Choosing colours for a new project can be one of the hardest parts of weaving.
You can have a good understanding of your loom, know exactly what you want to weave and have plenty of yarn sitting on your shelves but then completely freeze when it comes to deciding which colours should go where.
I know this is something many weavers struggle with. And I know that colour decision can cause a paralysis that will prevent some weavers from moving forward and completing their best work.
Some people seem to have a natural instinct for colour. They can pull a handful of yarns from a shelf and somehow know that they will work beautifully together.
And then there are the rest of us!
The good news is that I don’t think you need to have a natural colour intuition to become confident with colour. A lot of it comes from experimenting, looking at what works and, importantly, giving yourself permission to try combinations that you might not have chosen yourself.
One thing that can work really well is to place cones of yarn colours in groupings to see what is pleasing to the eye. Even better is to lay sections of colour side by side in a stripe arrangement. If you are planning a striped warp, this method is indispensable, as it gives you a mini glimpse of how your warp will look on the loom. I show how to do that in my Gaining Confidence With Colour workshop.
What Is A Random Stripe Generator?
Another simple and effective way to plan colour in your project is by using a random stripe generator.
This is a really fun way to plan. You can choose from vertical or horizontal stripes, depending on whether you’re planning warp or weft colours. You can order the colours or choose to have them completely random. Wider stripes or narrower stripes, the choice is yours!
Let’s Start Generating Stripes!
Choose one or more sizes. One selection creates even stripes; multiple selections create varied stripe sizes.
Try it with your next weaving project
One example where you could use the generator is with your inkle loom.
Inkle bands are a great way to experiment with colour because you can see the effect of relatively small changes very quickly. A different colour order or stripe width can completely change the character of a band.
If you’re working through my Inkle Weaving course, you could use the generator to come up with some colour ideas before you start winding your warp.
It’s also useful for scarves, tea towels, blankets and other projects where you’re working with stripes or colour blocks.
And don’t feel that you have to use the colours exactly as the generator gives them to you. It’s as much about inspiration as it is about actual planning.
You might see a combination that you would never have thought of yourself and immediately love it. Or you might look at it and think, absolutely not! It’s just as important to identify which colours you love together and which you don’t.
Want to understand colour a little better?
I’ve written about basic colour theory for weavers, including some of the principles that can help you understand why particular colours work well together.
You don’t need to become a colour theory expert before you start experimenting. But having a few basic ideas about colour relationships can make choosing yarns feel much less mysterious.
You can read that post here: Colour Theory for Weaving – Choosing Harmonious Palettes
And then come back and play with the generator.
Try combinations you normally wouldn’t choose. Change the order. Make the stripes uneven. Try the same colours with a completely different arrangement.
The more you experiment, the more confident you become.
And eventually, you may find that mysterious thing called “colour intuition” starts to develop after all 😉
If you need help to use this tool, follow my video tutorial ⤵️
I hope this random stripes generator is a useful and fun tool for you in your weaving journey. Let me know in the comments if you use it and enjoy it!
Until next time…
Happy Weaving!
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