a long etcetera
  • Find some of the colours that are in the given design. You may not want to start from scratch and simply want to modify some of the colors present in the given colouring. With the dropper you have it very easy!
  • If you are clear about what colour you want to use and you know its reference, you can use the magnifying glass to find it.
Choosing a palette
Selecting colours from the given design
Selecting a colour by its reference

On the left side menu highlighted above you can:

 

  • Undo an action if, for example, you have made a mistake. If you click it again you’ll undo another previous action.
  • Randomize the colours in the design. The app will choose new colours randomly.
  • Merge pieces of the same colour. You can group pieces of the same colour, so next time you would like to change the colour of those pieces, you´ll just need to click on one of them to change the colour of all the pieces in the group.
  • Unmerge all pieces: very useful if you’d like to change the original colour distribution of the design and make a custom colouring.
 
Please note that the merge/unmerge actions are only available  if the designer doesn’t block the colour merging.

If you click on extra tools, a window will popo up showing these extra features:

  • Show or hide the strokes from the shapes inside the design.
  • Reset all colours of the design to have a blank one if you’d like to start from scratch.
  • Return to the original colouring of the design chosen.

If you start from scratch, or you want to change any colour from the design, you just need to select the colour you need to use by clicking on the colour sample.

Once selected, click on the area you need to colour. All the shapes with the same colour in the design will colour automatically.

 

The process is always the same: select the colour and apply it on the design. if you need to change something, you might undo the steps or select another colour and re-colour that area. Just like that!

Once you’re done, you might Save your design or Export it as an image or a pdf file.

Managing your Colour Versions

Having a user account on QuiltInk will allow you to save your colour versions and manage them. Check the tutorial tutorial about registering on QuiltInk if you haven’t.

Get an Account

Save your Colouring Versions

When you finish colouring a pattern in the QuiltInk colouring page you have the possibility of saving this colouring page in 2 different ways:

 

  • Save, Publish to Wall and Close: This option is for finished colour versions you don’t want to change in the future. Saving a colour version in this way means:
    1. It will be published automatycally in the Wall. You can toggle visibility on the Wall by clicking the “eye” icon in this colour versions at your Account (it will turn a corsed eye meaning it’s not shared in the Wall).
    2.  It will appear in your SAVED colours versions in your Account page.

 

  • Save as Draft: when yo want to continue colouring later, or you are not sure about the colours and think you will change it, the save your colout version as a Draft. It means:
    1.  It won’t be published in the Wall. The Draft never can be published in the Wall.
    2. It will appear in your DRAFT Colours Versions in your Account page.

Manage your Colour Versions

As a user with an account you can manage your Colour Versions at your Account page. 

SAVED

In the SAVED tab will appear all your Colour Versions you have saved. 

The number near the tittle indicated the number of Saved Colour Versions you have. 

With every one of them you can:

  • “Eye” icon: Publish and unpublish in the Wall. If the eye is corssed this colour version won’t be shown in the Wall and if the Eye is not crossed it will be shown in the Wall.
    We encourage you to publish all your versions in the Wall, so you can show your amazing work and inspire others users.
  •  “+” icon: The finished colour versions can’t be changed. But you can create a new colour version based on a finished one. For this, click the “+” icon and it will creat a new Draft with this colour version. Then you you can go to Drafts and modify this colout version to create a new one.
  • “Trash” icon: You can delete any Colour Version by clicking the “Trash” icon.

When a Colour Version belongs to a Private Room it will be indicated with a Purple box with an “eye” icon at the bottom left. The purple “eye” indicates if it’s published in the Private Room Wall or not. And remember it can be published at the same time in the public Wall if the pattern is activated as public.

By clicking over every one of the Colour Vesions in your SAVED you can export it in the Full Page mode and check the colours you used, or the Image mode and ise the image to share in social media for example. Check the exporting tutorial:

Exporting Tutorial

DRAFTS

In the DRAFTS tab will appear all your Colour Versions you have saved as Drafts, to be changed or continue colouting later.

The number near the tittle indicated the number of Draft Versions you have. 

