Pantone Picks the Colors of Fall 2015

I know it seems crazy to be thinking about fall when winter isn’t even over yet, but that’s the way fashion works, and based on the New York City runway shows for fall, Pantone has released its list of the top colors for next fall.

And I’ve got to say, the future looks pretty good.

Of course Pantone’s color of the year, Marsala, is featured in a collection that’s said to “reflect a landscape of hope, fun, fantasy and all things natural.” They go on to say that these colors are “evocative of a love for nature and a timeless appreciation for warmth and security, which are conveyed through naturally inspired colors that remind us of things that are real and protective.”

OK then. They also note that the season’s colors are a departure because there aren’t men’s colors and women’s colors; all of the colors are great for anyone (though I don’t know if I know any guys who would wear the soft pink of Cashmere Rose, they’re mostly right that this is a more gender neutral palette).

The full top 10 colors for fall, as proclaimed by Pantone, are:

PANTONE 18-4214 Stormy Weather, a cool blueish gray
PANTONE 16-1144 Oak Buff, a golden yellow reminiscent of fall leaves
PANTONE 17-0627 Dried Herb, a sort of khaki green
PANTONE 18-1438 Marsala, a deep reddish brown
PANTONE 18-4726 Biscay Bay, a deep teal
PANTONE 15-1340 Cadmium Orange, probably the most lively color in the bunch
PANTONE 16-2215 Cashmere Rose, a soft, unobtrusive hue
PANTONE 16-0110 Desert Sage, which, wouldn’t you know, is a light sage color
PANTONE 19-4326 Reflecting Pond, a dark, almost black blue
PANTONE 17-3628 Amethyst Orchid, a pretty purple they call the “jewel in the crown” of this palette

I really like this collection and could see it influencing my knitting color choices if I were buying yarn this year. (I’m really trying not to.) What do you think? Would you knit with any of these colors? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Specific to knitters, you can join our Knitting Patterns Only group to get, well, knitting patterns, ask questions and gain inspiration for what to knit next.

Looking for Yarn online? Check out Lionbrand our preferred source for purchasing yarn online.

Looking for Fall patterns to Knit? Check out these Fall knitting patterns we found on Etsy.

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.

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