Crocheting By Color

By Claire Ortega-Reyes – 16 Comments

When it comes to crochet, color is one of the first things to consider when starting a project. It plays a vital role in the visual impact of any project–for bigger projects you may want to use colors that area easy on the eyes, but to make details stand out, you have to pick an eye-catching pop of color. You may think you have it all planned out when you go yarn shopping, but when you get home you think, “Did I just make a big mistake?”

Colors and Moods

It’s perfectly normal to experience that, since colors have long been discovered to have ties with people’s moods.

Color psychology is a big  consideration–for both personal and professional creative endeavors. Color can make people feel calm, excited, happy, or sad: always remember this when picking your color palette. If you’re making a project for a person, for a specific purpose, color just might be a factor in its effectiveness. For example, if you’re making a prayer shawl, making it in red or orange might encourage just the opposite of peace and calm.

Your Crochet Color Pattern

Have you noticed a color pattern in your crochet work? In my case, I find myself working mostly with blues and greens, with the occasional yellows and reds. I was surprised when I realized this–violet is my favorite color, yet I don’t often use it for crochet. My big projects are always a pleasing tone of blue or green–because these colors calm me and don’t put much strain on my eyes. I also discovered that when I make things in bright colors like red and pink, I take longer to finish the project! I guess it’s because I’m a laid-back person and I can’t stand to look at “aggressive” colors for long periods of time.

What about you? Do you notice a color pattern in your crochet work?

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16 Comments

  1. Linda Cee says:

    I use red A LOT because I think it is a beautiful color (and because people say I look good in it☺) so I wouldn’t agree with the aggressive thing, on the other hand I do find deep blues to be very calming and nice to work with when I’m learning a new technique that is being very DIFFICULT!!! (I never regret buying yarn because I buy it and then figure out what I want to make)

  2. Shelby says:

    I use a lot of blues and lime green(my favorite colors!) and I do feel relaxed and calm when I’m crocheting items in those colors.

  3. I am a naturally calm and relaxed person, so I feel calm and relaxed no matter what color I am crocheting with. I use all colors, including a lot of natural looking tones like beige and browns. The bright colors of the rainbow against black looks very nice for some crafty items.

    What color a person uses depends on what she or he is making. Bright primary colors are often used for things like fruits and young kids clothing and room. Bright colors are also used in a lot of African and Carribean items and in Florida the sunshine and citrus state, colors like orange and yellow are common and symbolic of the state. I use bright colors when it is appropriate.

    I also use nature tones like grassy greens, ocean blues and other earthtone colors, as well as rosy colors especially when doing nature scenes, but also like the primary versions of these colors for certain items. I often use neutral colors such as black, off white, beige and grey for accesories such as hats.

    I like all colors. It all depends on what I am creating what the most appropriate and best color will be for that item. As a custom designer sometimes I have to go out of my way to find just the right shade of a certain color – because the person wants the exact shade of red that matches their school colors for example.

  4. Sarah Dee says:

    For myself, typically, I use jewel-tones, because I love an elegant look. When I make childrens’ or baby clothes, I use pastels, as I feel it looks more pure and calm. I have to say, U can’t stand crocheting with white.

  5. Sarah Dee says:

    Sorry, I* can’t stand crocheting with white.

    I apologize for my spelling mistake.

  6. There is no color that I will not use or that is off limit for me, including the metallic colors like silver and gold. Some colors are great for the primary or main colors and others are great as secondary colors, accents or highlights. Some types and brands of yarns come in very limited colors and others come in a wide array of colors. If you want to be even more adventurous and creative you can also dye some yarns or finished items. Some people even make their own yarns.

  7. Judy says:

    I use mainly colors enjoyed by the person for whom I am crocheting. I also make ‘birthday’ afghans using the person’s birthstone and birth month flower colors; these make the afghans very personal and special. My personal favorites are purple and teal; I prefer cool colors.

  8. Bethintx1 says:

    I cannot see why fuchsia is labelled unhappy. It looks bright & cheery to me. Black & grey convey unhappy to me.

  9. Not only am I a published crochet designer who uses whatever color is suitable, but I also have a bachelor of arts degree in mental health. Charts like these should be taken with a grain of salt, as beauty is in the eye of the beholder. In fact a lot of beliefs are simply cultural conditioning.

  10. Sherrie says:

    Any color, but it is so hard to choose~ I tend to relax while I crochet obnoxious things-if I don’t like it, I usually gift it or donate, and try it in another color(s)
    I think color is similar to shopping for a blouse- Do you just look at it on the hanger & decide not to try it on, or do you take that chance to see what it looks like (on/finished)
    Thanks so much for your article!

  11. sherry says:

    I like all colors but I change color use was my mood strikes me. Its the texture of yarns that I have a problem with. I try to keep a couple things going so I don’t get bored with the color.

  12. sarah says:

    interesting! i agree with all the feelings associated with the colours according to the chart here and i will definitely be looking into the way i use colour when making gifts. funnily enough though i actually tend to use a lot of neutrals (browns, beiges, whites, greys, etc) when creating pieces for myself and these aren’t even on the chart. i wonder what feelings those colours are meant to evoke? for me it is a total sense of calm and relaxation.

  13. Neutral colors are common because they don’t necessarily have to match or can match with more colors or blend in with more colors. That is why most shoes and bags come in neutral colors. In fact that is one of the reasons they are considered neutral colors. When creating gifts for others, their color preferences should be taken into consideration. If you know the person well, you probably already know what colors he or she prefers or the color schemes of their home etc. Some people see red as the color of love and beauty (hearts, roses) and some people find blue depressing.

  14. Peggy says:

    I crochet in the colour that I can see the pattern in best. If I am making the gift for a friend, it is the colours they like. I do find darker colours harder to see the pattern so I do tend toward the lighter shades. I love pastels but I have made afghans in black and then embroidered patterns on them. I have worked in creams, pinks, earth tones, greens, blues, and royal purple. I even work in white. I love when one colour plays off another. So I cannot say I shy away from any colour but enjoy using colours to show off my work.

  15. Meg P. says:

    I love using just about all colors. I’m really curious, Claire, where you got the labels for that color wheel. I’ve seen other descriptions of the colors that differ quite a bit in the terms used, so I’m interested in where this interpretation came from.

  16. varsha suraiya says:

    colours just love all of them,yet i do use a lot gold and matt colours .they do not show in the colour chart.crochet is ok any colour any time.

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