A "better" way for gradient creation

[befehr]

I struggle to create gradient fills easily and efficiently. Here are the two methods that I use, and perhaps the only way. I'd be curious if someone out there has another method.

Method one:

1. Create object
2. select "G" on the keyboard
3. draw gradient
4. Select the Gradient color box at the top toolbar
5. make active a node on the gradient line
6. select color from colour box
7. Repeat steps 6 -7 for each node in the gradient line.

Method two:

1. Create object
2. select "G" on the keyboard
3. draw gradient
4. Select the node in gradient bar
5. Select Swatches tab in the docker on the right
6. Select color in the Swatches pallet. 
7. Repeat steps 5 -6 for each node in the gradient line.

Suggested Improvements:

A) What I would like to see is the ability to double click on the color node on the object itself, not the node from the methods above, and by double click the node a swatches pallet opens for you to make your color selection.

B) Another option would be to select color node, select the eyedropper in the tool bar and while holding the Shift key down select the color you want applied to that node. This method is great for sampling color from other drawings or reference images.

I appoligize if there is another method alreay in place, I just haven't come across it yet.

Thanks in advance.

-Bill