In my last post, I wrote about tools as companions. This time, I want to talk about the colours I choose—and those I tend to avoid.
When I first learned to knit and crochet, and to read a pattern, I always used the colours shown. Partly because I knew they worked—they were often what drew me to the design in the first place—and partly because I didn’t yet have the confidence to choose differently.
Later, as a young mum, I was fortunate enough to complete a City and Guilds course in Design and Embroidery. That experience changed everything. I discovered that colour could be playful, surprising, even a little daring. I learned that mixing and blending shades could create something entirely new—and that nothing is ever truly wasted. Even the things that don’t work out can be taken apart, reimagined, and used again.
I think that freedom has stayed with me.
Purple has always been my ‘go-to’ colour. If I’m ever unsure where to begin, I start there. One of my early designs paired a rich purple with jade green—a combination I still love. A quick glance at a colour wheel shows they sit opposite each other, and I’ve often returned to that balance of contrast and harmony in my work.
Sometimes, when I’m lucky enough to work to a brief, the colours are chosen for me. While that can feel limiting at first, it often leads me somewhere unexpected—combinations I might never have picked, but which come together beautifully.
I also love the quiet magic of gradient yarns, where one shade gently becomes another, shifting the whole mood of a piece without any effort on my part.
And then there are the impulse purchases—the skeins that are simply too beautiful to leave behind. Those often sit for a while before revealing what they want to become. I’ve learned not to rush that process.
There are still colours I feel less at home with. Red, for instance, has never been an easy choice for me. But I’m beginning to explore it more, especially in blends where it softens into orange or deepens into something richer. Perhaps it’s just a matter of time.
Weaving, too, has taught me that colour behaves differently depending on how it’s used. The interplay between warp and weft can soften, sharpen, or completely transform a palette. Colours you expect to dominate may recede, while quieter tones come forward.
In the end, I think colour is deeply personal. There are no right or wrong choices—only the ones that resonate with you.
Whatever colours make you smile, those are the ones to use.
Happy crafting
Pearson Handmade 