Spud and Chloë: A new pattern and a contest

June 23, 2009 at 4:20 pm · Filed under crochet

We’re back from our month-long trip. We arrived Saturday and I’m slowly emerging from a fog of jetlag. In the last week, I was on planes 5 out of 7 days. Airports are crazy places.

We’re so glad to be back and settling into the routine of being home. I have yet to unpack and do laundry and I have bear book revisions to do.

I was in Columbus for 5 days of the trip at the Needle Arts Association trade show. One of the things I like about trade shows is seeing my designs “in the wild.” Lorna’s Laces had a version of Ribs and Mesh worked in their Shepherd Sport that was soft and stretchy and showed of the hand-dyed colors beautifully. In the Blue Sky Alpaca booth there was lots of buzz about the debut of their new yarn line Spud and Chloë. The yarn line is different from other blue sky yarns because all the yarns are washable. Two of the yarns Sweater and Bulky contain superwash wool and organic cotton.

Late last year, I was asked to come up with a crochet design for the new yarn. I chose to use the Sweater and I designed this scarf in Mosaic Crochet – a fun technique that creates color patterns using chains and spike stitches, but only working in one color per row (similar to mosaic or slip stitch knitting). In fact, the stitch pattern was adapted from a Barbara Walker knitting stitch.

Aztec Scarf designed for Blue Sky Alpacas new Spud and Chloë yarn

I love how the scarf turned out–on the one side, you have the color block pattern, and on the reverse you have textured stripes. In choosing the colors I wanted to make sure there was a good contrast so the pattern really pops. I usually love subtle color variations in colorwork, but I thought in this case bold choices worked better. The Spud and Chloë color palette has some great colors and I was sent a sample of each for swatching, I spent a lot of time, just rearranging skeins on the floor to come up with color combinations.

The folks at Blue Sky have generously offered to give away a kit for the scarf (4 skeins of Sweater in the colors of your choice, and the pattern), to one reader of my blog. The yarn is so new that most stores don’t have it yet, so if you win you’ll be one of the first crocheters to try it out.

To enter, just leave a comment on my blog about how you make color choices in your crochet. On July 1st (my birthday), I’ll pick a winner. Good luck!

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  • Roz (AmIAKnitterYet
    i lean towards purples, greens, pinks and all the shades of each.
  • futuregirl
    Great choice on the color combo! It make the pattern absolutely joyous! You can't help but smile looking at that scarf.
  • helenlam
    I usually look for colors with the same undertone but beyond that it varies wildly. Sometimes I want colors at the opposite end of the wheel and sometimes I want the colors to share a common base. It also depends on who I am making it for...their favorites.
  • Shannon Jones
    I make color choices bases upon what makes me feel alive! I just go to whatever I am drawn to. Really. If the color inspires just by looking at it, then I know what ever I make with it will make the recipient feel wonderful. A beautiful cycle.
  • Terese
    A lot of my crochet is for gifts, so I pick colors I think the recipient would like. If I'm making something for me, I love to play with the yarn in the store and try out different combinations until I find what looks right.
  • Debbie
    I love bright jewel tone colors, purple, fuschia, green, blue and then bright yellow to contrast. Thanks for the contest and Happy Birthday! Debbie
  • EJ
    I hardly ever crochet these days because of the lack of interesting patterns. The scarf looks great! As for how I choose colors - it really depends on what I am making. If it is a sweater, I pick things which look well with my skintone. That rules out anything that is yellowish in tone. Mostly I look for interesting color combinations. I like strong jeweltones best.

    Happy upcoming birthday!
  • Great pattern, Amy. It's a real stand-out in the Spud & Chloe line.
  • Marianne
    How wonderful that they asked you to design a CROCHET pattern for this new yarn. I sometimes print out the photo of a piece in black and white and decide what colors it suggests to me. The shape, the stitch pattern, or whatever color might look good in that style -- or whatever color I'm thinking of at the moment.
  • Yvonne
    My color choices are based on many things: color may catch my eye in the store, color of my wardrobe, who I am making the item for. I would LOVE to make this scarf!
  • JerseyJessie
    I love shades of blue. My skin tone prevents wearing yellows or orange or most greens, and I have blue eyes, so I generally make things that make me look good (or at least not awful)
  • Elaine
    Happy birthday (almost)!

