Since my Santa piece needs a background, that became my incentive. Brad used to work for a printing ink manufactury, and he had given me this wonderful book with every color imaginable in it. I like to use it to get ideas of what colors may work together. Of course, I couldn't find it!!! I finally found my color wheel, but that didn't have big enough swatches to be useful.
Sooo...off we went to Lowe's to get paint color swatches. I had decided that anything from green to blue to purple to gray would be acceptable. I did not want a light background because the snowflakes would not stand out. I came home with lots of swatches, some totally off the wall (hey, sometimes they DO work!) and others that seemed to be what I wanted.
Since red is the predominating color, I tested my swatches along the edge of Santa's coat. I ended up not liking the purple shades at all. Some of the brighter blues went well with the red, but they weren't the effect I was looking for. What seemed to work best were the very deep teal shades with a gray tint to them.
I had three different textured fat quarters, two in shades of light gray and one in tan and light brown. I started my dye solution with 1/4 tsp. each of navy and dark green plus 1/23 of silver gray. The navy turned out to be predominant so I added another 1/2 tsp. of dark green. I scrunched up the wool in the pot and didn't stir it so that I would get a mottled effect. It doesn't show on the picture, but there is variation in shades on the finished wool.
I had time to hook in a tiny bit around Santa's hat and the tree. I think it's going to work!
Santa's pants are the final decision. I have a funky plaid that i'm going to try. I had started them in a maroon color, but decided it was too flat with the large expanse of red in the coat. Yanked it out!
We are off to have a Father's Day noon meal at the Fayetteville Firehouse. Then on to Gettysgurg for miniature golf and the new Civil War visitor's center. A Dad kind of day!
And yes, I'm taking the camera! And yes, I'm gonna bore you with the details! hehehe!!!
Using Paint Color Swatches what a good idea! I have bag full of them in my closet, now I know why I keep them LOL, Tks for the tip.
ReplyDeletei love the color that you have chosen...what a great way to make a choice, and the flakes will show so well, arlyce
ReplyDeletePat, another good learning lesson from you! Love the paint chip idea. And you chose a wonderful background color. Can't wait to see it in person. You are going to have that done in no time.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful "dad's" day out. sounds like fun, and I can't wait to see what kinds of pictures you come up share next!
Excellent....I am always learning from you! I really like this Santa!!
ReplyDeletewow paint chips of course i never thought of that but i think that will help me alot, though how do you know how to end up with the final color!!??
ReplyDeleteBeth, at the next hook-in that you come to, I'll explain how I choose. That's where the color wheel can help, but it's mainly a matter of personal preferance.
ReplyDelete