Knitting

Free Patterns, Tutorials and Project Ideas

Giveaway: ColorSense

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colorsense giveaway

Chris is the winner!

This week’s giveaway is not a knitting book, but it is a book that might help you become a more adventurous knitter.

Choosing colors for a project can be really daunting — I read somewhere once that something like 40 percent of knitters not only choose the same yarn used in a pattern, but the same color, too — and you don’t want to spend a ton of time knitting, say, a Fair Isle sweater and end up not liking the colors in the end.

ColorSense: Creative Color Combinations for Crafters by Susan Levin aims to make picking colors a less painful process for crafters of all types.

It covers the language of color but then goes through a ton of options, from monochromatic combinations to two-, three- and four-color palettes. What’s really cool is that each color combination is shown on a two-page spread with a bunch of little swatches showing how the colors look together in different combinations and with different backgrounds, which makes it easier to literally see what you like so you can re-create that look in your project.

The book also includes punch-out cards of different colors you can use when planning your projects and take to the yarn store with you so you’re sure to get a good match. There’s also a color wheel with multiple shades of each color for easy reference.

This book is a whole color system that will really help you make better color choices and know that you’re going to love the look you end up with, in a knitting project or anything else you make with multiple colors.

If you’d like to win this book, leave a comment on this post before the end of the day Sunday, Dec. 18. I’d love to know about your comfort level with choosing colors. I have to say even though I’ve written a book on color knitting, I still tend to stick to tried-and-true color combos. But they’re classics for a reason, right?

Thanks for visiting, commenting and sharing, and good luck.

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Comments

  1. I tend to knit in single solid colors, sometimes venturing into a single yarn with multiple colors in it. Samples of monochromatic schemes could really add depth to my projects. Multu-color schemes would really brighten my world!

  2. I am not very adventurous when it comes to color, I tend to pick the same colors but would love to branch out

Have you read?

Pencil Knitting Patterns

Getting ready for back to school makes me think about pencil crafts, so let’s take a look at some pencil themed knitting patterns! 

I recently made a pencil on a circular knitting machine, and it was a fun, quick, easy project that uses little bits of leftover yarn (and if you don’t have yellow you can make it a colored pencil using whatever color’s your favorite). And if you want to make a bigger version check out this pattern from Orange Olive Road on Etsy.

If you want to knit a pencil pillow by hand, check out Sketchy, available on Ravelry from Shana S. Cohen. This one uses worsted weight yarn and has two size options and the choice to make a pencil with an eraser or a colored pencil. 

Pencil scarves seem to be the most popular kind of pencil knitting pattern, and there are lot of cute ones. This one from Cosy Craft UK mostly uses garter stitch, with some welts to add texture and what looks like an I-cord edging. It calls for DK weight yarn. 

If you want to go all garter stitch try this version from Emsley Co Creations, which uses five colors of DK weight yarn and just a little shaping to make the point of the pencil.

There’s also this fun, mostly stockinette so it looks like it curls a bit, pencil pattern that looks like it’s worked in chunky yarn from Little Knits Studio. This one uses just a little garter stitch and easy shaping for the point. 

If you don’t want a pencil scarf, how about some pencil socks? The No. 2 Pencil Socks from The Yarn Enabler are available from Ravelry and use five colors of sock yarn. They feature wide ribs to mimic the texture of a pencil and have options to be worked from the top down or the toe up. 

Needs Sharpening by Alexander Walker is a free pattern on Ravelry that uses five colors of sock yarn to make a sort of shortie sock. The little bit of black at the tips of the toes inspired the name. These, too, can be worked in either direction and are available in three sizes.