I've been soooooooooooo excited about sharing this post with you, honestly, it's been a devil of a job for me to sit on this fabulous colour news since waaay back in August last year. Yes, my silence has been required for that long, the wait has been ridiculously tough! But finally I'm allowed to unzip myself and tell you all about it, hooooray for that, I've been fit to burst!!
So as you can see from the above photo, next month Stylecraft will be adding three new colours to their already gorgeous range of Special DK. There are currently 74 colours in the Special DK range so we are already spoilt for choice, but in my opinion there will always be room for a few more. Always.
I've been crocheting with this yarn for almost seven years now (yes, my Granny Stripe blanket will be seven years old in May!), so as you might imagine I am very familiar with the colours. I keep this bowl of Yarn Pegs on the table in my studio and find myself constantly faffing around with them.
I tip them out, arrange them, line them up in rows, create colours wheels with them and photograph the proceedings. Almost every month my photo archives contain images of these pegs arranged to capture an idea/feeling/memory/colour story that might at some point in the future translate into a colour palette for a crochet project. It's one of my absolute favourite giddy pleasures, I can't tell you how much I love playing with these pegs!
I thought it would be fun to chat about the three new Stylecraft colours {Buttermilk, Vintage Peach and Mushroom} and take a little look at how they fit in with the existing colours. I did this same thing a few years ago when Sage, Storm Blue and Parma Violet were newbies and I know many of you found it helpful.
First up, lets look at the Buttermilk. This is a delightful shade of soft yellow which is quite close to Lemon, although it's just a bit warmer looking (more butter and less citrus!) I'm not a huge fan of yellow and tend to keep it in very small doses in my colour palettes (if I include it at all), but I do really like the new Buttermilk colour.
Ahhhh Vintage Peach, you are a beauty! There is a bit of a story behind this colour, as it was actually a choice that was put forward to Stylecraft by a certain Attic dwelling, crochet loving colour-junkie......know anyone who fits that description? This certain person felt that there was a gap that needed filling, a soft and gentle warmth that would sit in between the Apricot and the Shrimp. A sort of a blush, a sort of a peach, not too candy coloured, not too pastel, something slightly earthy and vintage inspired she said.
Sometimes the idea of a colour is insanely difficult to capture in real life, and between the Attic dweller and the yarn maker, there were many back and forth discussions and deliberations. In the end they managed to capture the vintage vibe of a rather lovely old fashioned colour and bring it to life. I love the warmth of the Vintage Peach, and it really does work beautifully with a good many of the existing colours.
Now finally lets look at the Mushroom. This is one of those colours that is devilishly hard to photograph in that it changes a lot depending on the light and the colours you put it next to. It's very similar to Parma Violet in that respect, and it's a colour that you perhaps need to see in real life before you make your mind up about it.
When you see Mushroom on it's own it can look rather lavender-ish, but as soon as you place it near the pale purple shades it changes completely and shows it's pretty pink side.
But really, I think this colour does best if you consider it as a very lovely warm neutral. It holds it's own amongst the warmer Stone/Parchment neutrals as well as the cooler Silver/Grey neutrals.
All three of the new colours fall into the softer, lighter part of the Stylecraft colour palette. They each have a slight "grey" element which in colour theory terms is known as a "Tonal" colour - this is often associated with vintage inspired colour palettes and makes these colours very easy on the eye. Tonal colours are different to "Tinted" colours which have white added to them - these are often referred to as pastel colours.
When I was an art student in my late teens I studied colour theory in depth, but (rather unsurprisingly) I've forgotten much of the theory and tend to rely on my instinct instead. I found a very good (and easy to grasp) explanation of basic colour theory to do with hues, tints and shades {HERE} if you are interested in colours and perhaps might like to have a bit of theory tucked under your belt.
Oh I LOVE the above collection of colours - such a pretty row of pegs!! Wouldn't they make a fabulous blanket?
Speaking of blankets, I'm absolutely loving the stripes of my Hydrangea blanket which is flying off my hook at the moment. I've got two of the new Stylecraft colours in my Hydrangea palette....
....would you like a peek?
I'll be chatting a lot more about my Hydrangea blanket next week - the yarn pack and new blanket pattern will be available from Friday 7th April. You'll also be able to buy the three new Stylecraft Special DK shades from 7th April onwards. It's a colour date for your diaries!
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ps just to let you know, this is not a sponsored post.
Very beautiful yarn shades, its hard to differentiate the colours
Posted by: Robert | July 01, 2017 at 08:07 AM
i love the colours and the quality looks awesome. where can i get this?
Posted by: purity mbogo | June 30, 2017 at 01:00 PM
Will we be able to buy the yarn but not the kit ?
Posted by: Gris fleur | April 04, 2017 at 07:45 AM
Hi! I just found your blog and love it! I crocheted a blanket using Stylecraft DK and absolutely love the yarn! I am in the process of crocheting a temperature blanket with it also. I I love what you did with wrapping the yarn around clothespins. I think I am going to do that. It will make it so much easier to see the colors and choose for a project. Thank you for a great idea <3
Posted by: Virginia Schleich | April 02, 2017 at 03:20 PM
I'm with Wynne. Been wondering if all is well in your world.
