5 Tips for Choosing Yarn Colours

If you are planning on knitting/crocheting a garment or accessory that uses more than one colour of yarn, how do you go about choosing which colours go together? I find it much easier to choose if there are only two colurs in my project. Complicated fair-isle or stranded colourwork patterns can seem very daunting unless you work with the exact colours used in the sample.

Here are some tips to help you choose yarn for your next stranded colourwork project.

1. Use a colour wheel

One way to choose colours is to use a colour wheel. On the wheel you can choose whether you want bright, paste., or a more grey colour palette (shade, tint, tone).

Use a colour wheel

Once you've decided on shade, tint, or tone, choose the colour combination you would like. Often technical words like complementary, split-complementary, analogous, and triadic are used when choosing colours. You can use these methods for color choice (and I think it's good to know what they mean), but there's an easier way to choose.


2. Use your favourite shirt

I really like to use fabrics to choose colours. Someone has already done the hard work for me and I can choose fabrics that appeal to me.

Use fabric to choose yarn colours

Take a look at your clothing. I'm sure you have a favourite patterned shirt or skirt. What colours are in it? Can you seehow they work together?

The next time you are out shopping, be sure to look at the patterns and colours of the clothes you like. Maybe even take a few photos to analyze later when you are stuck on which colours of yarn to combine.

Use photos from pinterest

Alternately, look online (specifically pinterest) for those colour charts where the colours are taken out of a picture and combined for you. Harrisville yarn company does a fantastic job at this.


3. Add some drama

Colours on opposite sides of the wheel are complimentary and often cause drama or tension in you project. Choosing two colours that have one colour separating them (like green and blue) and then adding in their compliment (red-orange) makes for an exciting knitting garment. This is called split-complimentary. 

Add a pop of colour

This fair isle sweater is a good example with green, blue and white as the main colours and peachy/pink which is opposite on the colour wheel from the green and blue. Adds just a bit of pop to the design.


4. Vary the values

Vary the values of the colours you choose. If you use all dark colours they just blend together and the pattern doesn't stand out. By choosing a light, medium, and dark colour you are really able to see the 3 colours of yarn work together to make a pattern. You can also add white and/or black to the colour mix.

Vary the values

5. Take a black and white photo

Finally, to see if you have enough contrast between your yarns, take a photo and convert it to black and white. If all the yarns are a similar shade of grey you know that the yarn choice needs to be altered a bit. Try adding a darker or lighter yarn and retake the photo.

Use a black and white photo

In the photo to the right, the teal and peach yarns are similar in shade (as seen in the black and white photo). They work in this design though because they are opposite in colour. That is, they are complimentary or opposite on the colour wheel.

If you are looking for a small knit project to try out these tips you can check out my Stranded Flower Hat knitting pattern.

Stranded Flower Hat knit pattern

Or a crochet pattern to try could be Falling Leaves Baby Blanket which uses 4 colours of yarn.

Falling Leaves Baby Blanket

Happy Knitting and Crocheting!

Gift-A-Long 2016

It's starting ... this years gift-a-long on Ravelry and it's something I look forward to at the end of each year. So many indie designers come together for a fun time connecting with our customers through knitting and crochet. And of course there's the SALE and PRIZES that are an incentive for you to join us!

20 of my Patterns on SALE with CODE giftalong2016

What is the Indie Design Gift-A-Long? 

It’s prepping for the holidays as only fiber folks can, with special deals from tons of indie designers!

The Indie Design Gift-A-Long is a 6 week long KAL/CAL of holiday gifts made from patterns designed by hundreds of independent designers. From November 22nd at 8pm (US-EST) through November 30th at 11:59 pm (US-EST) these indie designers will be discounting between 5 - 20 of their patterns 25% for this event.

There are eight KAL/CALs to participate in, prizes of all sorts given out, games, and generally a lot of fun! The Gift-A-Long KAL/CALs will run from November 22nd at 8pm US EST through - December 31, 2016 at 11:59pm US EST. All patterns by the participating designers are eligible for the KAL/CALs and all not-free patterns by the participating designers are eligible to win prizes.

Which Designers are participating? 

There's a list of participating designers with photos here. 
My discounted patterns can be found here.

How do I get the discount?

