ysabetwordsmith (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
ysabetwordsmith) wrote2021-06-13 03:49 am
ysabetwordsmith) wrote2021-06-13 03:49 am
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Maybe-Colors for Unisex Dressing
Previously I mentioned the use of maybe-colors in unisex or nonbinary dressing, so I decided to list some examples. The neutrals (black-gray-white in cool, brown-tan-ivory in warm) are unisex, but most people want accent colors. There are also some oddball neutrals that mix warm and cool tones.
Maybe-Colors
Amber
The stone amber is fossilized tree resin, which is most often yellow to orange, so amber as a color usually means yellowish-orange. But the stone can also be other colors like brown, black, red, blue, or green. Amber is readily available in synthetic and natural fibers. Some traditional leather tanning methods yield various shades of amber too.
Chartreuse
This is a vivid yellow-green, sometimes called acid yellow or acid green. It appears most often in synthetics and often carries a luminous quality. It's one of the boldest accent colors.
Glas
This Celtic color word is most often translated as blue or green, but it can also mean gray, silver, or black. It really means "ocean-colored," and like the ocean can be calm or ominous. It's a good term for a cool, watery color that looks different depending on the light or what you wear it with. This color appears a lot with overdyed natural fibers, either two dye baths or dye over naturally tinted fiber, and some natural dyes also produce this range.
Greige
This is a pale blend of warm beige and cool gray, making it sort of a light taupe. The mix of warm and cool means you can wear it with either, and it's one of those colors prone to shifting with the light. Quite a lot of unbleached, natural fibers fall in this range such as hemp and some wool. Greige is a light neutral, worth considering if you don't like white or ivory.
Feldgrau
This is a cool gray-green, sometimes with bluish tones. It is the cool counterpart of olive, which is a slightly brighter yellow-green. Warm-toned people often use olive as a near-neutral base color, and feldgrau can serve the same purpose for cool-toned people.
Hazel
Most often cited in eye colors, hazel is a blend of blue, green, and/or brown, rarely with gray tones. It's often used as a catchall for any ambiguous color in this general range. It tends to be warm, but can mix warm and cool tones. Its brownish or grayish versions can work as a medium near-neutral base color.
Huathe
Another Celtic color term, this one has been translated as dark gray, brown, or purple. It really means "terrible-colored," and is typically cited as storm-colored or bruise-colored. It's kind of like taupe, but spookier. You can sometimes get a good huathe from walnut hulls mordanted with iron. If you just want to fuck with people, consider huathe as a dark neutral.
Iolite
The stone iolite is bluish-purple, sometimes with grayish tones, but changes color from different angles. It's another that often appears in overdyed fibers, but shot-silk can duplicate its color-changing ability. This is also a known failure mode of indigo dye, so watch for it in marked-down or outlet-mall jeans.
Mauve
This color is pinkish-purplish-gray across quite a wide range, appearing in both natural and synthetic fibers. It can be obtained from a variety of bark and lichen dyes. It's a soft color that many people find reassuring. Interestingly, if you like craft-bleaching T-shirts, black, coffee brown, and midnight blue all have a chance of fading to mauve. Top-quality tie-dye colors also creep to mauve if you do single-color tie-dye with them. Ice-dyeing and snow-dyeing will also get you some fantastic maybe-colors thanks to the magic of chemistry and physics.
Orchid
This is a bright pinkish-purple. Many orchid flowers actually are this color. It appears mostly in synthetic fibers. Sometimes people call it "thistle" but thistle flowers tend to be pink. An easy place to find it is fancy men's dress shirts, which have a lot of different almost-but-not-quite-pink tints. It's an eye-catching accent.
Oxblood
This dark red can have brownish or purplish tones. It's easy to find in leather, especially dressy shoes, but also appears widely in autumn clothes. Because the color is used by both genders, a fun switch is wearing a shoe style for a gender contrary to your appearance or the rest of your clothes, and oxblood chelseas make a great unisex shoe that isn't sneakers. This makes a very interesting choice of base color for your leather goods.
