Thanks so much for your feedback on blogging about putting together color ideas for projects! We regularly help you put together combos via e-mail and in person and posting some of those ideas here on the blog is a natural extension of that personal shopping that we do for you. Often, knitters come to us with one skein of something and would like to build a multi-color, multi-skein project around that. But sometimes we simply get "I like teals a lot right now, and would like to make a Phi and want something that is bold and stands out." We love those requests too. It helps us stretch our creativity and it lets us get to know you and your preferences even better.
To start off this series (and I have no idea how often or regularly I will post these- let's just keep it organic), I was really inspired last week while photographing all the new Hue Loco. Colorado based Nicole dyes Phyllis Sock (classic merino/nlyon) Tweed Sock and an opulent silk/merino Opal Fingering for us and of course I couldn't resist putting together a few color ideas for myself. So why not share them with you?
This combination of Twitterpated and Fuchsia on Tweed really caught my eye. I love the modern colors dyed on the traditional tweed. It's an odd juxtaposition. I think these would look amazing in a Zorzal, which calls for Malabrigo Mechita but could easily be subbed with Hue Loco's Tweed. And if you like something less mod-pretty and more verdant, what about the combo below of Eskimo and Muscle Up Buttercup?
Am also liking the Kallara shawl right now. For a bold contrast, I'd consider Tweed in The Real Teal and Cracked Pepper...
...or use Phyllis Sock in Twitterpated and Rosehip. Or, heck, just two any two high contrast colors and watch those thin stripes pop.
If you're in the mood for some luxury, don't miss out on the Opal Fingering, shown above. This stuff has an amazingly soft texture and just the drape you'd expect from 50% silk. It's a pleasure to knit or just put in a bowl on your nightstand so you can stare at it before falling asleep. It's so nice it will give you good dreams. If you pair I Smell Teenagers with Cracked Pepper, you'd end up with a stunner of a Delphinia Shawl. Or pair Oak with Pear or even Peony with Rosehip. Wowza, all sorts of color ideas with Opal Fingering.
Finally, if you are in the mood for a simple, one skein project, make your way over to the Sockhead Cowl pattern. It's free, looks just as wonderfully mindless of the hat of the same name, and is a great way to knit those eye catching colors and not hide them on your feet. Here are my picks for that:
Wooly Wonka Aerten Sock (mmmmmm..... cashmere for the price of merino/nlyon? Yep.) in Bakersfield and Chimney Sweep
Or go super bold with Hue Loco's Phyllis Sock in Sucker Punch
I hope this provides you a little jumpstart if you don't know where to start from in your color-combining adventures. As always, if you see a skein you like and want to know what we think about a contrast or coordinate, please do e-mail us at [email protected].
I recently placed an order trying to find a yarn to go with one I have. I ended up ordering 2 skeins, one a gray and one a green to try to blend it with what I had. Both will work. Just want to say that on my monitor, the yarn pictures you use were very accurate and I won't worry about ordering to match again. I didn't even think to inquire for help but will in the future if I need it.
Posted by: Suzanne | January 10, 2018 at 06:15 PM
Love those combinations especially the first 2. Do you think the Fuschia would look good with Dirty Talk? Or Dirty Talk with Fight Like a Girl? Thanks also for the shawl patterns. My daughter bought some incredibly luxurious alpaca/silk yarn for me for Christmas from a local alpaca farm (each skein has the name of the alpaca that produced it on the label) a skein of undyed natural & a skein of charcoal. The Zorzal pattern looks perfect for it.
Posted by: Donna | January 10, 2018 at 07:30 PM
Thank you for the mind blowing combinations! Fantastic will keep in mind that I can reach out to you via email for assistance ....Happy Knitting
Posted by: Kelly Albrecht | January 11, 2018 at 08:46 AM
Donna, yes I like both Dirty Talk with Fucshia and Fight Like a Girl. I REALLY like Dirty Talk with Fucshia the best.
I'm envious of your luxurious alpaca/silk! What a great gift.
Posted by: Allison | January 11, 2018 at 04:23 PM
Yes, I'm very lucky with my daughters. One gets me Wonderful yarn gifts. And the other one knows my taste in earrings perfectly. And she travels a lot. So I have beautiful earrings from Vietnam, Paris (The Louvre gift shop), & the Philippines. She also bought me a beautiful little silk bag from Japan that is just the right size for a sock project.
Posted by: Donna | January 11, 2018 at 04:47 PM