Color Q & A

I love to participate with other bloggers in challenges/get-to-know-you/answer-the-questions types of posts. Here’s a fun one about color from Nothing But Knit. Hope you enjoy!

Feel free to answer in the comments or if you’re answering on your blog leave a link so we can all read about your opinions on color and how it pertains to your crafting.

  • What is your favorite color? How is this color reflected in your crafting?

It’s a toss-up between red and blue, although red has a slight edge, which is why I use it as the main color in my logo.

  • Do you prefer bright colors or more subdued shades?

In general, I prefer bright colors. But for me, all color has its place, and I can appreciate all different color “moods” when done well.

  • Does your color mood shift with the seasons? Do you carry one color all year and just change the accent color?

I definitely get color fatigue. So usually by the time I finish a project, I don’t immediately start another one in the same color. I think maybe my inability to be loyal to any one color is the reason I love gradient and fractal yarns so much! They allow me to avoid choosing favorites. Ha!

  • Is there a color you avoid? Or maybe it’s underrepresented in your crafting?

I don’t actively avoid any color. But I have to admit, I don’t make many things in yellow and green. I think it’s because I like to make alot of clothes, and I don’t find those two colors to be as flattering on me. But I also like to make household items like blankets, towels and wash cloths, and so in non-wearables, I tend to gravitate toward the colors that I don’t wear. I’m currently making a throw in beautiful Manos del Uruguay neon colors, and it’s awesome!

  • When you pick out your crafting supplies how important is color to you? Is it the first thing you consider or is it a bit further down the list?

All right, you got me! I am a total sucker for colorful craft (and office) supplies! I love the company Poppin because they make all these bright colored, matching office supply sets – like matching pens and pencils, pencil holders, sticky notes, notebooks, etc. And artist or craft supplies that come in colorful packaging also call my name! When I used to work in the yarn shop, I used to just look at the walls of yarn when the shop was quiet and plan different color combos in my head. And color is still the first thing I think about when shopping for yarn.

  • Do you ever consciously choose a different color palette just for the change?

I always consciously choose a color palette for every design. Up until now, I’ve released mostly single piece designs. But what I really love doing is designing collections around a theme. Currently, I am designing several patterns all with slipstitch designs, (the first pattern from this collection is the scarf pattern I published last year) and they are all very bright and colorful. I find it really fun to plan colors around a theme and have variation while still keeping a sense of cohesiveness. I could play with color palettes all day long. 🙂

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Designers Guild Looking Glass

Last night, I was finally reading the book I’ve saved until summer, and was surfing around looking for a place to buy a certain kind of dye when I stumbled across this site. (This always happens when I’m trying to find something specific.) It is a gorgeous site, filled with inspiration and color palettes, and I’m filing it away for future reference, even if I’m not working on house projects. I’m sure you will especially enjoy the international Window Display Competition posts – at least, I did! If, like me, just looking at fabrics and colors gives you the same thrill some people get walking into a candy store, you will want to bookmark this for a time when you can sit and surf. Enjoy!

Perfect Match

A beautiful display of umbrellas.
A beautiful display of umbrellas.

Yes this is Asian yarn, although it is Japanese, not Chinese, like the photo that inspired the pairing.
Yes this is Asian yarn, although it is Japanese, not Chinese, like the photo that inspired the pairing.

I just finished a big project for a friend over the weekend, plus a sock. My reward to myself was to go through my yarn, magazines, photos, etc., and find inspiration for a new design. I didn’t have to look very long or hard before I realized that I just posted LA County Fair inspiration a few days ago, and have yarn that relates perfectly to one of my favorite photos from the fair. What better day to begin work on a new design project than Monday!

By the way, if you find yourself in the same position of finishing up projects and not quite sure what to work on next, I highly recommend taking a few hours to pull out your stash, look at photos or magazines, and see if you find yourself making a match you might not have thought of otherwise! Just make sure you are in a relaxed state of mind and give yourself a little time to play. Have fun!

Pantone on Fashion…and In General

If you haven’t figured it out already, let me just say, I LOVE color. When I was working as a graphic designer, color was always a major part of my work, and as a knitter/crocheter, it still is. Color is probably the first thing I respond to when picking yarn, and I very often find that even sub-consciously, color is at the core of my design work. Of course, I try to pay attention to line, texture, shape, etc., but color is the design element I always seem to have the most immediate and strong instinct about. It follows then, that I really enjoy Pantone. I enjoy their color forecasts, and my husband very kindly bought me this book for my birthday. Twenty years ago, when I was starting out as a designer, the Pantone books were the gold standard of matching colors in the printing industry and Pantone was strictly business. The swatch books were super expensive, but they practically guaranteed that your design would translate well from computer screen to the final printed item. I love how the company still produces useful things for design professionals, but has developed more products for the general public to celebrate color.