Colour sayings

After I posted with the titles "red and green should never be seen", which is the version of the saying I grew up with, I have had a couple of emails from people with the ones they know.
After much googling it seems there are lots of variations on this saying - I wonder why on earth people felt the need for them all?
Actually looking at them now they all seem to feature green- I wonder if it's just because more words rhyme with it?

But it also seems that not only are there variations on the saying, there are lots of different ending- you can mix and match to your pleasure!

Some I have found are:
Red and green should never be seen...
Blue and green should never be seen...
Pink and green should never be seen...

Some of the possible additions are:
...except on an Irish queen/ colleen
...without something inbetween
...without yellow inbetween
...except on fools and flowers (the only non-rhyming one?)

Other non-related sayinsg I found wee:
Never wear brown in town
Fawn should not be worn
Only wear yellow if you are mellow

I think the theory that these rules are just based on rhyming words does seem to fit.

Back To Beading

I first made these "Sea Urchins" when Carol Perrenoud visited the UK back in 2003 and have always meant to bead another one.

As soon as I started this colour challenge I was itching to bead one with yellow dagger beads and violet seed beads. Which of course are each others complementaries and a combination I have fallen in love with!

Unfortunately I found it hard to track down large, solid-yellow dagger beads in the UK in the quantity I needed- 135.

I did manage to find 20 small ones in a solid bright yellow and some large ones in a transparent yellow but neither were what I wanted.

But last night I raided my bead stash and found these transparent yellow small ones so thought I'd give it a go with them.

But now I've started I'm not sure.

I still used size 8 seed beads but think I should use size 11 instead so the daggers/ spikes are still the same scale as they are on the others.

But can I bear to start again?

Black And White

I love the combination of black and white mixed with a strong colour and the addition of red is one I have used before.

Whilst away in New York I don't have access to all of my bead stash- only what I have bought since arriving here but a quick visit to a craft shops arms me with a crochet hook and some thread so bead crochet it is then!

I bought these striped beads (one of my favourites in the world) and the red ones meaning to bead some kind of spiral with them so that the red beads could stick out and spiral around- and bead crochet fits the bill.

These bracelets are quick to make- maybe 90 minutes start to finish? And are ideal to bead in front of the TV as once you've strung all the beads on it's simply a matter of crocheting.

The first one I beaded:


I then made a smaller scale piece to match:

Lastly one with green beads:

One Red Done

I have now finished one of my red projects for Bead magazine's colour special. I can't finish the next one until I get hold of a nice, strong magnetic clasp.

Then I just need to crack on with my fourth version- which will be red and green.

Red and green is a great example of a complementary colour scheme (using two colours opposite each other on a colour wheel) whilst the necklace I have finished is monochromatic (using just examples of one colour) and the unfinished one is analogous (using colours next to each other on the wheel, with this example using all the colours in the wheel.)

If you want some help coming up with a scheme then this is a great website.

Red and green should not be seen PT 2

Still working with red and this time have decided to match it with its complement- green.



This isn't usually a colour scheme I like at all- not even really at Christmas (which I really like!) so I wasn't too enthusiastic about using it.

But, as has freqently happened during this challenge, once I sat down and worked with it my feelings changed and I like it now.

In fact I can't think of a scheme I have used that I haven't grown to love.

Does familiarity breed love?

Yet more red

I'm still working on my series of herringbone ropes for the red months in my Colour Challenge and have almost completed the red+ mixed colours version. It just needs its hidden clasp added.

I've now started to bead my all reds version and as soon as this one is done I'll be beading one in red and its complementary colour- green.

I began this red version planning to just use reds but found that you could nto see any distinction between them as the rope grew so I went back to the drawing board and added in pinks and red-violets so you could actually see some of the work I was putting in!

Still In The Red

After a busy halloween I'm back to beading and still working away on my latest herringbone rope.

This one is 3/4 of the way done and then just needs the hidden clasp added.

