Crochet

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Crochet Color Of The Year – What Do You Think??

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cro orchid color 0314

 

It is said (I suppose by experts) that Pantone or Radiant Orchid is the color of the year for 2014.  I mention this only because recently, in my local newspaper, there was an article about home decor that featured a piece on the 2014 Color of the Year.  This color is certainly ‘radiant’.  In fact, it’s so radiant as to be glaring!  And, when featured as the wall paint for an entire dining room, it is , well, just too much.  I love color – fully saturated, strong colors.  But, strong color needs to be used sparingly in most applications.  I’m not decorating expert, but I do know what I like and can live with.

Since we all have different computer monitors, I’ll add the description of this color – purple just to the side of fuchsia.

cro orchid patterns 0314

I love fuchsia.  I love pink.  I love purple.  But, wait a minute.  Does everything in a room need to be updated to Radiant Orchid? Does it even need to be the focal point of a room?  What am I to do with all the other beautiful furniture I own, the doilies I’ve crocheted, the quilts I’ve inherited that might clash with this color.  And, how many pieces do I want to crochet in this (or any) color?  Maybe this pattern book I discovered online would help.  Hmmm.  I don’t know.

So, I ask you – what are we to do with the Color Of The Year?

NOTE**********************

Smart reader, Barbaranne emailed me with the following information.  Please take note of it so you won’t go anywhere asking for a color called Pantone!  Here’s what she wrote:
I get the daily Craft Gossip email and saw your article today on the color of the year. In the beginning of the article you said that the new color is called Pantone, but Pantone is not a color, rather, it is a numbering system to identify colors. The Pantone number for the Radiant Orchid color is 18-3224. https://www.pantone.com/pages/index.aspx?pg=21129

You can read more about it online. Here is one source. http://www.colorguides.net/pantone.html

 

Comments

  1. I like fuschia but it must be used sparingly. I am not going to redecorate my house with it.

  2. I am loving the color. I just made a hat with dark purple and blue mixed. Purple is one of my favorite colors 🙂

  5. Be a minion and let others choose for you or you can step outside the collective and choose the colors that give you joy. Love your articles, they are inspirational think tanks for me!

  6. I like the color, but not for my house. Maybe a little touch of it would be alright. I would wear at it as a sweater or scarf, but not an entire outfit in that color.

  7. I choose purples over almost any other color in the spectrum. I’ve even painted rooms in parsonages lilac, to the chagrin of men on the Trustees. IMHO you need to choose cool or warm, and like every other color what’s the undertone? (Try putting together black separates and you’ll understand THAT one).

    Having lived in rentals and manses, I get tired of plain old “magnolia white”. Any color beats that!

  8. So what’s a little Goof? I’ll rem’ber to be sure to give the No# to the neighbors when they want to paint their house this color! Smile!

Have you read?

How to Crochet the Suzette Stitch: An Easy Textured Crochet Stitch for Beginners

Learning a crochet stitch is much more satisfying when you have an actual project waiting at the end of it. The Suzette stitch is especially versatile because its dense, softly textured fabric works for everything from practical cotton washcloths to cosy scarves, hats and blankets.

Here are some Suzette stitch crochet patterns worth adding to your project list.

Suzette Stitch Baby Blanket

The free Suzette Stitch Baby Blanket pattern from Premier Yarns uses the stitch to create a softly textured crochet blanket with a subtle tweed-like appearance.

This would make a lovely handmade baby shower gift, particularly when worked in a washable baby yarn. The stitch creates more visual interest than plain single crochet without introducing large holes that may catch tiny fingers.

Easy Suzette Stitch Blanket

The Suzette Stitch Blanket pattern by Stitching Together is another approachable blanket project for crocheters who enjoy a relaxing stitch repeat.

This is the sort of project you can keep beside the sofa and work on a few rows at a time. Just keep an eye on those skipped stitches—television crochet is wonderful until an extra stitch quietly sneaks in three episodes earlier.

Casey Suzette Stitch Scarf

The free Casey Scarf crochet pattern uses the Suzette stitch through most of the design, producing a cosy scarf with a softly scalloped, zigzag-like texture.

It is a good first wearable project for beginners because scarves do not require complicated shaping. You can also adjust the length fairly easily or use a self-striping yarn and let the colour changes do the decorative work for you.

Quick Suzette Crochet Scarf

For another scarf option, try this free Suzette Stitch Scarf pattern from Hooked by Robin.

The designer includes written instructions and a video tutorial, making it helpful for visual learners who prefer watching the stitch placement before beginning. It is designed as a quick project and would make a practical last-minute handmade gift.

Suzette Colour Block Scarf

The free Suzette Colour Block Scarf pattern is a cheerful option for using several coordinating yarn colours.

Colour blocking also makes this a handy stash-busting crochet project. You can use leftover yarn from other makes, although it is worth choosing yarns of the same weight and similar fibre content so the sections behave themselves after washing.

Chunky Suzette Stitch Beanie

The free Chunky Suzette Stitch Beanie crochet pattern turns the textured stitch into a warm winter hat.

Chunky yarn helps the pattern work up quickly and makes the raised texture especially noticeable. This would be a useful project for craft stalls, charity donations or quick handmade Christmas gifts.

Hazel Textured Crochet Beanie

The free Hazel Beanie crochet pattern combines simple ribbing with the Suzette stitch.

The ribbed brim gives the hat a neat, finished appearance while the Suzette stitch adds texture to the main body. It looks more complicated than a basic crochet beanie but is still built from familiar beginner stitches.

Suzette Stitch Washcloth

For a small practice project, try the free Suzette Stitch Wash Cloth pattern from The Purple Poncho.

A washcloth is one of the best ways to practise a new crochet stitch because it is small, useful and not terribly demanding. Even if the first one is slightly wonky, it will still wash perfectly well.

Use a smooth cotton yarn so the cloth is absorbent and the stitch texture remains clearly visible.

Suzette Ridge Crochet Washcloth

The free Suzette Ridge Crochet Washcloth pattern adds another layer of texture to this familiar stitch combination.

Make several in coordinating colours and pair them with handmade soap for an easy spa-style gift. They are also useful little projects for testing unfamiliar cotton yarn before committing to a larger set.

Corner-to-Corner Suzette Stitch Washcloth

The free C2C Suzette Stitch Washcloth pattern gives the stitch a slightly different construction by working it from corner to corner.

This is a good next project after you have mastered ordinary flat rows. It lets you explore increasing and decreasing while still using the familiar Suzette stitch combination.

Suzette Stitch Afghan Square

The Suzette Stitch Afghan Square pattern turns the textured stitch into a smaller crochet block.

Afghan squares are useful for charity blankets, sampler blankets and portable crochet projects. You can make the squares individually, use up leftover yarn and join everything together once you have enough—although “enough” has been known to become a surprisingly flexible number in my craft room.

More Suzette Stitch Crochet Pattern Ideas

Once you are comfortable with the basic stitch, you can also use it to make:

  • Crochet mug cosies
  • Ear warmers and headbands
  • Fingerless gloves
  • Cushion covers
  • Tote bags
  • Baby rompers
  • Crochet cardigans
  • Lap blankets
  • Double-thick potholders

You can browse additional Suzette stitch crochet patterns on Etsy, including sweaters, baby blankets, beanies, mug cosies and accessories from independent crochet designers.

When choosing a pattern, check whether it uses US or UK crochet terminology. Also check whether it uses the traditional Suzette stitch—one single crochet and one double crochet worked into the same stitch—or a designer’s variation of it. That quick check can prevent a great deal of confused unraveling later.