With every one of them you can:

  •  “Palette” icon: Click the Palette icon if you want to finish colouring this Colour Version or change the colours. The colouring page will open as always, and when you finish colouring you can:
    1. Save, Publish to Wall and Close: When you are sure you have finished with this Draft you can save it as a finished version and it will turn a SAVED one, and published in the Wall.
    2. Overwrite Draft: If you want to continue another day or change the colours in the future, then Overwrite the Draft and this Colour version will remain in the Drafts tab.
  • “Cloud” icon: To turn a Draft Colour Version to a finished one (SAVED) click this icon. It will publish the Colour Version into the Wall and you won’t be able to colour it directly whiput duplicationg it and creating a new Draft.
  • “+” icon: if you want to start a new Colour Version based on this one you can duplicate it. For this, click the “+” icon and it will creat a new Draft with this colour version as a basis to start colouring.
  • “Trash” icon: You can delete any Draft Colour Version by clicking the “Trash” icon.

When a Draft Colour Version belongs to a Private Room it will be indicated with a Purple box with a “cloud” icon at the bottom left. The purple “cloud” is to turn this Draft Colour Versions into a finished one (SAVED) and publish this Draft into the Private Room Wall directly with no need to colour it.

FAVORITES

In the FAVORITES tab will appear all the Colour Versions made by other users and you clicked to its star in the Wall to save them as favorite. 

The number near the tittle indicated the number of Favorite Versions you have. 

With these Colour Versions you can:

  • Check the colors used by the user who made this versions by clicking over it and then exporting it in the Full Page mode.
  • “+” icon: If you want to create a new Colour Version based on this one you can duplicate it. But clicking the “+” icon will create a new Draft with this colour version as a basis to start coloring.
  • “x” icon: To remove this Colour Version from your favorites. This option won’t remove the Colour Version, which will remain in the Wall.

Installing QuiltInk as an app

QuiltInk is a web application that can be used in a mobile device and in a computer by visiting https://www.quiltink.com with the browser and using it in the browser.

QuiltiInk is not available in any application stores (App Store, Google Play, …). 

As a web app, QuiltInk can be installed in a mobile device like another app.

By installing QuiltInk as an app you will be able to:

  • Use it faster, since you don’t have to open your browser, tap the url and wait it to charge.
  • If you have a QuiltInk account, by installing it like an app, you don’t need to log in every time you access to QuiltInk. When you open it your account will be already opened. (As long as you don’t log in your Quiltink account on another device).

IOS:

 

  1. Visit https://www.quiltink.com with Safari.
  2. By clicking th button “Install as an app” on the Home page it won’t make it automaticlly, With IOS devices you need to:
    1. Tap the Share icon (the square with an arrow pointing out of it) at the bottom of the screen.
    2. Scroll down to the list of actions and tap Add to Home Screen.
    3. Type “QuiltInk” for your QuiltInk link. This will be the title that appears beneath its icon on your Home screen. 
    4. Tap Add in the top-right corner of the screen. And your new “QuiltInk app” will appear in the next available space on your device’s Home screen.

Android:

  1. Visit https://www.quiltink.com with Chrome browser.
  2.  In the Home page below the header you will see a button, “Install as an app”. Click “Ok” and it will be done!

Managing your Account

Your Account

When you register on QuiltInk you’ll get an account and a personal page.

In your Account you’ll be able to:

  • Save your colour versions as finished versions or as drafts to resume or change them later.
  • Share your finished colour versions on the QuiltInk Wall.
  • Save colour versions from other users as Favorites, and create your versions based on those.
  • Show your love (clicking the heart icon) for color versions by other users in the Wall.
  • Be able to be included in a Private Room for one pattern that hasn’t made public yet.
  • Share your photo, personal info and contact info with other users.
  • Allow other users to see all your finished colour versions in your account.
  • Visit the other users’ personal pages and know more about them, see their colour versions and contact info.
 

