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How to Choose the Perfect Yarn Colors Online

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Choosing yarn colors online can be a daunting task. In How to Choose the Perfect Yarn Colors Online you will find helpful tips when shopping for your next project. Find the best color combinations with these free online tools from the comforts of your very own home.

I found the perfect Christmas gift for my mother who is brand new to crocheting.

She is enjoying learning all the basic stitches and I’m quite impressed because she is defying the old adage, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” She’s seventy-two and not afraid to tackle something totally unfamiliar.

I hope I’m like that at her age.

Sherbert Afghan

While researching beginner friendly patterns, I stumbled upon the Sherbert Afghan from TLYarn Crafts. I looked through the pattern and thought it would be perfect for my mother.

The beautiful soft greens and coral colors immediately spoke to me and I knew my mother would love them too.

I clicked on the link in the pattern for the Lion Brand kit that contained every color she would need to complete the afghan, but unfortunately it was sold out.

No worries, I found the individual listings of the yarn and ……

SCREEEEEECHHHHHH….. they were completely sold out.

I hunted around online and could not find the exact colors (for a decent price) anywhere.

Check out Super Simple Yarn Organization [Free Printable]

Choose the Perfect Yarn Colors Online

This dilemma sent me into a bit of a panic.

Although I feel very comfortable choosing yarn colors for knitting and crocheting toys, this was a completely different process.

I was completely unfamiliar with this particular brand of yarn. I had never actually seen it in real life so my confidence level for choosing the perfect colors was pretty low.

So if you’re ever nervously choosing colors online, hands shaking as you hover over the “Add to Cart” button, fear no more.

There are two tools that will help you choose the perfect yarn colors online every time.

This post contains affiliate links and at no cost to you I may earn a teeny tiny commission if you choose to purchase them. Please know that I only recommend products I use and love! Thank you for supporting Le Petit Saint Crochet! You can read my full (and slightly boring) full disclosure here.

Yarn Colors

Here is a list of the actual colors I chose and I couldn’t be happier with how they look all together.

Lion Brand Wool Ease Thick and Quick in the colors:

  • Fisherman
  • Slate
  • Butterscotch
  • Spice
  • Flax
  • Gray Marble

LoveCrafts

LoveCrafts is my go-to for online yarn shopping. They have the best selections of our affordable favorites to more exclusive luxury yarns.

They typically have great sales going on and I never order yarn without a coupon. If you are new to LoveCrafts, sign up to receive 15% off your first order.

But also, make sure to check your receipt when your yarn arrives. There’s usually a coupon there too.

LoveCrafts Comparison Tool for Choosing Yarn Colors

The LoveCrafts Comparison tool is a fantastic way to compare different colors of the same or different brands of yarn.

For example, maybe you want to crochet the Sherbert Afghan but you feel nervous to choose yarn colors online. Let’s walk through the process together:

Lion Brand Wool Ease Thick and Quick

(You can also find the full tutorial for how to use these tools in the video above)

  • First go to LoveCrafts.com
  • Next go to the search bar and type in Lion Brand Wool Ease Thick and Quick
  • You will notice lots of gorgeous patterns using that particular yarn
  • Look to the column on the left and find “Product Type”
  • You will see “Patterns” & “Yarns”
  • Choose “Yarns”
  • You will see three different variations of the Wool Ease Thick and Quick
  • Choose the one with thirty-one different shades
  • There will be icons of each of the different shades
  • The colors will be separated into in stock and Back in Stock sections

Now if the exact color you were hoping to purchase is out of stock click on it anyway. Let’s use the color Succulent as an example since it is currently (as of writing this) out of stock.

  • Click on Succulent (from the Back in Stock Soon section)
  • Then click on the “+ Add to Compare” box in the upper left hand corner
  • A new window will pop up
  • Under the title Add Another Shade choose the color Peacock
  • You will now see them side by side and can compare

You can see the two different colors side by side and will help you make a decision whether or not it will make a good substitute.

But you aren’t limited to just two colors. You can add up to four different colors to compare.

This tool is great not just for comparing colors but to see if those particular shades look good together.

But let’s say you don’t see a shade you like and you want to find another Super Bulky yarn to substitute.

  • At the bottom of your current comparisons, click on the trashcan icon to delete the colors you no longer want
  • Let’s just leave the Succulent color for comparison
  • Instead of clicking on “Select Shade” tab, look below
  • You will find “See More Yarn” to compare yarns of different brands
  • It will take you to Super Bulky patterns
  • Look for the menu bar at the top
  • Hover over “Yarns”
  • Hover over “Yarn Weight”
  • Choose Super Bulky
  • Click on Bernat Softee Chunky

Bernat Softee Chunky

Bernat Softee Chunky is another Super Bulky weight yarn that might make a good substitute for the Lion Brand Wool Ease Thick and Quick.

We can compare colors from the Bernat brand with our original Succulent color from the Lion Brand yarn.

  • Click on the color Seagreen
  • Now click on the Compare button
  • You will now see the Select Shade tab
  • But it is now for the Bernat brand
  • Choose Seagreen from the drop down menu

You can repeat this action to compare up to four different yarn brands. I chose to compare these four different Super Bulky brands:

This comparison tool is so simple to use and can help you choose yarn colors online.

But wait there’s more…. (flashback to 1980s infomercials, lol)

Ravelry

Ravelry also has an amazing comparison tool that can be super helpful when comparing yarns.

Not only will you be able to look at different yarns but actually see those yarns in actual projects.

  • On the top menu bar, choose “Yarns”
  • In the search bar type Lion Brand Wool Ease Thick and Quick
  • Click on the icon for Wool Ease Thick and Quick
  • In the menu bar click on Colorways
  • You will find pages of all the different colors
  • At each color icon you will see “Stashed” and “Projects”
  • On page 2, find Mustard and click on Projects
  • Here you will find all the individual project that have used the Wool Ease Thick and Quick in the color Mustard

This is such an amazing way to see the actual yarn colors in actual projects. You will be able to see the color in different lighting as well as with other colors.

But there’s an additional tool here in Ravelry that will help us to choose yarn colors online.

  • Stay in the Projects section of the color Mustard
  • There’s a menu section above the page numbers
  • Find the button “Colorway: Mustard”
  • Click on the pencil icon
  • A small window will pop up
  • Click on the drop down menu titled “or”
  • Select “and”
  • Click on the blank drop down menu below the color Mustard
  • Choose Fisherman

Now you will be able to see all the projects people have shared using the Lion Brand Wool Ease Thick and Quick in the colors Mustard and Fisherman.

You can continue adding colors to see projects that contain the shades you are looking to try.

If you add the color Blossom, you will find projects with those color combinations.

How to Choose Yarn Colors Online

With the LoveCrafts and Ravely tools you will easily be able to shop for the perfect yarn colors online.

No longer feel anxious as you open your box full of yarn colors you chose with limited information.

I hope that this has been helpful and that you will never be disappointed with your yarn colors again.

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8 Comments

  1. I started organizing my stash yesterday!! I am using the guide you shared with us earlier. Right now, my room looks a bit out of sorts, but still better than before. I should try to take before/after photos.

      1. You are absolutely right! I found a few skeins that I completely forgot about. I think this is a real boost to the knitting mojo as well.

  2. I can go to the store like Joan’s fabric ,Michael’s, Hobby Lobby ,….. and find the perfect yarn for my proyect… tanks AnaMaria Martinez.