As soon as this one is done I'll be making one all in reds and then I hope to bead one in red and green- as long as I get the time!

No Rest For The Wicked

I'm on a roll now- after months of not feeling very creative, this colour challenge has had the desired effect and I'm itching to create at any opportunity!

I'm currently working on a new herringbone rope necklace. I have made a couple of these before, see here and here.

This one will be like the second one and will have a hidden clasp.

To fit in with my colour challenge I'm going to make a couple of these based on red colour schemes.

My first one matches reds with greens, blues, violets, oranges, pinks, yellows and golds- in fact every colour on the colour wheel and every shade inbetween!

An analogous colour scheme is where you use colours next to each other on the colour wheel.
Previously when using red in an analogous scheme I have matched it with yellow and orange- but this time I'm matching it with every colour but using red as the dominant colour.

The reds I am using go from bright "red, red" to pink, to violet and to orangy-reds. Click on the photo for a larger view.


The contrast colours I'm using go from blue, to green, to violet, to gold, to orange, to yellow and just about everything in between- I just grabbed tubes and tubes of beads and went for it! Click on the photo for a larger view.

This will appear as a project in a future issue of Bead magazine.

Geometric 3-1-1

I finally finished my new set of beaded beads all done in reds with bright colours to match which I have been working on for a few weeks.

I decided I wanted to make these nice and bright so added in yellow, orange, blue, green, teal and purple.


You can wear them all threaded onto a bangle at once or indivually- or any combination inbetween.

Colourful Temari

I had a busy day today temari-ing- something I've been itching to do for a while. I love using threads and of course they're just another excuse to play with colour!

The first one I made was a Rose Garden design and, as I'm still working away using reds, I used an analogous scheme with red, orange and yellow.

The second was more complicated, and probably the most complicated one I have made, and uses an "interlinked pentagon" design.

Again to keep in with the challenge I used 12 different reds. Right from orangy-red, through pinky-reds and violet-reds, and teamed them with a green as the contrast colour.

As I made this one I used pins to help me see where I needed to work and planned to add another embellishement to the centre of each pentagon at the end.

But once I had finished I decided I liked the look of them so may leave them in, at least until I decide what else to do.

More Colourful

If my previous post with colour games tempted you then why not try these ones.

New book

- Testudinarious
- Divisia
- Coloury
- Flemingin
- Porret
- Glenting

I'm loving my new book- "A dictionary of colour" by Ian Paterson. Now I just need to try and fit those words into everyday conversation!


The definitions are:

- Gleaming, shining brightly
- A yellowish green- linked to a baby's leak!
- having colour/ possessing an abundance of colour
- Having the colour (and other characteristics) of a tortoise or tortoise-shell
- A yellow dyed used for silks
- The coloured ribbons used in bull-fighting

Now, obviously I'm not going to make it easy for you- so see if you can match up the definition to the word.

Red and green should not be seen?

Still on red and at the moment using using that classic complementary scheme- red and green.

I have so often heard "red and green should not been seen" but that makes no sense. Mind you I also often hear "blue and green should not be seen" so I guess it's used for anything "and green"

Red and green are opposite each other on the colour wheel which makes them ideal partners - and a classic combination which begins to be especially apparent at this time of year.

I'm still working away on my red beaded beaded but as a bit of variety I've decided to crochet myself a necklace inspired by a scarf fringing I saw recently.

I want lots of red cherries with green leaves hanging from a long, green crocheted chain- well, that's the plan.

I can't decide at the moment whether to mix up the reds I use or stick with one. So, I'm just working with one at the moment.


I think looking at them that just going with one will be best as then they'll be more cherry-like.


We'll see!

Getting ready for blue

Ok, I know blue is a few months off but today was The Big Bead Show (you can read more about it here on my blog) and I managed to buy yet another blue cabochon from Designer Cabochons.


It was only as I took the photo that I realised the only things I bought today featured the blue and brown colour combination I love so much- the do perfectly together- wonder if I can work out a way to use them in the same project?