Your Account Structure

You personal Page has 3 main parts:

  1. Top Bar.
  2. Your Info
  3. Your Colour Versions.

Top Bar

At the top bar you can see:

  • Notifications (“Bell” icon): When QuiltInk publish a new you will see a small red button over the Bell and you can click to see a list of all the last new published and read the ones you haven’t yet.
  • Tutorial (“?” icon): Here you will access to a Tutorials page and see which of them are new or unread, and check all the info you need to know to use QuiltInk in its full potential. Do you miss any tutorial? Let us know!
  • Manage your Account (“Person” icon): Here you will see a list of actions to do in your account:
    •  Edit your Account: set up a photo and description about you to be seen by other users.
      Fill your contact / social media info, and share it with others if you want. If you don’t share it, it will be for QuiltInk admin contact with you if necessary.
      The button to allow sharing your colour versions by other users has been removed. Now, other users and designers can share your colour versions. What you can restric is if other users can export or not your colour versions.
      One external link is allowed. Use it if you want and how you want.
    • Private Rooms: if you are included in a private room by a designer you will see here. Check the Private Rooms Tutorial to learn how they work.
    • Designer Page: Designers can access from here to her personal designer page. Do you want to become a Designer on quiltInk? Check the Designers Info Tutorial.
    • Log out.

Your Profile

In the main box of your personal page appears all your profile info: username, photo, description, social media and email info, and external link.

If you are a Desginer on QuiltInk it will be indicated with “Designer on QuiltInk” below your username.

Your Colour Versions

In the section below your profile you can see 3 tabs:

  •  Saved (n.): Those are your finished Colour Versions. It’s indicated with a “Cloud” icon and you can see the number you have of them near the label. 
    These Colour Versions can be shared in the Wall (“Eye” icon) and they can’t be modified directly, for that you need to create a Draft from it  (“+” icon).
  • Draft (n.): Those are your unfinished Colour Versions. It’s indicated with a “Crossed Cloud” icon and you can see the number you have of them near the label. 
    These Colour Versions can’t be shared in the Wall and they can be modified directly (“palette” icon). 
    They can be duplicated to create another Draft and a new Colour Version.
  • Favorites (n.): Those are the Colour Versions from other users you saved as favorite. These Colour Versions can’t be modified directly, for that, you need to create a Draft from it (“+” icon).

Designers Info

Be a Designer on QuiltInk

  • Your patterns listed on QuiltInk, for people making their own digital colour versions.
  • An easy and fun modern tool for your customers to color your patterns.
  • Any sewing technique is welcome: traditional piecing, with templates, foundation paper piecing, english paper piecing, appliqué patterns and improv patterns can be placed in Quiltink.
  • Upload as many sizes as you want of every pattern.
  • Set up as many colour versions of every pattern size as you want as basis for users to color your pattern on QuiltInk.
  • Private Rooms for testers, fabric shops or just for you making all the tests you want.
  • Possibility of embedding the colouring pages of your pattern onto your website.
  • A personal page where to edit your info, subscribed plan and patterns.
  • Links to the shopping webpage and descriptions of every pattern.
  • All for a monthly fee, depending on the number of patterns.

How to get a Designer Account

  1. Make an User account by registering on QuiltInk.

2. Ask to “Get a Designer Account” by filling the form at the Info Page on on QuiltInk (5th icon in the bottom bar).
After QuiltInk admin check your info, your Designer Account will be activated. You will be notified by email or instagram chat. You can see you are designer seeing “Designer on QuiltInk” below you username in you account page.

3. In the person icon at the top bar you will find your “Designer Page”, where you can edit all your info as designer on Quiltink.

4. Subscribe to a Plan.
A new designer can subscribe to a TRIAL Plan that will allow them to place 1 pattern (1 size) for 14 days, for free.
After the trial plan, or directly, any designer can subscribe to one of the next Paid Plans:

5. Fill in the form in your Personal page to upload a new pattern.

6. After the QuiltInk admin works on each pattern and places the skeletons on your “manage patterns” page, you will be notified and you can make your Colour Layouts and test them. 

7. The Designers can make public the patterns/versions whenever they want.

As a Designer you will have access to a lot of tutorials to learn how to use QuiltInk in its full potential. Catalina, the QuiltInk admin is always available to answer any questions you may have. Contact her by email (info@quiltink.com) or by Instagram DM (@quilt_ink).

