Tangerine

Color of the Month for June

Welcome to my new Color of the Month series! Every month, I’ll take a deep dive into the psychology of color and offer curated moods, palettes and patterns. This oughta be fun!

PSYCHOLOGY

Tangerine,  like “orange”, is a mix of red and yellow but leans toward a paler more subtle shade. It can be attention grabbing or understated. Though softer than traditional orange, tangerine remains vibrant and dynamic and evokes energy, happiness and stimulation.

COMPATIBILITY

Because  of its strength, tangerine can play an interesting role in many palettes. It easily takes center stage among more neutral groups or combines readily with colors of equal value. Depending on how it is managed, tangerine pairs with many other colors and supports many skin tones. 

Here are some ideas! 

Understated

If you tend towards neutrals as I do and want to feature this warm, modern shade, keep things monochromatic. Pair tangerine with a complementary cool color like Celedon, then add warm neutrals such as Beige and a paler Orange.

Beachy

Anything goes at the beach, but beachy palettes work best when we pair a single neutral – in this case a pale, yellow-y Parchment – with stronger colors of similar value. Here I’ve built a nautical combination of Navy, Tangerine and Aqua. 

Earthy

Though I tend to think of Tangerine as a spring and summer color, it works successfully in early autumn too. This palette is bright though earthy and monochromatic, combining Tangerine with Burnt Orange and Champagne, then balancing with restful Periwinkle. 

Vibrant

Tangerine truly shines when combined with the colors of a sunset! I love the sassy, feminine feel of this palette. It has an air of confidence, style and modernity. The key here is “heat”. Fuchsia, Hot Pink and Gold harness the warmth of the summer sun with equally saturated hues. This is brave!

TANGERINE DREAM

Worked in an enigmatic shade of tangerine, Early Crocus will take you from sunny afternoons to chilly evenings bringing a little dab of extra warmth. Lined with rows of delicate eyelet flowers, this simple triangular shawl is an easy spring accessory and a beautiful transitional knit.

Lined with rows of delicate eyelet flowers, this simple triangular shawl is an easy spring accessory and a beautiful transitional knit. A border of drop stitch ribbing topped with a few rows of simple garter traces its way around the V-shaped edge, promising a delightfully meditative project. Early Crocus is a pleasant knit aimed at those who are new to shawl knitting. A combination of basic techniques along with classic shaping make a perfect first shawl project that invites interesting color and fiber choices.

There is something so soothing and intuitive about knitting a triangular shawl. The cleverly placed increases and classic three-cornered shape are so rhythmic to knit. As you’ll see, I love juxtaposing casual and folksy stitch patterns with modern yarns, colors and shapes. When I began to design this easy spring wrap, I went straight to the time-honored stitches of Barbara Walker. Within two of her several admirable stitch dictionaries, I found the delightfully quaint stitches I used to compose Early Crocus. Simple and easy to understand yet elegant, these traditional stitch patterns help to create an easy spring wrap in a classic triangle shape.

I hope you’ll enjoy working with this year-round favorite color!