I can sing a rainbow
I can. I had to sing that wretched rainbow song at a class assembly when I was about 6 and it has stuck with me ever since. It wasn't the highlight of my musical life (that was performing a solo at the festival hall), but I have been humming it all week. The reason for this was because of a few comments left after my last post. Helen commented on the fact that the granny square was yellow (knowing my abhorence of all things yellow), and then Pictish admired the colour of it and this got me thinking.
Firstly, the actual colour of the granny square is very difficult to describe. It's a cross of yellow and green, similar to poorly baby poo. Personally I find the colour nauseous and only used it as it was the nearest cotton to hand. It always surprises me that people can view the same colour so differently, describing it as yellow or green or mustard or whatever else, even allowing for monitor differences. This interest may have something to do with my philosophy background, where the idea of colour perception is a major area of study. This is a little introduction to the theories surrounding perception, if you're interested.
I should now say that I'm mostly quite easy going about my knitting. I will knit for myself, for family, for friends, for charity. I like knitting with laceweight and 4 ply but also have a soft spot for some of the chunky yarns. I have no problem on embarking upon a pattern that requires maximum concentration and will take months to finish but likewise I enjoy a quick FO every now and then. I like silk, cotton, cashmere, angora, wool, alpaca, hemp - basically all natural yarns are a Good Thing as far as I'm concerned. But colour? Colour is a totally different bag of frogs.
I have an irrational hatred of yellow. I find it the most nauseating colour, from the brightest egg yolk to the palest primrose, there is not a single shade that I would contemplate wearing. Orange and peach are also vomit inducing in my eyes. This violent hatred of a range of colours seems odd to me. There are colours that don't really suit me, such as pink, but I still like them. Then there are those colours that look great on me but I feel are not that inspiring (cream, beige and biscuity colours for example). But to despise a colour so much just seems irrational. There are then the colours that I love. Greens, blues, purples and browns in all their hues really float my boat. I'm sure that this is partly to do with my having typical celt colouring and knowing that these are colours I can wear with confidence, but I'm not sure this can totally account for just how inspiring and uplifting I find these shades. I also love blood reds even though I'm sure they clash with my hair. Since I started knitting again I have become so much more aware of colour and the effect it has on me. I'd be really interested to know what any of you feel about cololur and whether you feel the same level of passion about it.
And finally, DianeM asked if I was ok as I haven't posted for a while. Unfortunately real grown up life has been placing demands on me and severely curtailing knitting time. Normal knitting and blogging service will hopefully be returned soon!
Firstly, the actual colour of the granny square is very difficult to describe. It's a cross of yellow and green, similar to poorly baby poo. Personally I find the colour nauseous and only used it as it was the nearest cotton to hand. It always surprises me that people can view the same colour so differently, describing it as yellow or green or mustard or whatever else, even allowing for monitor differences. This interest may have something to do with my philosophy background, where the idea of colour perception is a major area of study. This is a little introduction to the theories surrounding perception, if you're interested.
I should now say that I'm mostly quite easy going about my knitting. I will knit for myself, for family, for friends, for charity. I like knitting with laceweight and 4 ply but also have a soft spot for some of the chunky yarns. I have no problem on embarking upon a pattern that requires maximum concentration and will take months to finish but likewise I enjoy a quick FO every now and then. I like silk, cotton, cashmere, angora, wool, alpaca, hemp - basically all natural yarns are a Good Thing as far as I'm concerned. But colour? Colour is a totally different bag of frogs.
I have an irrational hatred of yellow. I find it the most nauseating colour, from the brightest egg yolk to the palest primrose, there is not a single shade that I would contemplate wearing. Orange and peach are also vomit inducing in my eyes. This violent hatred of a range of colours seems odd to me. There are colours that don't really suit me, such as pink, but I still like them. Then there are those colours that look great on me but I feel are not that inspiring (cream, beige and biscuity colours for example). But to despise a colour so much just seems irrational. There are then the colours that I love. Greens, blues, purples and browns in all their hues really float my boat. I'm sure that this is partly to do with my having typical celt colouring and knowing that these are colours I can wear with confidence, but I'm not sure this can totally account for just how inspiring and uplifting I find these shades. I also love blood reds even though I'm sure they clash with my hair. Since I started knitting again I have become so much more aware of colour and the effect it has on me. I'd be really interested to know what any of you feel about cololur and whether you feel the same level of passion about it.
And finally, DianeM asked if I was ok as I haven't posted for a while. Unfortunately real grown up life has been placing demands on me and severely curtailing knitting time. Normal knitting and blogging service will hopefully be returned soon!
posted by Badger at 9:08 pm
5 Comments:
When I was younger my Mum had a fabric and wool shop, and I worked in there on Saturdays, tidying up and flitting about, desperately trying to "earn" my £4 (!), but we ALWAYS saw colours differently - she'd say "move that brown yarn" and I'd go to one that she saw as green - the brown one I would see as grey ! - OK maybe not quite that blatant (although sure the brown green thing happened!) but it always fascinated me.
So, with your love of celtic colours, what season is your favourite?? - My guess for you would be Autumn! But just a guess!!
Very Interesting read it got me thinking. I love blue because i love jeans and wear them all the time mainly with black or grey!! Creams all the way through to the darkest brown = warming and comforting. Love wearing creams/browns. The deep reds are also in my choosen color pallet teamed again with creams. I dislike anything that I would term 'garish' or at least is garish to my eye! Pink orange yellow anything bright or in terms of feeling Happy loud and out there. I think of colors in terms of feeling. I feel low my color choice goes to the darker end of the spectrum but still keeping within my choosen color. I feel happy the color gets brighter yet stays withing the same color range. Some ppl my term it as 'bland'!!!!!!!!
Actually I share your feelings about yellow.
When I was little, my sister had this bright yellow dress that she loved. She looked like a shiny angel in it. When the time came, it was handed down to me and I looked like a sickly, drab little thing in it. I hated that dress and wouldn't wear it even at the age of six - and I've never worn yellow since.
Absolutely adore colours, almost all of them. Since beginning knitting again I've rediscovered greens and I have to stop myself now from buying yarn in green shades. Yellow is a difficult one - I don't suit it and seldom wear it, other than one buttercup yellow shirt which for some reason I do suit, but I love to look at it. I painted one of our bedrooms yellow for this reason and loved it.
My recent NVQ course demanded purple folders for coursework and everything that was handed in, so I decided to really enter into the spirit of things and used a purple gel pen for handwritten work, and purple headings in my typed work too. I promised my tutor I wasn't being gimmicky - honest!!
I have since developed a passion for all things purple or shades thereof. Strange that....
Debs xx
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