Rust
This is a fairly bright shade of orangish-brown. It has slight variations in russet, fawn, and fulvous. It's a base of autumn palettes and goes with most warm colors. It is widely available in natural fibers or leather, but harder to hit in synthetics. Some sheep come in a surprisingly bright shade of rust, almost orange. If you want an eye-catching near-neutral as one of your base wardrobe colors, rust is a good bet.
Stone rose
A grayish-pink color, this shows in some desert flowers, and certain lichen dyes. This color is just plain hard to find, but like other not-quite-pinks, great for messing with expectations.
Taupe
This is typically brownish-gray but can have purplish tones. It balances warm and cool shades, so it can go with either. You see it a lot in wool, suede, and synthetic ultrasuede. Lots of people wear this as a medium or dark neutral, especially for their leather goods.
Teal
Balanced between blue and green, teal is like a dark turquoise. It can lean either way, which influences whether it matches better with warm or cool colors. It's widely available in both natural and synthetic fibers. This is among the most popular accent colors.
Yellow-grey
Most people can't even see this one, because it requires being able to see yellow and blue colors at the same time without merging them into green, and standard human eyes don't do that trick (although there are ways that may simulate it). But there are references to it in Celtic tradition, it's an eye color in that gene pool, and I see it most often in sunlit stormclouds. I've also seen it in sheep wool, but I doubt anyone is dyeing this on purpose. You could probably get it by overdyeing soft yellow on light grey wool or blue-gray on blonde wool. If you can find or make this, it would be another interesting base color for messing with people, and looks spectacular if you have the matching eye color.
Maybe-Colors
Amber
The stone amber is fossilized tree resin, which is most often yellow to orange, so amber as a color usually means yellowish-orange. But the stone can also be other colors like brown, black, red, blue, or green. Amber is readily available in synthetic and natural fibers. Some traditional leather tanning methods yield various shades of amber too.
Chartreuse
This is a vivid yellow-green, sometimes called acid yellow or acid green. It appears most often in synthetics and often carries a luminous quality. It's one of the boldest accent colors.
Glas
This Celtic color word is most often translated as blue or green, but it can also mean gray, silver, or black. It really means "ocean-colored," and like the ocean can be calm or ominous. It's a good term for a cool, watery color that looks different depending on the light or what you wear it with. This color appears a lot with overdyed natural fibers, either two dye baths or dye over naturally tinted fiber, and some natural dyes also produce this range.
Greige
This is a pale blend of warm beige and cool gray, making it sort of a light taupe. The mix of warm and cool means you can wear it with either, and it's one of those colors prone to shifting with the light. Quite a lot of unbleached, natural fibers fall in this range such as hemp and some wool. Greige is a light neutral, worth considering if you don't like white or ivory.
Feldgrau
This is a cool gray-green, sometimes with bluish tones. It is the cool counterpart of olive, which is a slightly brighter yellow-green. Warm-toned people often use olive as a near-neutral base color, and feldgrau can serve the same purpose for cool-toned people.
Hazel
Most often cited in eye colors, hazel is a blend of blue, green, and/or brown, rarely with gray tones. It's often used as a catchall for any ambiguous color in this general range. It tends to be warm, but can mix warm and cool tones. Its brownish or grayish versions can work as a medium near-neutral base color.
Huathe
Another Celtic color term, this one has been translated as dark gray, brown, or purple. It really means "terrible-colored," and is typically cited as storm-colored or bruise-colored. It's kind of like taupe, but spookier. You can sometimes get a good huathe from walnut hulls mordanted with iron. If you just want to fuck with people, consider huathe as a dark neutral.
Iolite
The stone iolite is bluish-purple, sometimes with grayish tones, but changes color from different angles. It's another that often appears in overdyed fibers, but shot-silk can duplicate its color-changing ability. This is also a known failure mode of indigo dye, so watch for it in marked-down or outlet-mall jeans.
Mauve
This color is pinkish-purplish-gray across quite a wide range, appearing in both natural and synthetic fibers. It can be obtained from a variety of bark and lichen dyes. It's a soft color that many people find reassuring. Interestingly, if you like craft-bleaching T-shirts, black, coffee brown, and midnight blue all have a chance of fading to mauve. Top-quality tie-dye colors also creep to mauve if you do single-color tie-dye with them. Ice-dyeing and snow-dyeing will also get you some fantastic maybe-colors thanks to the magic of chemistry and physics.
