Knitting

Free Patterns, Tutorials and Project Ideas

Pantone Picks the Colors of Fall 2015

by

pantone color report fall 2015I 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.

Have you read?

Patchwork Blanket Knitting Patterns

Any time of year is a good time for stash busting, but if you can combine it with knitting a blanket that will keep you warm when it (finally!) gets cooler that’s even better. Let’s take a look at some fun patchwork blanket knitting patterns. 

If you want to keep it super simple, you can just make blocks of garter stitch and sew them together, like the beginner’s patchwork baby blanket from Mini Baa Baa or the color block blanket from Make and Do Crew. Both projects are worked in strips and sew together, with the baby version calling for two strands of DK or light worsted weight yarn held together and the larger one using bulky yarn. 

Add a little more texture with the mixed blocks of the cottage quilt throw from Mama in a Stitch. This one combines garter stitch and seed stitch and uses worsted weight yarn. She used a crochet join to make the chains on top of the blocks, but you can join them however you like. It calls for eight colors but you can use what you have, and there are three size options. 

Get a real sampler style patchwork blanket with this design from Knit Sew Make. It calls for worsted weight yarn and has four size options. All of the patterns just use knit and purl stitches so this one is still pretty easy for beginners. 

If you want a more complex colorwork project that will keep you entertained all season, try the Peace by Piece blanket pattern from Needle and Feather. This one is made up of two color colorwork blocks and calls for worsted weight yarn. You can choose to use just a few of the blocks and repeat them more often, or make multiples of the whole set. 

The knitted patchwork recipe from Martine Ellis (free on Ravelry) uses mitered squares in fingering weight yarn, so it’s perfect for using up all your leftover sock yarn and mini skeins. This one is a tutorial more than a pattern so you can make your blanket as big as you like or keep going until you run out of yarn. 

Susan B. Anderson’s 100 Squares blanket (find it on Ravelry) has a lot of mitered squares, too, but they’re arranged in fun ways and includes some quilt inspired designs as well. This one also is a bit of method more than pattern but it sure looks like a lot of fun for using all the leftovers. 

Of course you can totally improvise a patchwork blanket using the yarn and stitches you like, but I hope these patterns inspire you to look at your leftover yarn in a new way.