The future looks bright

In this series exploring the world of colour, we have been looking at the art and science behind colour forecasting, how trends are identified and how colours merge, flow and develop from one year to the next.

Well, if the colour forecasts are right for 2017, we are in for a treat next year! Trend boards coming from the textile shows are showing some wonderfully bright colours reflecting a feeling of optimism in all areas of fashion. Hues are more solid, colours more intense and the brights are vibrant and bursting with life.

Fashion trend‐spotters have been speaking about an "uplifting forecast", with a real feel‐good factor. The picture above shows one palette forecast with intense brights reflecting a "renewed appeal and optimism" as fantasy comes to the fore‐front of fashion.
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The trend pages fairly breathe excitement and energy. Colours inspired by candy canes and the bright moments of summertime bring pinks and yellows together with tangerine oranges and ocean blues to give some stunning combinations.

This is especially true in kiddies' items, where Spring/Summer 2017 looks set to be big, bold and bright! We all know that babies love bright colours, so a move towards a more colourful range of items for the little ones seems a very natural choice.

So here's a new baby blanket pattern that is right on trend. This is the Liliwen Baby Blanket and features bright candy stripes of pink and yellow which would be a lovely choice for a little girl. However, the yarn I have used here, Rico Creative Cotton DK, comes in a wide range of colours and a royal blue/aqua combination would be great for a little boy.

The blanket is worked in Bamboo Rib, which is a really interesting stitch taken from our Reversible Knitting Stitches book. The stitch has a strong, vertical patterning resembling stalks of bamboo, and is easy to knit so the blanket works up quickly.

However, pink is not just for the little ones! You can celebrate your girly side with a new two‐tone jewellery roll in a bright, zingy cerise!

The Wrendale Jewellery Roll has a wonderfully textural pattern, also from our Reversible Knitting Stitches book. The knitted fabric is then gently quilted to enhance the pattern further. Inside, three zipped pockets keep your bangles and bracelets safe and your necklaces tangle free. The mesh pockets enable you to easily select the item you are searching for and the whole roll is closed with an i‐Cord loop over an antique button detail.

Well I hope you have enjoyed this exploration into the world of colour forecasting. It is always so amazing to see how long the process is, right the way from developing the ideas for trade shows such as Pitti Filati and then through to us knitting items in up-to-minute fashion colours several years later!

If you would like to read the first post in the series, then please click here and follow the links through to get back to this point. I'll be back next time with an introduction to our Reversible Knitting Stitches book!

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Reversible Knitting Stitches book, ​please click the Patterns tab above.

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