Beginning with reds

I have begun, finally, working in reds and realise that once again it's a colour I rarely use.

I did use it in a analogous scheme with my red embroidered cuff.



Then mixed with black and white for a more monochromatic scheme in Geometric 3-4-1.


I'm now working away on sets of interchangable beaded beads based on work in my Geometric Beadwork series and playing around with red.

I began with a mix of reds and decided that rather than use any colour "rules" I woudl just put in any other colours I felt like.

I wasn't happy at first as it was all a bit random and they didn't seem to go together at all.

But once I looked at what I had beaded it soon became apparent that there were two groups.

The first used darker beads so I took these off and put them onto a metal chain.


The second used brighter colours and it's now this group that I'm working on to make lots more.


I'm hoping that just playing around with reds will teach me a lot about what works with it and what doesn't.
Check back to see if my plan works!

Reverse Chilli Bead

I have now beaded a new version of my Chilli Beaded Bead- but this time swapped around the orange and purple beads and used purple crystals instead of orange.

I was interested to see how different they looked and although it's a simple colour swap it really does make a different.

The bead with more orange looks a lot larger- this is because the lighter colour 'expands' it visually. That's why people tell you to wear black if you want to look slimmer!

A similar effect is apparent in my piece Geometric 3-4-4.
3-4-4a looks a lot larger than 3-4-4b as the use of colour in the 'valleys' makes them visually expand and when the two bracelets are put next to each other it is hard to believe they are exactly the same- just the use of black is swapped.

Another visual difference is that the green on the 'purple' bead looks a lot darker than it does on the 'orange' one. On the orange it is a lot 'springier'.


I am teaching these beaded beads in New York in November.

Chilli Bead

A new beaded bead today- I'm loving making these at the moment!
I need to move onto red soon but I'm away and didn't realy pack any red beads with me so am sticking with orange instead.

The colour scheme for this one was inspired by a plant I saw on my recent trip to Arundel Castle.


I loved the mix of green red/ orange and purple and couldn't resist translating that into a simple colour scheme.



The original photo/ plant had more green in it but as I'm working with orange I upped the use of that colour instead.

Analogous Beaded Bead

My new beaded bead is all done- I can't wait to start using red in October!

Analogous Orange Scheme

After working in a monochromatic colour scheme for the past week and watching everyone else having fun with colour I'm itching to spice things up.

I'm still working on my Colour Challenge and the colour I'm using now is orange.

So far I've mixed it with blues for a complementary scheme, browns and yellow for a toned down look and pink with teal and gold for a sunshine look.

This time I have gone for an analogous scheme so am using red, orange and yellow.

Color by COLOURlovers

Onye 4

Well- she's all beaded now and I'm delighted with her.


This was a real lesson in perseverence as well as actually being sensible and think about what you're beading before you go down the wrong path- I would have saved myself a lot of unnecessary beading and chopping if I'd done that first.

I am really pleased with the way the colours worked out. That was my first hurdle as I wanted the piece to look green (a monochromatic scheme) but found that all of the greens I put with it just weren't the right one.
They were too blue, too yellow or even just too bright.
Eventually I settled on... gold

Ok, they're not completely gold but when looked at away from the beadwork they're definitely more a greenish-gold than a goldish-green. A lot more gold than they look in this first picture.

In this second picture you can see that whilst there is green in there they're definitely more gold- and there's lots of red and blues too.


But in the finished piece they look green- which works for me!

Work In Progress- Day 4

If you ever thought beadwork appears by magic prepare to have your illusions shattered!

So far I have chopped this piece up 4 times and I think I’m going to have to do it again.

I’m finally getting somewhere and love the colour but it’s what do I do next about the design.

You see I had got my maths all figured out so the number going around my central crystal is divisible by 6- except I now want to add 8 crystal around it.

I’m only 1 bead a row out.

That’s not much.

I’m going to chop it up anyway.