    For me it's easy - I use purple (or shades of it) for everything. I have a jillion purple things.
  • Diane in Northern CA
    If it is for myself, I usually gravitate towards red or blue in deep jewel tones. For others, I try to find something that will provide a pop of color without being too bright. Since I have family members who love colors like orange and pink together, or black with purple, it makes it easier to find that "hint" of color in the finished item.

    Happy birthday on Wednesday.

    Diane
  • jen
    Happy Early Bday!

    I try to pick colors based on the season or what I want to use it for. Like scarves I try to go with colors that will match black, grey, red, and sometimes blue (random jackets i'm known to wear)
  • Lee
    Color is my favorite part of any project! My choices these days tend toward the blue/greens and grays. But I was lucky enough to get some Spud and Chloe yarn and I got orange, yellow, two shades of yellow green and deep teal. Super! Not sure what I will do with them yet.
  • Joanne B
    I usually pick colours I love, because then I am more likely to actually use the item. I know this sounds obvious, but I have bought yarn in colours which were beautiful but I didn't actually have any visceral reaction to, and it never gets used.
  • Chia Tsao
    I like something that will match different outfits, like black with splashes or stripes of other bright colours.
    munkiknits at yahoo
  • Ooooh, that yarn looks gorgeous!
    I usually choose colors that relate to how I expect to use the item I'm making. Making an afghan for my sofa? It should match the colors in my living room. Making a cardigan for everyday use? I'll choose a color that matches my favourite jeans or a skirt that I wear frequently. My scarf and gloves match the maroon lining in my coat... and so on.
  • Michell King
    Choosing colors depends on what I am making...but I find I try to see things through my children's eyes. I think we adults tend to see things as they "should be" and kids, especially young ones, they are still testing the "shoulds" so they will usually put all kinds of different colors together and it just works. If it is something whimsical and fun...I definetly consult my children!
  • As a beginning crocheters, I've been pretty limited in my color choices. I guess I'm still worried about making it correctly so I don't want to screw up the colorways as well! So, I've mostly been going with yarns that I like in the colorways available.

    Perhaps winning this contest will allow me to become more creative!

    Look for me at http://lazydaisyknits.blogspot.com or over at Ravelry where I am Humbledaisy.
  • I am a quilter also, so sometimes if I need color inspiration, i will grab a fave fabric from my stash and see if i can pull colors from that. Or I use your "lay the skeins next to each other" method. ;)
  • Kim
    When I start a project, especially a crochet project, I'm often just working with tidbits and leftovers. I basically dig through all my yarn bins and toss each skein that interests me that day onto my bed, without really thinking if they work together yet. Then I look at the pile and remove any that stand out too much, or don't look right. There's really no logic behind it, it's just a sixth sense or something.

    Whether we know it or not, our lives have a color palette and taking stock in 'random' and mundane life moments can produce great color combos. I'll be humming along folding laundry and look down to see a beautiful colorway in tank tops or in bowls stacked in the cupboard after putting the dishes away. I love being surprised by color!!

    As a fellow Spud & Chloe designer I couldn't accept your prize of course, but I really wanted to get in on the conversation! Good luck everyone!
  • Kim, I love what you said about being surprised by color. Thanks for joining
    in!
  • Lovely scarf - very inspiring.

    I choose colors by first lining up the skeins or holding strands of yarn close together. If I am still not sure I do a swatch. I try to go against the classic combinations and if there are bright colors, I try to put in something dark or grey to give it a "background" to shine against.
    If I use two colors I make sure they have different tone. Like in your scarf it looks great because its a light blue and a dark red - a combination of light blue and light red wouldn't have appealed to me.
  • My color choices for this would be based on contrast to best show off it's beauty. Colors from opposite ends of the spectrum. I'll make mine with a dark shade of lime green and a deep purple!