Terms and Conditions

You have the possibility to place only your own patterns on Quiltink. You can’t place patterns from other designers.
To place patterns on Quiltink you need to pay a monthly fee by subscribing (through Stripe) to a plan indicated at the previous section.
Once you subscribe to a plan, if you decide to cancel it before the deadline, the paid fee won’t be refunded.
You have the possibility of increasing the number of patterns you have on Quiltink by canceling your subscription and subscribing to a new upper one. You also have the possibility to cancel your subscription and get a lower one.
If you cancel your subscription and don’t make another one, your account will remain as Designer but you won’t be able to place any pattern on QuiltInk.
In your account page you will have a button to edit your patterns at “Manage Patterns” on your “Designer Page”. There, you will be able to ask for a new pattern to be included on QuiltInk, to create all the version you want of your patterns to be colored, to edit patterns/versions information, to choose to make public or not every one of the patterns/versions you have, to manage your personal data, designer info, and pattern link, subscribe and change your plan subscribed.
As a DESIGNER, you have the possibility of coloring your own patterns and placing them in the public Wall.
Every one of your patterns will include a link to a webpage you choose to redirect the USER to buy your pattern. This link will be visible at: the coloring page, the pop up of every pattern in the public wall, and the patterns saved in the USERS pages.
Every one of your patterns will include an info button about the pattern and your profile. The DESIGNER can edit this information at the “Designer Page”.
The DESIGNERS can tell their customers to use QuiltInk as a complementary tool in their patterns.

Using private rooms

Private Rooms allow to colour a pattern to a selected group of QuiltInk users.

Using the Private Rooms

To access the Private Room all the users invited will see a purple floating button in the top right of your account profile box. Click it and you will access to the Private Rooms page.

The Private Rooms page is a mix between the QuiltInk Wall and a “Colour Layouts” main page for a pattern. So:

  • At the top, you will see all the patterns with a Private Room you have access to.
  • By clicking over one of the patterns on top, you will have access to the Private Room of this pattern, and you will see below all the Color Versions of this pattern made by you or the users included in
    this private room, which you can “love”, save in your favorites, export, etc. (all you can do in the public Wall).
  • To create a new Color Version of the pattern, click the “NEW +” button, over the second bar. The Colour Layouts page will be opened in the same way it does in the QuiltInk main patterns page. Click the Colour Layout you want to use as a basis and the colouring page will open, in the same way as in the public mode.
  • Make your colour versions and save them as finished versions or as Drafts, in the same way than in the public mode.
  • In your account, for your colour versions made in a private room, you will see an extra “Eye” and “Cloud” icons in a purple box. They are the icon you can use to make that Colour Versions visible or not in the private room Wall, “Eye” icon in the Saved versions, and to turn a Draft from a Private Room into a Saved from a Private Room, “Cloud” icon in the Draft versions. 

IMPORTANT: When you create a Colour version in a Private Room it won’t be published in the public Wall regardless the pattern is activated or not, and the “Eye” icon to share in the public Wall will be crossed. So, REMEMBER when the designer activates the pattern to appear as a public pattern in the main QuiltInk page, to click the “Eye” icon for your Colour Version appears in the public Wall (The “Eye” icon which is not in a purple box).

When a Private Room is closed, the Colour Versions made in that private room will turn into Colour Versions made from an active pattern in the main page. 
There is no possibility to reopen a Private Room closed.

Exporting your design

Sometimes you’d like to share your design on social media or save it in your device. With Quilt Ink this is as easy as clicking twice.

You have two export options: in PNG format or PDF format. Both options include exporting just an mock up of your design or the mock up along with the information about the design (colours used, size, lay out and link)

On the right side of your screen you’ll see several icons.

Click on the square with an arrow icon

A new window will pop up as shown below. First, select on the left side top menu if you wish to save the full page with all the info or just an image of your design.

Once you’ve chosen this option, on the right side of the top menu, click on the format needed: pdf or png.

The file will download automatically.