Orchid
This is a bright pinkish-purple. Many orchid flowers actually are this color. It appears mostly in synthetic fibers. Sometimes people call it "thistle" but thistle flowers tend to be pink. An easy place to find it is fancy men's dress shirts, which have a lot of different almost-but-not-quite-pink tints. It's an eye-catching accent.
Oxblood
This dark red can have brownish or purplish tones. It's easy to find in leather, especially dressy shoes, but also appears widely in autumn clothes. Because the color is used by both genders, a fun switch is wearing a shoe style for a gender contrary to your appearance or the rest of your clothes, and oxblood chelseas make a great unisex shoe that isn't sneakers. This makes a very interesting choice of base color for your leather goods.
Rust
This is a fairly bright shade of orangish-brown. It has slight variations in russet, fawn, and fulvous. It's a base of autumn palettes and goes with most warm colors. It is widely available in natural fibers or leather, but harder to hit in synthetics. Some sheep come in a surprisingly bright shade of rust, almost orange. If you want an eye-catching near-neutral as one of your base wardrobe colors, rust is a good bet.
Stone rose
A grayish-pink color, this shows in some desert flowers, and certain lichen dyes. This color is just plain hard to find, but like other not-quite-pinks, great for messing with expectations.
Taupe
This is typically brownish-gray but can have purplish tones. It balances warm and cool shades, so it can go with either. You see it a lot in wool, suede, and synthetic ultrasuede. Lots of people wear this as a medium or dark neutral, especially for their leather goods.
Teal
Balanced between blue and green, teal is like a dark turquoise. It can lean either way, which influences whether it matches better with warm or cool colors. It's widely available in both natural and synthetic fibers. This is among the most popular accent colors.
Yellow-grey
Most people can't even see this one, because it requires being able to see yellow and blue colors at the same time without merging them into green, and standard human eyes don't do that trick (although there are ways that may simulate it). But there are references to it in Celtic tradition, it's an eye color in that gene pool, and I see it most often in sunlit stormclouds. I've also seen it in sheep wool, but I doubt anyone is dyeing this on purpose. You could probably get it by overdyeing soft yellow on light grey wool or blue-gray on blonde wool. If you can find or make this, it would be another interesting base color for messing with people, and looks spectacular if you have the matching eye color.
no subject
The idea of forbidden colours is so interesting and I'll have to see if I can find more on it. Unfortunately, when I tried the test in the article, I couldn't actually get my eyes to stack the plus signs together, so I have no idea if I can see bluish-yellow or not.
no subject
I used to have oxblood shoes (a long time ago); naturally the association sent me off down a rabbit-hole in Wikipedia.
Yes ...
no subject
Yes ...
For dark neutrals, brown or taupe can work depending on the shade. Black or gray work with lighter shades of oxblood.
Re: Yes ...
Re: Yes ...
And it took a while for me to think of this, but you can also buy oxblood yarn! With which to make a sweater, vest, scarf, or whatever you wish.
http://www.lmrknittery.com/module/search_content.htm?form_version=2&showSearchResults=1&search_keyword=oxblood&image.x=0&image.y=0
Re: Yes ...
I'll have to remember to go looking for shoes, I think I'm about due for another pair.
Re: Yes ...
I'm glad you liked them.
Oxblood yarn:
https://www.shesellsyarn.com/silky-wool-132-oxblood.html
https://www.amazon.com/Sirdar-Yarns-Alpine-Oxblood-405/dp/B07DYKZD4P
https://www.fabulousyarn.com/madelinetosh_merinolace.oxblood.shtml
https://www.expressionfiberarts.com/products/oxblood-pearlescent-worsted.html
>>I haven't found any good oxblood clothes yet,<<
Search synonyms: maroon, burgundy, wine, marsala, aubergine, etc. The same or similar colors appear under those and many more labels. It's a dark red with brownish and purplish aspects.
>> but I did find a few other "maybe" colours that I liked.<<
Yay!