    Very nice!
  • Martha
    I love, love, love this pattern. So pretty! I usually choose whatever feels right. Sometimes I get inspired by the pattern I'm using, and others, I just pick the prettiest colors.
  • Elly
    Wow! What a nice giveaway! I usually make my color choices depending on whom I knit for and what the item is. For example, I just finished knitting a hat for my husband, I knit it in blue and white cuz those were his college colors. With socks, I like to knit them in bright pretty colors and white. Red and White, Black and white, light blue and white. White is nice with any color.
    Thx for the chance to try out this yarn

    Elly
    Elly326@yahoo.com
  • I make my color choices according to my whims, like what I think the best colors are for a particular yarn. Thanks for the contest!
  • Leanne
    I love this scarf! Spud and Chloe is my new fav yarn....I like the feel of it even more than any 100% baby merino that i have ever come across. It is FAB!
  • Leanne
    haha forgot to finish my post! I usually pick my yarn based on what looks best on me (or the recipient) and how I am feeling that day. Bad day= bright colors to pick me up, stressful day=calming greens, blues, happy day= bold colors to keep me entertained!
  • Yeah! What a pretty pattern.
    I did one crochet granny square scarf that had a ton of colors. I went with mainly complimentary color combos and in the end didn't include the yellow and purple I had in order to tone down the overall appearance. Other than that I've never actually made much of a color choice for crochet specifically - I guess that would be the same as my knitting choices though. Oddly - it rarely matches my wardrobe choices...
  • Andrea
    I make my colour choices depending on the recipient - or it the piece is for me, I do get stuck in the purple family - violet, lilac, and dark purple just do it for me!
  • Andrea
    Oh, that is a beautiful scarf! And I am usually a neutral color user, but those bold colors are fantastic together. I would love to be so bold. I always intend to break out of my color comfort zone, but it is easier said than done.
  • Louise Farant
    July 1 is Canada Day for us up here so I wish you a Happy Birthday in advance since I will be "festivizing" on the day of.

    I make a lot of kids socks (crocheted naturally) out of variegated yarns of all sorts and I have very often taken inspiration from colours that end up side by side in my finished objects. So, for instance, that pretty greenish yellow that was just beside that almost periwinkle blue in those socks is likely to become a combo for a Christmas scarf or tam for somebody.

    The other way I'm getting better at doing it is by looking at nature. Over the winter, I was looking at the branches of a white birch against the terrifically blue sky and thought that the white/grey, blue and yellow/brown of some straggler leaves would make a great combo for a yoke sweater or cardigan.

    Your scarf is delicious.
  • Kirsten
    I haven't done a lot of multi color work but I tend to favor complimentary colors. But the bold color choices of the scarf in the picture really show off the pattern. Or I might be tempted to do it in a light and dark version of the same color. Maybe pale pink and deep crimson... :)
  • I love th carbon and sequia color way, nice and soft yest enough of a color diffrence to pop. You have designed a very nice pattern:p To make color choices I go to the yarn shop or my stash and spread out the yarn, Its a combo of the pattern, my mood and who is getting the item.
  • Congrats on your upcoming birthday. My colour choices in crochet are mostly on-sight... when two colours combine well, I'll combine. Sometimes I let my children pick the main colour and I add the alternate one. It is fun.
  • I just go with what mood im in and pick colors to match lol... thanks for the chance to win the awesome kit! :)
  • JacBrisbane
    J'adore!
  • Minh
    Love the pattern! I hope to see the yarns in my LYS soon.

    I usually twist yarns together to see if the colors are pleasant as a combination.
  • What a very lovely scarf! It looks nice and warm, too.

    I always try to match my colors with the person who will be receiving the finished item (almost all of my crochet projects are gifts). Sometimes I'm also trying to use up colors I have in my stash or match another gift item.
  • Chrissy
    I often like the newest color combinations, such as teal and brown, pink and brown, etc., whatever they're showing in magazines.
  • well, i think it sometimes decides on the mood i am in when shopping, i usually am what i call a jungle pastel person, but i do enjoy combo's of green & purple or brown and blue. I like looking at magazines or photos for color combo inspiration. Sounds like your trip was busy but very good!
  • Char
    I am a new crocheter, I am attracted to the colors of fall (orange, tan, brick, slate) since that is when most of my attempts will be done. But I was able to crochet a very pale tan scarf out of Alpaca to wear this past winter. After years of wanting to crochet I am now succeeding. Love your site
  • Sara
    My color choices often depend on what I happen to be inspired by.