Posted by: Peggy | March 29, 2017 at 07:22 PM
Hope you're okay, Lucy, as it's a couple of weeks since you posted.
Posted by: wynne | March 29, 2017 at 12:54 PM
Hurrah! Been waiting for a soft yellow for the range. Planning starts now!
Posted by: Caroline | March 27, 2017 at 06:58 PM
I am so looking forward to the Hydrangea pattern being released! It will be a real stash buster for me as I already have (if I have guessed the colours correctly from your photo) full balls of 11 of the colours so will only have to buy 4 including the two new colours. Can't wait to see those and will probably have to get a ball of buttermilk just because. Don't need another blanket but that never stops us does it?
Posted by: Sheila R | March 27, 2017 at 03:22 PM
They look quite blah in the first picture but put them in with other colours and i love them
Posted by: Candace | March 24, 2017 at 09:42 AM
I just found your site. Love the color explanation and inspiration. I would like to subscribe but am having trouble with the link. Would you be able to help?
Posted by: Kathy Mitman | March 23, 2017 at 03:58 AM
Thank you for your colour posts - most inspiring and useful for someone not "colour blind" as such - but the colour equivalent of being tone deaf in the sound department!!
Posted by: Caroline Crane | March 20, 2017 at 07:15 AM
Love all your little yarn pegs. I think I have about 32 of the Stylecraft colours but am slowly building up the range of them in my stash. Jean
Posted by: Jean | March 19, 2017 at 10:41 PM
Those are very interesting colours. I wasn't sure about them (I prefer richer fuller colours) but when you arrange them nicely with similar shades I can see how they fit into the already existing range. I love the pegs :)
Posted by: Silly Little Sheep | March 19, 2017 at 06:05 PM
Thank you Lucy for yet another interesting post about colour! I always revel in your lovely photos of yarn pegs and flowers, and read and re-read your posts with great enjoyment.
I love the new Stylecraft shades, all three of them have a definite place in the range. My favourite is the mushroom, because it looks amazingly versatile. After seeing your flowers though, I have a great urge to do a peony blanket!
Thanks for inspiring me to think more about colour themes, I look at things slightly differently since I started following your blog. Long may you continue 🌷🌷🌷
Posted by: Louise | March 19, 2017 at 01:54 PM
What gorgeous colours! The Vintage Peach was my favourite before I even knew you had suggested it! It is a perfect shade <3
Posted by: Sophie | March 19, 2017 at 11:36 AM
I have to agree with Katie about the colours never being quite nice enough and in fact some are downright gross. Putting them together in a blanket improves the look of them but individually just look like cheap acrylic. I think Lucy photographs them in a flattering light.
Posted by: Justine | March 19, 2017 at 07:23 AM
Love the new colours. There's something so scrummy about seeing the yarn samples on pegs, isn't there?! :-)
Posted by: Lucy | March 18, 2017 at 12:13 PM
Love the new colours and didn't realise how long they take to come to the public. About halfway through my Moorland blanket and enjoying the colours.
Posted by: Carol | March 17, 2017 at 07:59 AM
Very nice additions to the colour range. Love the pegs it's such a good idea yet so simple.
Posted by: Winifred Waite | March 17, 2017 at 12:18 AM
Love the new colors, but love your color pegs even more! Brilliant! I have SO much trouble with color--I'm just not one of those people who can visualize colors that work together, so I am going to keep this post handy to refer to. Thank you for sharing! I just ordered some blues and purples, including Storm Blue and Parma Violet. It will be my first experience with Stylecraft Special DK as I live in the US and am not aware of any stockists here, so I had to order from the UK. Can't wait to get started!
Posted by: Judy | March 16, 2017 at 11:47 PM
I can't believe it's two years since storm blue, sage and palma violet. The new colours are scrumptious. They work so well together. I loved seeing them arranged in palettes, thank you for that. I can't wait to see them in real life. Well done on keeping it under your hat for so long! Your hydrangea blanket has a beautiful texture.
Posted by: bekki | March 16, 2017 at 09:45 PM
Oh Lucy, they are divine!
I look forward to attic24 posts and l.o.v.e your ccrocheting
I'll be in the U.K. Next week, visiting from Australia!
Our wool shops are far and few between, and I love to look and feel first!
Buying some Stylecraft Special DK is on my list to bring back home, couldd you recommend any wool shops around Cambridge area?
Posted by: Kelpad | March 16, 2017 at 09:23 PM
Love the softness of these new colours.
Note to DeLynn: Lucy has put a link to the yarn pegs just under the second photo on this post. Keep meaning to do some pegs but I'd have to buy more yarn! Oh dear!
Posted by: Kath | March 16, 2017 at 05:18 PM
Beautiful new colors! I, too, am not a fan of yellow but I love it in that last selection of colors you showed us. I love the peach and especially the mushroom!
Posted by: Liz | March 16, 2017 at 04:50 PM
Nom nom , drooling over the new yarn shades , all very pretty ( particularly the mushroom , that has a lottttttt of potential !!! )looking forward to when they become available .
New blankie taking shape very nicely too :)
Posted by: Ali Dufty | March 16, 2017 at 04:28 PM