What would happen if I went along and cracked out 1 bead a row all the way across the width of my work?

Would I crack a wrong bead?

Would I snap a thread?

Would it ever work?

Would it always look wrong?

Am I just being lazy and should I bite the bullet and chop it all up again?

Eventually I reason: “Nothing ventured, nothing gained” and in I go.

Well, so far, so good.

I cracked out the beads- taking the first 2 rows down from 66 beads to 64 beads and wove and wove and wove through with a new thread before it all unravelled and fell apart (of course I snapped a few threads cracking the beads- I wasn’t going to get away with it that easily!)

It all seems to look ok and I’m now onto my 2^nd surrounding rivoli so fingers crossed it works out this time as otherwise I can see the crystal not surviving its rapid trip towards the nearest wall…

Work In Progress- Day 2

Still beading Onye version 4.

Ok, I then moved onto an emerald green which didn’t work.

Out came the scissors

Then a bluey-green.

Out came the scissors.

Why is it not obvious these don’t work until I have beaded at least 2 components which are all joined together?!?!

Now I have settled on a dark greeny-gold.

But it soon becomes apparent that though my maths are correct and I have the right number of beads etc, my geometry is a bit off- there is no way the number of surrounding rivolis I had planned will actually fit.

I had not taken into account the curvature of the large crystal being different.

Of course not- I’m just a simple beader!

As soon as I stand back and take a look at it I want to smack my own head as it is so obvious they wouldn’t fit (I’m too embarrassed to tell you how many I had planned!)

Why did I not take the simple step of laying the whole thing out flat and just seeing if it would work first?

Out come the scissors…

Work In Progress- Day 1

I’m off in Chichester again teaching a 6-day long geometric beadwork class and am really looking forward to spending all that time immersed in it and seeing what people produce (I will be running the same class again next year if you’re interested- who knows how it will have developed by then!).

Whilst I’m here I’m determined to get some of my own beading done and once again I’m working away on another Onye Pendant. This time though I’m using a much, much larger crystal for the centre.

My first problem is what colour to put with it. Of course most of my bead stash is sitting at home and try as I might I just can’t find the right green to use along the edge. This light one looked ok until I began adding extra rivolis around the outside edge and then it was obvious it was all wrong.

So out come the scissors…

Colour Project

I bought this frame on my way back from Liverpool and am itching to bead some panels to sit inside it- not sure it will work but will give it a go when I get a chance.

Colourful Liverpool

A vist today to the Tate Gallery in Liverpool to see their exhibition on colour. Unfortunately no photos were allowed.

These were some great pieces, especially 'Eight paintings with eight colours' by Katharina Fritsch, pieces by Gerhard Richter, some of Damien Hirst's 'spot paintings' and 'Zobop' by Jim Lambie.

Inspiring Orange

A visit to Arundel Castle and its gardens again today.

Last time I was looking for yellow but this time it was orange I was seeking out.



Also loved the texture of this bobbly plant


Great orange chillis


Loved this scheme- red, orange and yellow are to be expected but the added bonus of purple is fab!


A close up of the mixed scheme.


Purple and green- will file away for future use!

St Petersburg Pots

For the next issue of Bead I'm making little pots using St Petersburg chain- an old project I came up with a few years ago but never did anything with.
So of course I'm working them in orange, brown and yellow- trying to keep to the challenge!

Onye 3

I'm on an Onye Roll!

As soon as I came up with original pendant I knew I wanted to bead a version with eyes in.

It took me a while but I eventually manged to track down ones in the right size and colour, now how to complement blue eyes?

Well, orange and blue are complemenary colours so they work perfectly. But after already beading 2 of these in strong oranges I wanted to tone it down so based the sheme on browns and oranges.

This pendant will appear as a project in issue 19 of Bead magazine.

Onye 2- (Tropicalimso)

Well, she's all done and I love her!

In the end I used orange, pink, teal and gold- sunshiny, happy colours.

This will appear as a project in issue 19 of Bead magazine.