>>I'll have to remember to go looking for shoes, I think I'm about due for another pair.<<
Also other leathergoods like belts, wallets, purses, briefcases, etc.
https://tblon.com/blogs/news/oxblood-shoes-individual-and-versatile
https://www.nordstrom.com/browse/women/shoes/sandals?filterByColor=burgundy
https://www.nordstrom.com/browse/men/accessories/wallets?filterByColor=burgundy
https://www.ebay.com/b/Leather-Briefcase-Red-Bags-for-Men/52357/bn_112554330
https://www.nordstrom.com/browse/women/handbags?filterByColor=burgundy
https://orgonomia.org/oxblood-leather-biker-jacket/
Re: Yes ...
They're all so pretty! I *really* want that merino lace one, it has such beautiful colours.
>>Search synonyms: maroon, burgundy, wine, marsala, aubergine, etc.<<
Thanks for the tip and some synonyms. I'll keep those in mind next time I'm searching online.
>>Also other leathergoods like belts, wallets, purses, briefcases, etc.<<
Oh yes. I tend to forget about things like accessories. There were some really nice sandals in those links, and some purses too, although remembering to look at the price is a good idea for me, because leathergoods have a tendency to cost more than I expect.
And those jackets! There were a couple in there that were absolutely gorgeous, in both styles, though I'm not sure if a jacket designed for men would fit me right.
Re: Yes ...
I agree, that's a favorite.
>> Oh yes. I tend to forget about things like accessories.<<
Shoes and any one other accessory make a good accent cluster. If you're the kind of person who likes to match shoes to belt or purse, it's worth having sets in more than one color.
>> There were some really nice sandals in those links, and some purses too, although remembering to look at the price is a good idea for me, because leathergoods have a tendency to cost more than I expect.<<
You can look for the same things at a cheap store if you want. However, leather is one of those places where you get what you pay for. A quality leather item is an investment that can last for years. Consider getting a cheap one to try out the color, but if you like it, either save up or use holidays to obtain something more durable.
>> And those jackets! There were a couple in there that were absolutely gorgeous, in both styles, though I'm not sure if a jacket designed for men would fit me right.<<
Probably not, but those are just examples. Women's leather jackets include some of the same color range, but it'll more likely be called burgundy than oxblood.
Gloves are another thing I didn't think of.
Re: Yes ...
That sounds like a place to start for accessories.
>> A quality leather item is an investment that can last for years. Consider getting a cheap one to try out the color, but if you like it, either save up or use holidays to obtain something more durable.<<
That sounds like a really good plan. Leather definitely seems like a good item to go for quality on.
And shopping in person would give me a chance to see what styles look good, and see what colours are available and what they look like.
I did find a pair of pants today that were oxblood/maroon coloured and actually fit! And they didn't cost a fortune :D
Re: Yes ...
Basically, think of the things you have to wear, the things you could wear, and the things you like to wear.
* You need footwear and usually socks.
* Most people want a container to carry stuff: wallets, purses, briefcases, backpacks, etc.
* Many but not all people like some sort of jewelry.
* Some outfits require a belt.
* Some weather requires a hat, and some folks just like them.
* A scarf can be weather protection or a fashion statement.
Here is a huge list of accessories. Almost nobody uses all that stuff. Most people pick a few things that they like, and in those areas, they want to have things in different colors and styles.
I am not a shoe person. It's too much of a damn hassle to find anything I can wear. However, I like colorful socks; I have several pairs of tie-dye bamboo socks that go nicely with my tie-dye T-shirts. I also like jewelry and have a huge variety of that, although some of it is functional rather than purely decorative.
The idea with tying an outfit together is to create repetitions of color or design motifs that make it look cohesive rather than chaotic. So it's useful to have sets of things that support each other, like red things or leaf designs.
One of the best places to study accessory sets is The Vivienne Files. There you can see many different examples of assembling related clothes and/or accessories.
https://www.theviviennefiles.com/
https://www.theviviennefiles.com/tag/accessories/
https://www.theviviennefiles.com/tag/french-5-piece-wardrobe/
>> I did find a pair of pants today that were oxblood/maroon coloured and actually fit! And they didn't cost a fortune :D <<
Yay!
