Wool hooked rugs~ color pairing

When I see color, my mind makes a connection.

In early April when I pulled my Plum (ProChem 822) sample from the pot...

I saw lilac petals, deep plum, just before them open & I made a sketch.

Our lilacs are just beginning to open and

it is just the color I hoped for!

Mottle purple, ProChem Violet 817, next to a warm gray texture.

Some colors and textures play so nicely together!

I hook a lot of color into my rugs.

Sometimes it is because I only have small pieces and

I need to mix several (close friends) in order to fill an area.

Other times, I have the most amazing dyed/overdyed

mottled yard of goodness! Plenty to fill a large area.

Thought I would share how I come to my backgrounds and

color planning before I use up the reference pieces~

ProChem Violet #817

I will always call it Caryn's violet, a treasured friend that shared

a sample of dye in a baggie. 

Some friends share eggs & sugar... this is much better for my waistline (giggle)

Inglehoffer horseradish jars are the best little containers

to reuse. With a very curious lab pup I don't leave anything to chance.

Out of the baggie & into the jar!

The dotted wool hooks nicely on a #7 cut.

I didn't have to go smaller on this pattern.

I have this texture in plum, forest green, orange and blue. 

Found all four pieces from different sources.

The butter cream yellow is very soft and plush~

Look how pretty the texture is in the scallop!

A solid would have worked nicely...

However there was a little room for some excitement~

A little area of the background and the

two pieces I am using for it.

The green stripe: I am cutting my strips with the line.

Giving me three different values.

The mottled violet, blue, green goodness does 90% of the work.

I like to add a strip of the bright green stripe for movement and

a line of the blue-green stripe to tie the purples and greens together.

The mottled piece of wool, all by itself would be beautiful.

I wanted to tuck in a little more green.

Mottled wool is a gift from two very talented rug hookers & dyers.

One are of this mottled violet, purple, lavender, green, blue, teal

wool piece... could plan the entire rug!

I have a large project board that I clip my pattern to 

when selecting my colors.

First color, the main subject, the focal point. I want to LOVE this color.

I clip that color beside the rug.

Then I begin thinking about my background.

Sometimes it takes several (all in the family colors) pieces for me

to have enough to fill. Then I want to be sure to have a

highlight, a shadow and some textures.

How different one mottled piece of wool can be!

How do that make this magic happen?

In this image, the wool is more purple and gold...

In the previous (same wool piece) more blue, teal and green!

Hope you're having a great week, Friends!