    As of late - it's nature.. there's so many colors in it.
  • really inspired pattern, Any!
  • I do it three different ways,

    ...if I have the different yarns in front of my I just hold them next to each other until I find a perfect match
    ...if I don't (say I'm looking at yarns online) I use photoshop to make the pattern of my end result and i put different colors in (I do this for a lot of things not just crochet, and sometimes I'll do both)
    ...or I just have it visioned in my head and already know what will look right together (I've taken a lot of color classes in college)
  • Kristy
    Happy Birthday! If I'm making something for myself it usually involves jeweltones like purples, pinks, blues possibly mixed with black or grey. sometimes my mood takes me to red. If it is for someone else I look at the colors they tend to wear, like my DIL wears mostly browns and greens. I LOVE the scarf pattern love the colors and think it would look beautiful in either highly contrasting colors or shades of the same color family.
  • Sarah
    I usually choose seasonal colors--brights in the summer, jewel tones for fall, pastels in the spring, and warm, fireplace colros in winter :)
  • ikkinlala
    I make my colour choices based on what the project is and who it's for. Most of the people I make things for tend to prefer things that aren't too brightly coloured.
  • heather
    That scarf is gorgeous! Love it!

    I usually make my color choices without much forethought, which I always regret. I end up choosing colors that really appeal to me but that don't necessarily go together and then spend a lot of time trying to convince myself that they don't look SO bad together.
  • I generally just go for bright color combos unless I am working on a project that demands specific color combos (such as a blanket with an ocean theme) then I run around the yarn store first looking for color then at everything else.
  • Rita
    First - Love the scarf design! Very different. I can't wait to try that stitch out. Second - ideally, I like to pick colors with the actual yarn in hand. However, if I'm buying online, I'll usually go with some form of blue or turquoise (my favorite colors) and a contrasting color. I end up with lots of things in the blue/green/purple families. ;-) Very seldom do I end up on the warm side of the color wheel.
  • Happy almost birthday! Mine is just a few days after yours - on the 6th!

    I tend to crochet wearable items, for myself and others. When it's for me, I tend to go with black or pink, but that varies, depending on what I think I'll wear it with. For others, I like to go bright and cheery!

    My next project is a baby blanket, so I'm letting the mom-to-be select the colors, based on her brown and baby blue theme.
  • Rhonda
    I make my choices based on what I think I will wear most.
  • Juli Bachman
    I am one of the unfortuantes who cannot "see" color. I am not color blind. This is very different and I don't know if it has an official name. What I mean is I cannot visualize what will go together until I see the finished item and by then I frequently did not like what I had made. About 2 years ago I met a lady who is now a very good friend. I choose what I like: the pattern, make a fiber pile - be it yarn, material, etc. - and Ann arranges them in shades if I am making stripes, or pulls what doesn't match, and suggests which should be subed where in the pattern. While I have final say, I am usually amazed and wowed with her choices. Sometimes I don't like something and she will "shuffle the deck" until we both agree. I then take my discard satchel and my arranged satchel home and create. I have yet to be disappointed. While I am getting better at choosing matches and contrasts, I doubt if I will ever be able to see color the way some do. If you choose me, I would like to give the kit to Ann as a thank you for the joy she has provided me helping with my creativity. PS - I really like the color contrast in the picture and would never have choosen those on my own. Thanks for the idea.
  • What a generous kit! And it sounds like such lovely yarn!

    I usually pick the colors according to the favored colors of the recipient, or the colors of outfits I notice them wearing a lot.
  • Kris
    I went to a yarn store just this weekend looking for yarn to make that scarf, but they didn't have it yet.

    I don't give a bunch of thought to color choice. Whatever inspires me at the time is what I grab. Last fall I was all about greys, now the warmer months have me gravitating toward pink and orange.
  • Anamaria
    It's gorgeous--I would love to try it out! Thanks for the offer.
  • Lysandra
    Amy, great pattern! I'll definitely have to try the Mosiac scarf. I love that both sides are different (do you have photos of the reverse?)

    When I choose colors its almost always about what mood I'm in. Lately I have been crocheting and knitting a lot of baby clothes as gifts that are unisex, so finding colors that inspire me but are also non-traditional (not yellow and green). For myself I love bright bold emerald colors most of the time. I choose things that match my personality which is pretty outgoing! The fiber also makes a big difference too. Finding the right color-fiber match is key!
  • Jessica A
    Sometimes I look at nature and go by "what's in season". Lately, it's been whatever my 4 year old asks for! She's pretty inistant about what she wants or doesn't want!
  • Anne
    I make color choices purely on what appeals to my eye. If it looks good to me I go for it. Since I love green I tend to use alot of this color. Lovely pattern - hope I am lucky.
  • What a cool pattern! I'm just starting to get into crochet, so I hope it wouldn't be too challenging! (a little challenge is good, though)

    I'll put a post up about your contest on WiKnit, my knitting contest blog, to spread the word ...
  • Glad you're getting into crochet, Hanna, and thanks for the link!
  • Jennie
    Some of my favorite colors are browns and greens, so I choose them often. However, I often get bored with working with the same colors, so I will try to choose colors that I don't often have in my wardrobe, like my most recent choice--lavender. I'm usually glad I made an a-typical color choice.