That can make a great anchor for a fall/winter cluster. This is more plum than oxblood, but you get the idea: pants, a T-shirt, a flannel shirt, a cardigan, earrings, scarf, and shoes. Four garments and three accessories give you many options to mix-and-match with your neutral basics, or with other fall/winter colors like goldenrod or forest green.
Re: Yes ...
I love The Vivienne Files! I think I first found them thanks to one of your Shiv shopping poems, and now I follow along on a regular basis. She always has such interesting and well put together outfits, and I've gotten some good ideas from there.
>>That can make a great anchor for a fall/winter cluster. This is more plum than oxblood, but you get the idea: pants, a T-shirt, a flannel shirt, a cardigan, earrings, scarf, and shoes. Four garments and three accessories give you many options to mix-and-match with your neutral basics, or with other fall/winter colors like goldenrod or forest green.<<
That is a great idea! I'll have to keep that in mind the next time I'm doing some shopping.
Re: Yes ...
I'm happy I could help. I love jewelry, but I only wear it when I'm going out somewhere. I can't be arsed to match shoes or purse, but for people who like variety there, it really makes sense to have a few good sets in different base colors, even aside from the people who collect those things like crazy. I guess it must be different if you're the target audience and things actually work for you.
>>I love The Vivienne Files! I think I first found them thanks to one of your Shiv shopping poems, and now I follow along on a regular basis. She always has such interesting and well put together outfits, and I've gotten some good ideas from there.<<
Yay! The tag pages are really useful.
>> That is a great idea! I'll have to keep that in mind the next time I'm doing some shopping.<<
Then seriously look at clothing clusters, because there are different variations that all have their own pros and cons. See which combinations appeal to you. Some of my thoughts:
* Either a cardigan/top or top/bottom pair. These are the most powerful options with just 2 garments, because you can wear them together or separately. Especially if you like prints, it really expands your options. This is a good bet for trying out a new color.
* Outer top/inner top/bottom. A few catalogs really capitalize on this, but you don't see it as often in stores. It expands your mix-and-match options. This is great if you want to have several accent colors because you can do a set in each without breaking the bank.
* The most useful 4-piece options I've seen are the Core of Four (2 tops and 2 bottoms in the same color) and a cluster of 1 outer top, 2 inner tops, and 1 bottom. These are both good for your base colors (usually a neutral or near-neutral) and your favorite accents.
* The Expansion Four is a set of 4 tops. For some people this is super useful. Me, I find that the Vivienne Files wardrobes often wind up top-heavy. I don't want to wear the same pants twice without washing or have to wash more than once a week. Anyhow, the EF is worth a thought because some places even here will sell 4-packs of T-shirts or button-ups. Make sure you have bottoms to match and and it's an excellent buy. Gods know I'll buy an armload of T-shirts if the price is good.
* The French 5-Piece can be any combination of garments and/or accessories, meant to mix and match with your classic basics. I really like when it has 2-3 garments and 2-3 accessories. A fantastic advantage of this set is that it works so well with fashion colors. You can buy 5 new things in whichever of this season's "in" colors you love, while they're easy to find, and not break the bank. It's also the easiest option if you get bored of the same clothes. 5 in, 5 out, either two or four times a year depending on your tastes; and you never have to worry about "orphaned" items because you're moving them in batches.
* Crazy Eights are good for the colors you wear most. They often have 4 tops and 4 bottoms but can include 1-piece outfits like a dress or jumpsuit.
It used to be easier to find clusters or capsule wardrobes than it is now. Lots of places used to put out batches of clothes that would have 4-8 things -- usually pants and a skirt, several blouses, and a cardigan or jacket. Or there would be a set of identical or similar basics in a whole bunch of colors, like tops with an embroidered collar. I liked being able to buy things to mix and match, or a top and bottom kept together. Now I'm lucky if I can find anything that even fits. I admit that I look at Vivienne Files and fantasize. Hell, I miss the old Banana Republic, which never had more than a handful on the floor at the same time, and all of it tough enough to wash by beating against a rock.
Re: Yes ...
I did that! I went out yesterday looking for more shirts, and I happened to find a t-shirt that was almost identical in colour to the oxblood pants I bought. *happy flap* I almost got a plaid flannel shirt that had oxblood and other colours too, but I ended up not loving it as much, so went with other shirts instead.
