I have a fantasy in which I am hired by a yarn company to come up with names for all their colorways. Total carte blanche to name them any way I want, using any wild inspiration that tickles my fancy. They pay me big bucks to do this, too.
Until the day this fantasy becomes realty, I’ll have to settle for naming colorways for yucks.
Today I’m coming up with lists of colorways based on my favorite YA novels. Nothing newer than the ’80s in this list. That sure dates me. Here are a couple of these lists.
Colorways inspired by The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
- Daughter of Eve: Apple-y colors, green and red
- Hide and seek: A shadowed brown, like the inside of a wardrobe
- Turkish delight: A light, frosted pink color, just like traditional Turkish delight, made with rose water.
- Tea with Mr. Tumnus: light tea browns mixed with pink tea rose
- Always winter: A pure, blue-white with blue-ish crystals mixed in.
- The stone table: Variegated grays and browns, like gray granite.
- Always a king or queen in Narnia: Rich royal purple
- Deep magic: A deep, dark purple, with shimmers of a lighter blues or purples in silk.
- Aslan is on the move: variegated oranges, like a lion’s mane if the lion was also a god.
Colorways inspired by Island of the Blue Dolphins, by Scott O’Dell
- Cormorant wing: Iridescent black.
- Abalone: Rosy base with bits of mother-of-pearl shimmer.
- Blue Dolphins: The exact grayish, blueish color of a dolphin
- Sea otter: A soft, velvety gray-brown
- Rontu: A rusty-yellow color
- Devilfish: Blue of ocean water with shimmery brown and black
I may make this a regular post. There’s so much inspiration just on my own shelves. Plus it’s so enjoyable to share my favorite books with others.
All She Wants To Do Is Knit 
Have you heard of that brand Posh Yarn? Because I think their colourway names would be right up your street!
googling…
Those are some creative names. Particularly like “lipstick a little too bright.”
Love your idea and the color names are awesome!
I would totally buy all of those Narnia colourways.
I love geeky and interesting yarn names. Although it did lead to me stash diving the other day muttering to myself “I swear I had some more ‘fights like a girl’ in here”
(yarn vs zombies – http://www.etsy.com/transaction/117912512?)
I loved Island of the Blue Dolphins when I was a kid. It triggered quite the ocean obsession for a while…
Did you ever see the movie version? Used to love that too. Should check to see if I can find it on Netflix. .
I didn’t even know there was one!
Oh yes. From the 70s.
Love the names and great book too!
Books, not just book. 🙂
These are great!
There’s just so much in a name! When you do get that job and need an assistant…..call me !:)
You would be totally awesome as a muse for a yarn company needing inspiration for colours and names!! I want those colours now! 😉
Dear universe. If you’re paying attention…
Probably you should just start your own yarn company.
What lovely thoughts – so inspirational. Keep following that dream!
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I don’t think I could love this any more if I tried! Maybe you should be chief yarn namer for The Golden Skein?!!
I’d be happy to help you name anything in your shop, from the color if your yarn to the color of your carpet.