    Jennie
  • I'm not sure this contest is open to international readers...Anyway, I am not very good with colour and generally tend to choose combinations with high contrasts most of the time. The results can be er, interesting ;)
  • It's beautiful! I'm very interested in how it's made and would love to win a kit.

    Color choices really depend on the pattern. And vice versa. I think that it's important to know when the yarn should shine and when the pattern should take the spotlight. Too busy on both often leads to the overall look being muddled.

    In the case of your scarf, I would think that the pattern shines. You picked suitable yarn for the pattern to be shown off best.

    Some varigated yarns cry out to be used in a simple pattern so that their color changes can really take center stage. A busy yarn with many changing colors would get lots in your scarf!

    But that's really just discussing one specific kind of color choice - whether the yarn is varigated or more solid. In general, I like to pick colors that make sense for the recipient. I carefully selected a deep mottled purple for a shawl for myself because of my coloring. I chose to do a scarf in gray and black for my mom to match her coat. That kind of thing.
  • Ashley
    How exciting about the new yarn!! I love to make bold color choices because i think it makes people really notice my crochet. I find it works to draw people in. Thanks for the blog post!!
  • Vanessa
    Amy--

    Really cool scarf design! Striking color contrast!

    When I'm trying to decide on what color to use for a project, the size of the FO usually plays a role. I tend to shy away from really bright, "loud" colors for large projects--or offset them with a black or white. When we're talking small projects tho, the color wheel is no limit! LOL I love really vivid pieces that immediately call attention to the small details.

    Much love to Blue Sky and wishing you endless crafty goodness.
  • Teri
    Hi Amy,
    I love this new pattern and your color choice as well. Those two colors are one of my favorite color combinations as well as blue/brown and lavendar/green. I often choose my colors first based on my favorites; blue or red. Then I go on to what looks best in the yarn itself.
    Right now, most of my crochet is actually in subtle shades of green, brown and cream.
    BTW, I follow you on Twitter as well so I'll Tweet this post.
  • Frequently I make color choices based on something I already love. For example: I had a necklace I was given that I adored, but nothing to wear it with - so I made a sweater that coordinated!
  • A sweater to go with your necklace, that's awesome!
  • Bridget
    I love that pattern! I got to fondle some S & C samples last week-Chesley, the fabulous owner of The Knitting Experience in Brunswick, ME, brought them in. Mostly I choose color by what feels right, but I've been playing around on the Adobe Kuler website recently too.
  • My color choice is entirely dependent on the m mood of the moment. I frequently stitch with multiple strands of yarn to get the exact color effect I want.
  • I like this idea--especially with variegated yarns, so the color changes are
    more subtle.
  • Wow that scarf is awesome. =] Double-sided but different on both sides is very cool.
  • Oh I would love to make myself that scarf.
    It depends on what I'm making how I choose colors. I tend to try and picture the item in use. Like I'm making my dad a modern log cabin blanket for Christmas. I know him well enough to know that he will mostly keep it in his office. So I choose colors that would go with his office.
    If I make something for me to wear I get to have more fun because I tend to wear mostly neutral colors. :)
    Love these two colors together (the red and blue)!!!
  • I've used a colorwheel for dyeing, but I really most time I go by what my mood is or what I am making and who it is for. An example, Elena likes bright colors, so when I made her a special ghan, it was with all the older colors of Cotton Ease, however my brother prefers earthtones, so his ghan was made that way.
  • Amy
    What a fantastic pattern, Amy! And the colors really do pop with that pattern! Job well done!!!
  • I usually make my color choices according to the colors in my wardrobe. I like olive green, reds, black, brown, rusty-colors. A hint of gold and purple is always good too. The Mosaic Scarf is gorgeous!
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