Those other clusters sound useful too. I might looking for shoes or a purse at this point, or some jewellry since those seem the most likely and most versatile; I have some beige and brown neutrals that I think would pair well with the oxblood. An outer shirt might work too, though I'm less confident in my ability to find one of those that I like.
Re: Yes ...
Woohoo!
>> I almost got a plaid flannel shirt that had oxblood and other colours too, but I ended up not loving it as much, so went with other shirts instead.<<
If you like plaid flannel, keep an eye out for it. There's often some sort of oxblood, burgundy, maroon, etc. because flannel is a fall/winter fabric and those colors fit the cool dark seasons. Plaid is great as an integrator because it combines two or more colors. Plus you can wear a flannel shirt buttoned up, or open with another shirt underneath it. Outdoorsy stores like Rural King, Big R, L.L. Bean, etc. tend to have a good selection of flannels. Shop now and you could catch end-of-season sales; the spring things will arrive soon if they haven't already. Flannel will return with the fall things in mid-to-late summer.
Think about what other colors you'd like to wear with oxblood. Beige works with either purplish or brownish versions, but brown tends to work only with the brownish maroon version. Watch for the bright browns that may be called saddle, whisky, or cognac. Navy works with most. I've seen forest green too. Sometimes in the women's section you'll see the purplish burgundy with pink. If the pink is added in small stripes, it can make an eye-popping accent.
>> Those other clusters sound useful too. <<
I'm happy I could help.
>> I might looking for shoes or a purse at this point, or some jewellry since those seem the most likely and most versatile; <<
That makes sense. If you like men's shoes, don't overlook those. Oxblood has some of the snazziest dress shoes. Sometimes it appears in women's shoes too.
>> I have some beige and brown neutrals that I think would pair well with the oxblood. <<
Get those out and test them against the oxblood you have just collected. The beige is an excellent bet; it goes with most colors. Brown will depend on its color and the version of oxblood.
>> An outer shirt might work too, though I'm less confident in my ability to find one of those that I like.<<
Options include:
* Plaid flannel, which is absolutely worth waiting until you find one you love.
* Button-up cardigan that can be worn alone like a sweater or over something else.
* Open-front cardigan that can only be worn over something else, but some people like the flowy style.
* V-neck sweater that can be worn alone or over something else, especially if made with variegated yarn or a multicolored design worked into it.
* Sweater vest.
* Waistcoat.
* Suitcoat or blazer.
* Shawl or shawl-vest, very popular in the Southwest over a blouse and skirt.
Think about what kinds of garments you like to wear and what silhouettes you prefer. Consider practicalities; I don't like things that swish around so much that they snag. If possible, try to collect a more-shaped (like a suitcoat) and a less-shaped (like a flannel shirt or loose cardigan) outer top, to give yourself options.
Since you're a fibercrafter, you also have the option of making something for yourself. Hence why I included references to oxblood yarn. Consider combining it with other colors you like, such as navy or forest green. A neutral is good, but beige is the best bet and that one's light enough to stain easily. Either keep it small or go with something stain-resistant like acrylic, because beige wool won't stay beige for long. :/
Re: Yes ...
I like the look of plaid flannel, but I find it often doesn't look good on me, so I have to be really particular. I do have a blue/black/white plaid one that actually looks good, so I may yet be able to find a serviceable oxblood one.
>> If you like men's shoes, don't overlook those. Oxblood has some of the snazziest dress shoes. Sometimes it appears in women's shoes too.<<
I will keep that in mind. I think I might see if I can find a pair of suitable shoes for my monthly reward in a few days.
>>Get those out and test them against the oxblood you have just collected. The beige is an excellent bet; it goes with most colors. Brown will depend on its color and the version of oxblood.<<
This is a good idea. It also might be a good idea to wear the item I'm trying to match the next time I go shopping; I'm not so good at recalling colour from memory.
>>Think about what kinds of garments you like to wear and what silhouettes you prefer. Consider practicalities; I don't like things that swish around so much that they snag. If possible, try to collect a more-shaped (like a suitcoat) and a less-shaped (like a flannel shirt or loose cardigan) outer top, to give yourself options.<<
I tend to go for button up cardigans myself, or sweaters of any kind. I do have a few open front cardigans, but they are not usually my first choice.
