Color

I would like to meet whoever names the shades of Patterworks' wool. Why? When it comes to color, there is no writer on earth who can match these wordsmiths.

Like Aurora 8 merino wool: it's offered in shades like Cadet, Persimmon, Aubergine, Seashell, and Cantelope. And Softly, a furry nylon that you can buy in Love Potion, Jealousy, and Belladonna. 1824 wool, named for its gauge (18 stitches and 24 rows to 4 inches), doesn't have a single blase shade in inventory; it comes in Mallow, Raisin, Nectar, Dijon, Thyme, Oyster, Macaw, Damson, Heath and Charcoal, to name a few.

There are wool colors named after famous artists, gemstones, celebrities, earth elements, cities, and foods. The palettes and textures are like drugs for the eyes already, but the names make you want to haul out the credit card so you can purchase 10 skeins of Renoir or Beach Glass or Popsicle. The nice thing about Patternworks is that their products are as good or better than what you see online or in the catalog.

Other sources for unique color words: Paint chip charts and booklets (available at places like Lowe's and Home Depot) -- these can give you a new universe of words for white and pastel colors -- as wells as shades of embroidery floss, tile, wallpaper, and drapery samples, and labels on the bolts of cloth in fabric stores.