If I asked you to guess what the hardest part of creating a new colourway is, what would you guess? You might think it’s choosing the colours, but colour is everywhere and I can’t dye it all fast enough. If you think it’s formulating the recipe… well, that’s gets easier with time and now it feels almost like second nature. Nope, the hardest part might really surprise you (it does for me almost every time…)
The Hardest Part is Coming Up with the Names!
Seriously, it’s crazy-hard. You wouldn’t think it is, but I find myself turning the yarn over in my hands and struggling and struggling (and it makes me feel better to know that whenever I ask someone to help me, they have just as much trouble… phew!)
But latest colourways that we’ve chosen for full-size versions of Mini-Skein colourways were an exception. They were easy. It started with the sweater kit of the Ombre & Gradient Mix — this month, Jade and I decided to explore neutrals (something we haven’t done nearly enough. We went to the dyepots and started with a gentle progression through shades of stone, from the lightest silver to deep gray, and then highlighted each skein with washes of taupe and steel blue. Our goal was to create colourways that will blend and morph across your stitches to create something subtle yet truly stunning.
Full Skeins and Sweater Kits of SpaceCadet® ‘s April Mini-Skein Colourways!
So the logical colourway name was MoonRock, right? But, y’know, that felt just not quite right, so I began thinking a little differently. I’ve always loved the name given to the dark patches on the Moon, the Lunar Maria… perfect!
The lunar maria are dark plains on the Moon, formed by ancient volcanic eruptions. Early astronomers who mistook them for actual seas and so called them maria, the Latin for “seas”.
Like an exploration of the moon’s surface, the Lunar Maria sweater kit works through shades of Stone from the lightest silver to deep gray, and each skein is highlighted with washes of taupe and steel blue. Blended together in stitches, these shades morph to create a beautiful study in neutrals.
(Where’s the order button? This kit is exclusive to April Mini-Skein Club members. If that’s you, look for an email arriving shortly with your members-only link!)
Finding that Perfect Name
But what about names for the other colourways on offer this month? Well, Lunar Maria led me to the Wikipedia list of the features of the Moon and there I discovered an absolute treasure trove of fantastic names! How about “Sea of Cleverness” (Mare Ingenii)? Or “Sea of Crisis” (Mare Crisium)? Or even the fabulous “Sea That Has Become Known” (Mare Cognitum)?!?
Aren’t they awesome?!?
So, ok, I’ll have to use those sometime in the future (how could I resist?!?) but, in the meantime, here’s what I’ve chosen for the other Mini-Skein colourways. You can see how perfect each one is for its corresponding colourway. And for possibly the first time ever, choosing colourway names was so much fun!
Early astronomers who mistook the dark plains on the Moon for actual seas and so called them lunar maria, the Latin for “seas”. The lunar Mare Undarum means “Sea of Waves”.
Moving from glowing blues to stunning violets, and from vibrant pinks to deep greens, the shades of Mare Undarum is an adventure from one stitch to the next!
Lunar Mare 3 is the third colourway from the Lunar Maria Sweater Kit, named for the dark plains on the Moon. Early astronomers who mistook them for actual seas and so called them maria, the Latin for “seas”.
Like an exploration of the moon’s surface, Lunar Mare 3 is a stunning mid-gray stone, highlighted with washes of taupe brown and steel blue. Blended together in stitches, these shades morph to create a beautiful study in neutrals.
Early astronomers who mistook the dark plains on the Moon for actual seas and so called them lunar maria, the Latin for “seas”. The lunar Mare Anguis means “Serpent Sea”.
A stunning combination of murky yellow-greens and soft cool grays that deepen into a rich charcoal, this colourway perfectly embodies the shades of a Serpent Sea, don’t you agree?
(Where’s the order button? This kit is exclusive to April Mini-Skein Club members. If that’s you, look for an email arriving shortly with your members-only link!)