Exploring Knitting with Intentional Low-Contrast Color Palettes

The principle of contrast is one of the foundations of a successful colour palette. Contrast, whether of hue, value, or saturation is what makes colours pop next to each other. Most of the time, high-contrast palettes are recommended for knit and crochet projects since high contrast is easier to work with. But this article will explore the creative possibilities of intentional low-contrast colour palettes. While these types of palettes can be risky, pulling one off yields incredibly rich, unique results.

If you haven’t already, I recommend checking out Tabetha Hedrick’s article What’s the Difference Between Hue, Value, and Saturation? This article will help you get familiar with some of the terms I’ll be using to describe different types of contrast.

What is Contrast, Anyway?

Briefly, contrast refers to the level of difference between two colours. This could refer to contrast of temperature (a warm and a cool colour), saturation (a muted colour and a bold one), value (a light colour and a dark one), and more. High-contrast palettes pair colours with a large difference between the two, i.e. a very light and very dark colour, while low-contrast palettes pair colours with minimal differences. Pastel palettes, dark autumnal palettes (such as most of the colors in SweetGeorgia’s Enigma collection), seasonal colour palettes, and jewel tone palettes are all examples of low-contrast colour palettes. While these colour palettes are stunning, they can be tricky to work with in a knit or crochet project. Many makers are apprehensive about working with low contrast colour palettes The key is knowing when and how to use them. This article will primarily focus on contrast of value, since this is the form of contrast that tends to trip makers up most often.

Why High Contrast is More Popular than Low Contrast

As they say, master the rules before you try to break them. The key to pulling off a successful, intentional low-contrast colour palette is actually to understand why high-contrast palettes are usually recommended instead. Most of us have heard of the greyscale test—taking a black and white photo of yarns to check their contrast of value and whether they stand out next to each other. This is particularly helpful for techniques where colours have to interact with each other extensively, like colourwork, since value contrast makes it easier to see intricate motifs. It’s disappointing to put hours of labour into a multicolor shawl or sweater, only to find that the pattern doesn’t show up—which is why high-contrast palettes are considered the rule of thumb.

But what if you want a softer look for your project? Maybe you’re trying to tone down a bold, graphic motif or capture a certain seasonal mood. Or what if you’ve found some colours that sing together, but they have similar values? Enter intentional low-contrast colour palettes.

Tip 1: Keep One Form of Contrast

As mentioned above, contrast is a spectrum that extends in multiple directions. If you’re trying to pick two colours with similar value to use together, try giving them another form of contrast to play off of each other. In the example below, I used contrast of hue by pairing two complementary (opposite on the colour wheel) shades, a purple and a yellow/brown, with similar value. This gives them enough tension to differentiate them even though their lightness/darkness is quite close together.

Tip 2: Pick the Right Pattern

The main pitfall of low-contrast colour palettes is that they tend to blur or obscure sections of the different colours, making patterning harder to see. One easy workaround is putting low-contrast colours into patterns that employ stripes or colour blocking, where the sections are large and clearly defined rather than the smaller shapes of colourwork motifs. And low-contrast colours can soften the hard lines between sections for a more organic look. Thin stripes will melt into a gently varied fabric, while large chunks of colour will stand out without clashing.

Brioche and lace are also good options for low-contrast palettes. For brioche, make sure to use Tip 1 so that your foreground and background colour are still different enough to show the patterning. Lace looks particularly beautiful in a low-contrast combo, since the lack of clashing between colours leaves the stitches front and center.

If you’re hoping to use low-contrast colours in other forms of colourwork, opt for strongly defined motifs, particularly geometric or simple organic patterns, rather than delicate ones. The tiny details of a delicate colourwork motif will get lost in a low-contrast palette.

Tip 3: Use the Softness to Your Advantage

To really lean into the possibilities of low-contrast palettes, look for ways to intentionally use their blended watercolor look to create cool effects. Two-color slip-stitch cables look particularly good when the stripes underlying the cables are blurred, allowing the textural elements to shine. Selectively using low contrast in one section of a piece can allow a different, higher-contrast section to pop. When we see the lack of contrast as a strength rather than a weakness, it opens up a world of subtle, nuanced options.

Putting Low Contrast Colour Palettes into Practice

When in doubt, swatch! We often see swatching as a necessary inconvenience, checking for anything that might be wrong with our yarn combo. But when experimenting with low-contrast colours, see it as creative playtime. You might find out that your combination of colours and pattern might not be a good fit and save yourself time. But more importantly, you might discover effects you never would have put together otherwise. You never know how something will look—and it might just become your new favorite.

I hope this has taken the fear out of low-contrast colour palettes, and you’re feeling inspired to tackle these tricky combos with intentionality!

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To learn more about colour theory and designing colour palettes for knitting and crochet projects, please check out our courses Knitting with Hand-Dyed Colour, Colour Play, and Colour Mastery at the School of SweetGeorgia.