Just purchase the patterns you want directly from the designers' Ravelry shops between 8pm US EST on Tuesday, November 22nd and 11:59 pm on Friday, November 30th. Put them in your cart and enter the COUPON CODE giftalong2016 at checkout and 25% will be automatically taken off the total price.

Happy Knitting and Crocheting!

Two New Hats

September has been a busy month for me ... Not only organizing my 2 teenagers to get them ready to go back to college, but also on the knitting front.

Two new hat patterns are available on Ravelry and Love Knitting websites.

First up is Strolling Hat ... a pretty leaf and cable pattern is worked on this slouchy hat. I used cashmere fingering weight yarn so the hat is super soft. My daughter stole it from me already!

Strolling Hat

This is Burghal Hat .... I used to do a lot of quilting and still do a bit of sewing occasionally, but knitting has taken over my life. I saw this beautiful, modern quilt and thought it would make a bold knit hat. Worked in 4 colours of fingering weight yarn, I used Blacker Yarns 4ply Classic for this version. Head over to Ravelry to see the colours two of my testers used.  

Burgal Hat

Happy Knitting!

August Accessory SALE

In the northern hemisphere, August tends to be the hottest month of the year. Here in the pacific northwest though, it never gets really hot and typically is upper 70s to low 80s (25C to 30C) with low humidty. Most other places it is too hot to be knitting or crocheting on large projects.

Hat Patterns on Ravelry

Now is the perfect time to cast on one of my smaller accessories and what better incentive than a SALE.

Purchase 2 of my accessory patterns and receive a 3rd one free. 

Simple head over to Ravelry and place 3 accessory patterns in your cart and $4.00 will be discounted off the price (no coupon needed). Sale valid for the month of August 2016.

Sock Patterns on Ravelry

I hope you are finding a spare moment somewhere cool to knit or crochet your favourite project!

Updated Patterns

I've finally updated my Carry On Hat and Fingerless Mitts patterns with new, easier to read charts and my updated layout. 

These patterns were created in 2013 and I didn't have any charting software at that time so I used excel which isn't really optimal for charts.

Find these patterns on Ravelry, Patternfish, and LoveKnitting websites.

Happy Knitting!

Finished Objects

It has been quite a long time since I have knit something from someone else's pattern. I have to remember that it is all written down for me and I don't have to figure out for myself what the next step is. 

Have you checked out the Indie Designer Gift-A-Long forum on Ravelry yet? You still have a few more days (until Friday November 27th) to cash in on the 25% off thousands of indie designer patterns. 

Use coupon code giftalong2015 on select patterns. You can find all the participating designers and patterns in the sale on Pinterest.

My first GAL finished project was Collingwood by Carolyn Macpherson. Love the texture on this hat and the fit is perfect.

Collingwood Hat Pattern by Carolyn Macpherson

I've already gotten a start on my second project, Waverleaf by Faye Kennington. This is a gorgeous scarf that uses short rows to create the colorwork design. I love the bright colours with the dark purple.

Waverleaf by Faye Kennington  © UkeeKnits  ~ Used with permission

And one more shout out to Carol E. Herman and her Passport Mitts. These mitts have a beautiful cable running down the backs and are worked in DK weight yarn. I think they would be lovely in a merino silk blend yarn.

Passport Mitts © Carol E. Herman Designs (used with permission) 

So ... what will you be knitting for gifts this year? 

Happy Knitting!

Patternfish

PATTERNFISH, like Ravelry, is another website that allows a designer to sell their crafting patterns through them. I've added my collection of knitting designs there and am very excited to see my collection written about in their latest newsletter. 

Gayle Clow writes "Cheryl Chow debuts with Firkant, a classic raglan-sleeved cardigan enlivened with chequerboard lace. Chow writes a beautifully clear pattern that is structured just as carefully as she structures her garment and accessory designs. Her hats and mitts, particularly Carry On, are charming. Check them out in her collection."

Thank you so much Gayle for the kind words!

Happy Crafting!

Currant Hat

My Currant Hat pattern is now available on Ravelry for 50% off until the end of July. Happy Knitting!

 

 

Lace Hat

Resu, a pretty lace hat knit in 100% linen yarn. This is another pattern in my summer series that I hope to release at the end of May. Currently it is being tested on Ravelry here.