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Always something new to discover through color

Let color inspire your spinning!

Deb Menz Nov 5, 2021 - 3 min read

Always something new to discover through color Primary Image

In this pile of samples and swatches, which colors draw you in immediately? Photos by Janel Laidman

You would think after over three decades of focusing on color, I would tire of it and move on. The answer is still a resounding NO!!! There is not enough time for me to learn and use all there is to know about color.

Now, I find myself layering color on top of color, in different proportions and in different ways. I am still spinning, but also embroider with silk threads. They are not always my handspun, but always hand dyed or painted. When I start a new piece, I discover something that I didn't know would happen. Maybe I will stop when there are no surprises left! header_preparing-fiber-for-gradientcropped

Loads of color! Photo via Long Thread archives.

I am not a great computer person, but have found that on the computer, I can still make it all about color. Have you tried blenduko? It is a free app that is a color theory game. When I first heard of it and loaded it onto my tablet, I played for hours. In this game, each puzzle challenges you to place all of the colors in the "right" order. We don't always agree, but it is fun! I now have conquered all but 4 and will have to find another game when I finish.

Then my daughter introduced me to Pinterest. I made that into a quest for color combinations. I am addicted to all of those incredible photos and imagine all of the wonderful yarns I could make and embroideries to stitch. I am hopelessly addicted to looking at color, no matter what.

fiber from Deb Menz

Layers of color in bundles of fiber. Photo by author.

I am using up my stash of small bits of dyed fibers. It is a game I play that I dare myself to put colors together that I don't think will work. Either way I win—If it works, I have a great color blend and if it doesn't, then I have a challenge to see how I can make it "work" to my eyes. I have returned to playing with color, which is the true joy of it all for me!

Deb Menz is a teacher and fiber artist who has a bone-deep understanding of color. Luckily for the rest of us, she shares her knowledge in a very approachable way through her books, workshops, and videos. We asked her to share her thoughts of color, and not surprisingly, she offers a ton of great advice to keep you trying new approaches to color. 

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