Crochet

Patterns, projects and techniques

Color Me Curious

by

color grid color tool

Color Grid from kangaroodyer.com

I read about this tool in the Summer 2013 issue of Crochet! magazine and can’t wait to get my hands on one.  I am not great with color.  I know what I like but that’s about as far as it goes.  I usually make the safest color choices since I’m not adept at complements and contrasts.  This tool promises to take the mystery out of color selection.  Finally!  Apparently, you choose a base color (main color in crochet) and place the template over that color.  Then colors that work with that main color will be identified – from colors that are very close to the base color on the color wheel to those that will stand out and add that little extra something to make your colors pop.  That’s what I need!

The tool is small enough to carry in your purse so you can tote it to the store when you are yarn shopping.  It’s inexpensive enough (about $10 with shipping) that it would make a nice stocking stuffer (okay, I know it’s not near Christmas) or gift – or to pick u[ for yourself.  It is, after all, exactly a tool of our trade.  I think I might wonder how I ever got along with this thing!

SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE EMAILED ME PERSONALLY ASKING HOW TO OBTAIN THE COLOR GRID.  I was remiss in not adding a link to the site because I assumed that the tool would be widely available in big box stores.  Wrong!  So far, it seems the stores have been slow to order this very useful tool.  So, please ask your retailer to stock these for you.  In the meantime, you can mail order yours from Gail Callahan herself here.  She is easy to deal with and ships very quickly!

UPDATE:  I received my Color Grid in the mail today and just had a chance to play with it.  It’s genius!!  It totally takes the guesswork out of color selection.  The tool is very easy to use and will be a permanent fixture in my crochet bag.  I won’t be making iffy color choices any more!

Comments

  3. I won one online last year. I guess I’m not the target audience for it, because I haven’t been using it at all.

  4. Ambar,
    Good observations, but this is better than a color wheel for me. The grid shows 8 colors surrounding your favorite or base color that are gradients of the color (not sure of the proper term so I’ll use ‘gradients’). Then, in the bar across the bottom of the grid, you see FIVE colors that would function nicely as contrasts or to make your original 8 colors ‘pop’. Those colors are on a color wheel, but I like the way Gail presents the color options. Works well for someone like me.
    jd

  5. Where can we get these tools?? I would love to try one. I am terrible with colour co-ordinating!!!!

  6. Thanks for asking – and reminding me to add a link to purchase the tool. It’s in the article now. So, please take another look.
    jd

Have you read?

Shock Wave Free Crochet Lap Blanket Pattern

This Free Shock Wave Crochet Lap Blanket Pattern from Mary Maxim looks like one of those wonderfully satisfying projects that gives big cozy payoff without fiddly detail. Mary Maxim lists it as a free download, designed as a crochet afghan/lap blanket, with a finished size of 45 x 50 inches.

What immediately stands out is the yarn choice. The pattern is made with Bernat Blanket Extra Thick, using 5 skeins, and calls for a U.S. U/50 (25 mm) crochet hook. That is gloriously chunky territory, which usually means fast progress and lots of squishy texture. If you are in the mood for a project that feels substantial in your hands and grows quickly row by row, this one definitely has that appeal.

Mary Maxim describes the blanket as having a beautifully textured, plush, soft finish and suggests it as a project for home décor or gifting. Based on the materials and oversized hook alone, that sounds about right. This feels like the sort of blanket you make for curling up on the couch, draping over a chair, or giving as a practical handmade gift that will actually get used instead of folded away “for best.”

The pattern is marked Easy, and the listed stitch requirements are straightforward: chain, repeat, double crochet, single crochet, and slip stitch. That makes it sound approachable for confident beginners and very appealing for anyone who wants a relaxing crochet project without too much counting drama.

I also think the lap blanket size is a smart one. Not every crochet blanket needs to become a giant commitment that takes over the lounge room and your will to live. A 45 x 50 inch blanket is a useful, manageable size for gifting, for wheelchairs or reading nooks, or just for keeping on hand for chilly evenings. That practicality gives this pattern extra appeal. The usability point is my own take based on the finished dimensions Mary Maxim provides.

At the moment, the pattern page shows no reviews, so there is not much customer feedback to go on yet. Still, if you enjoy easy crochet blanket patterns, super chunky crochet throws, or quick lap blanket projects, this one looks like a solid freebie to save.

My overall take? This looks like a fast, cozy, beginner-friendly crochet blanket pattern with plenty of texture and instant-gratification energy. Very much the sort of project you start because it looks easy, then keep going because the yarn feels ridiculously soft.