The colors you choose for your crochet photo pattern will either make or break the finished piece. That’s why it’s extremely important that you select the best colors you can find. This article will show you how to choose yarn colors for both gray scale and full color patterns.

USING The Yarn Color Chart

Each pattern comes with a Yarn Color Chart that contains images of the colors the pattern requires. For gray scale patterns, I provide the yarn color names for each color in the color chart to make shopping easy for you. The above chart includes shades in brown and gray, the two most frequently requested color sets (RHSS is Red Heart Super Saver, VC is Vanna’s Choice yarn, and RHCL is Red Heart Classic yarn).

As you are probably aware, companies discontinue yarns and colors all the time. I do my best to keep this chart up to date, but if you can’t find a color listed above, there is a way to easily find a substitute for it.

1. There are 8 shades in each color set: Color 0 is always black; Color 7 is always white or off white.
2. After Black, the next color, Color 1, is the darkest shade you can find in the color. The color directly before White, Color 6, is the lightest shade in that color you can find.
3. Substitute the remaining shades (Colors 2-5) in the chart as needed, progressing from dark to light.

As long as the yarn is worsted weight (#4) and acrylic, you can choose from any brand (see Choosing Yarn Colors in the Same Weight Category below).

More Gray Scale Colors

I also include a color chart at the end of every gray scale pattern that includes shades in a number of colors (e.g., purple, pink, green).

These shades were selected by a fellow crochet portrait artist and represent her best guess as to which colors along a continuum of eight shades will work in crochet photo patterns.

Therefore, when selecting shades in these other colors, be sure to line up the yarn skeins next to each other to ensure a smooth transition from dark to light shades as described above.

You may find that another shade of the color works better than the shade in this  chart.

Full Color Patterns

Selecting yarn colors for full color patterns is a bit trickier. The only tools you have to guide you are the pattern cover image and the yarn color chart.

Therefore, it’s important that you make a clear, crisp COLOR copy of each to take with you when you shop for yarn.

To come closest to the colors in the pattern, compare the yarn colors you choose with the colors in the cover image, the yarn color chart, and the original photo, and select the best yarn colors available.

If you’re still not comfortable selecting the yarn colors, I can do that for you for a total pattern cost of $40.

NOTE: Portrait and other patterns that contain faces are done in gray scale only.).

Choose Yarn Colors in the Same Weight Category

Whether you are selecting colors for gray scale or full color patterns, as long as the yarn you select is medium, worsted-weight (#4) acrylic, you can choose yarn from among different brands (e.g., Red Heart, Vanna’s Choice, Bernat, Plymouth).

This will increase the likelihood that you’ll find good matches. Just be aware that Caron’s Simply Soft is not a medium, worsted-weight yarn; it’s more of a light worsted- or DK-weight yarn.

Shopping for Yarn Online

Hopefully, you have a few of the “big box” craft stores near you where you can see the yarn colors in person. But this isn’t always the case.

If you must shop online, create a one-page Word or Open Office document with the cover image and yarn chart on it.  Have this document open so you can compare the pattern colors with the images of the yarn colors included at the online yarn store. Then make the best selections you can.

When the yarn arrives, you may discover that one or two shades aren’t the color you thought they would be. If this happens, you’ll have to go back to the online store and choose another color. But hopefully, having the wrong color will steer you toward a better match.

Choosing the right colors for your crochet photo pattern doesn’t have to be rocket science. But you do need to take your time and carefully consider your choices in order to make the best possible color selections.