>>Since you're a fibercrafter, you also have the option of making something for yourself. Hence why I included references to oxblood yarn. Consider combining it with other colors you like, such as navy or forest green. A neutral is good, but beige is the best bet and that one's light enough to stain easily. Either keep it small or go with something stain-resistant like acrylic, because beige wool won't stay beige for long. :/ <<
This is true. I would be most likely to make a shawl I think, or perhaps a scarf, so beige might be alright there, but I will definitely keep the suggestion of stain-resistant yarns in mind. Most of what I buy does tend to be acrylic anyway, since I mainly shop at mainstream craft stores.
WOW
All of the colors I chose except for navy are on this list.
Re: WOW
Check your navy to see if it tilts slightly purple. I've seen some labeled "navy" that are actually indigo. I just didn't want to list iolite and navy together because they're so close in color.
Re: WOW
Re: WOW
I got to thinking about Halley's love of "ugly" colors and it reminded me that many people think maybe-colors are ugly. I don't like all of them myself, but I love teal.
Re: WOW
- Christmas fabrics
- Some weird "wine-lover's" fabrics
- an even weirder "Farmhouse kitchen" stuff
- a collection of sports fabric in colors that clash with... eyeballs.
That's why I'm not getting much of my favorite color. If I bought new fabric, it would go together faster, but right now, the goal is to have NOTHING thrown away that's larger than 1" X 2."
Re: WOW
It's out of Waterjewel in the Whispering Sands desert, a tribe that started out poor and eventually became rich. But they kept the quilt. It uses every scrap.
* If you have a large piece, or several pieces to attach together, as a backing then it's easier to make.
* If all you have is small scraps, you sew those together to make a large piece, then sew other scraps on top in layers.
* If you don't have thread, you unravel a piece to get thread.
* It doesn't matter if the pieces match in size/shape or not. Just overlap them. If they're big enough to turn under the edges, fine, but if not just use an edge-binding stitch to hold them down.
* When a worn spot appears on the quilt, you sew another piece of fabric over that place.
They have quilts that are probably hundreds of years old, with the insides now made of fabric dust, and the outsides in more recent fabric.
Re: WOW
Re: WOW
It can be done by sewing pieces together with seams, then attaching the two big sheets. But usually it's smaller stuff layered onto a bigger bottom piece. You can either overlap the edges as you go, or fill as much as you can then patch over the gaps. It depends on whether you have a lot of same-ish piece or awkward-shaped scraps.
Bear in mind that historic pattern-piecing left much less waste, and it was usually a circle, square, or strip rather than the odd-shaped bits of today. They do get stranger shapes if cutting down a worn-out or damaged garment, though.
Fun examples of geometric patterns...
Using whole cloth:
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/57/31/ba/5731ba3187110993d2c5852182e8c088.png
Using almost whole cloth; the circles would've been used to make hats or belt pouches:
https://i.pinimg.com/600x315/3f/5c/f8/3f5cf8c1e80d6bfc9897add69f44cfd7.jpg
Re: WOW
no subject
I'm intrigued by the yellow-grey (the website is interesting). I have a lot of Celtic heritage in my background, and my father had blue eyes with a yellow ring around his pupil. My children and I have all inherited that ring. My eyes and my daughter's eyes are green and yellow, but my sons' are blue and yellow like my father's.
And it's definitely yellow, not a shade of brown.
Thoughts
Yay!
There are many lists of rare and unusual color terms, which are easy to find online.
See also the Color Ogham.
>> I'm intrigued by the yellow-grey (the website is interesting). I have a lot of Celtic heritage in my background, and my father had blue eyes with a yellow ring around his pupil. My children and I have all inherited that ring. My eyes and my daughter's eyes are green and yellow, but my sons' are blue and yellow like my father's.
And it's definitely yellow, not a shade of brown.<<
Then you probably have similar genetics and a good chance of seeing the yellow-grey and yellow-blue colors, especially if you are alert to color differences in general. I suggest that you watch for bluish-grey clouds and then look for yellow highlights from the sun.