I usually wait patiently to see what the Pantone Colour of the Year will be before I start forming opinions.
Usually.
This year, however, I was not so patient.
Because apparently I have discovered that there are quite a few companies out there who don't actually wait for Pantone to tell them what colour they should like.
Who knew?
And really, who could blame them? After some of the rather dubious selections we've been presented with in previous years, perhaps everyone has decided they can do better.
Last year's Cloud Dancer was a perfect example.
When I first saw Cloud Dancer, my immediate reaction was less “How beautiful!” and more “What the...?”
Boring.
Very, very boring.
So, instead of patiently waiting for Pantone to make its grand announcement for 2027, I started peeking at what everyone else was doing.
Yes.
I really did.
I think I was secretly hoping that something gorgeous would appear and make me think, Ooooh, I need that colour in yarn.
So far? Meh.
Maybe not.
But there are some interesting contenders, and since I spend a considerable amount of my time thinking about yarn rather than paint, I thought I'd take a look at what these colours might mean from a crocheter's point of view. And while at this point, I would most certainly not choose to create a blanket using all these colours there is potential.
Because a colour can look perfectly respectable on a wall.
But would I actually buy the yarn?
That is the important question.
Behr – Grounded
Behr has chosen Grounded (T27-01) as its 2027 Colour of the Year. It is described as a mossy olive green with earthy brown undertones.
My opinion?
Nope. Never. NUP!!
This is possibly the worst thing that could happen to any self-respecting brown.
And what have they done to it?
They've added green.
Yep.
The dreaded green.
Now, you can like green. Many people do.
I DON'T LIKE GREEN.
So perhaps I'm not the ideal person to judge this one.
Could I use it in yarn?
Technically, yes.
Would I?
I'd probably walk straight past it in the yarn shop and pretend I hadn't seen it.
Dutch Boy – Deep Rooted
Dutch Boy has gone in a completely different direction with Deep Rooted (311-7DB), a rich, earthy orange with a terracotta feel.
My opinion?
Yeah. I can live with that.
Actually, I quite like it.
It's a deeper burnt orange, and I happen to like orange.
So I can confidently give this one a thumbs up.
More importantly, I can see this working beautifully as a yarn colour.
A warm orange like this could be gorgeous in a shawl, blanket or textured accessory, particularly paired with cream, rust, deep brown or even a rich blue.
Now we're getting somewhere.
Valspar – Cottage Door
Valspar has selected Cottage Door (V138-4), which they describe as a muted, mid-tone blue with a soft, warm quality.
My opinion?
They say this is blue.
Buttttt...
To my eye, it looks suspiciously like a blue that someone accidentally added a little teal green to.
And I think I have already made my feelings about green perfectly clear.
So I'm going to keep moving.
I'm not saying it's an ugly colour.
I'm just saying it's not coming home with me from the yarn shop.
Graham & Brown – Rose Earth
Graham & Brown has gone for Rose Earth, a warm earthy pink with soft clay and muted brown undertones.
My opinion?
Now we're talking.
I like this one.
It's not a screaming pink, and it's not one of those sugary pinks that makes you feel as though you've accidentally walked into a Barbie convention.
It's softer and more grown-up, with those earthy undertones giving it a little more depth.
And yes...
I could absolutely see this in yarn.
I can already imagine it worked into a soft shawl with cream, dusty rose, perhaps a deeper berry or even a touch of brown.
This one gets a tick from me.
WGSN & Coloro – Luminous Blue
Now we get to WGSN and Coloro.
WGSN is a global trend-forecasting company, while Coloro provides the colour system behind their colour forecasts. Their 2027 Colour of the Year is Luminous Blue, and they've also announced four S/S 2027 Key Colours: Energy Orange, Pop Pink, Meadowland Green and Clay.
So technically, they have picked one Colour of the Year.
But then they've also arrived with four other colours.
Greedy?
Perhaps.
Although I suppose they would probably call it providing a complete colour direction for the season.
I call it not wanting to miss out on anything.
If you tried to paint an entire room using all five colours at once, you could potentially end up with a spectacular hot mess.
But thankfully, I don't think that's the intention.
So let's break them down.
Luminous Blue
I actually like this one.
It's a strong, vibrant blue with enough personality to make it interesting without becoming completely ridiculous.
And yes, I could absolutely see myself buying this in yarn.
This one gets a tick.
Pop Pink
Pop Pink is described by WGSN as playful, uplifting and particularly relevant to youth and kidswear.
To me, it's almost a Barbie pink.
Almost.
It's not my favourite of the pinks, but I wouldn't completely rule it out.
Would I work with it in yarn?
Yes.
Would I be sprinting to the yarn shop?
No.
I'll walk.
Energy Orange
Now this one is interesting.
Energy Orange is a much brighter, more energetic orange. WGSN connects it with resilience, optimism, sports and outdoor use.
Apparently this is the colour for the bold, energetic and adventurous.
Or, as I prefer to think of it, people who aren't afraid to make a statement.
Yeah.
I can do that.
It's orange.
Enough said.
And unlike some of the more muted colours on the list, this could be fantastic as a feature colour in crochet.
A bright orange flower, border, stripe or accent can completely wake up an otherwise quiet project.
Meadowland Green
And here we are again.
Green.
WGSN describes Meadowland Green as a nourishing mid-green connected to nature, rest and tranquillity.
Apparently it's for the eco-conscious consumer.
Now, I am all for being an Eco Warrior.
But does it have to be green?
Say no more.
Clay
Now Clay I don't mind at all.
It's a warm, pink-toned neutral with an earthy quality.
This is one I could see working beautifully in yarn.
It's the sort of colour that could sit happily alongside creams, browns, dusty pinks, rusts and even some deeper blues.
It's also the sort of colour I suspect would photograph beautifully in crochet.
So yes.
Clay gets a tick.
So What Would I Actually Buy in Yarn?
And perhaps this is where all these Colour of the Year announcements become a little more interesting for me.
Paint companies can tell me that a colour creates grounded optimism, restorative calm or emotional connection until the cows come home.
I'm still going to look at the colour and ask one very important question:
“Would I buy the yarn?”
So far, my imaginary yarn basket contains:
Yes:
Deep Rooted
Rose Earth
Luminous Blue
Energy Orange
Clay
Maybe:
Pop Pink
Absolutely not:
Grounded
Meadowland Green
Cottage Door
And there is one more colour I'm still waiting for.
Purple.
Because apparently I have to ask.
It would be greatly appreciated if someone could put a gorgeous purple into the 2027 conversation and give me something to look forward to.
And Then There Was Pantone...
Of course, this little investigation is not over yet.
I still haven't heard from the one colour announcement I usually wait for.
Pantone.
So until Pantone announces its 2027 Colour of the Year, I'm going to sit here patiently...
Well.
As patiently as I can.
And hope.
Hope for something beautiful.
Hope for something that makes me want to go straight to the yarn shop.
And above all...
Please don't let it be GREEN!
Below you will find my colour match selections. These are all Australian Yarn and I have no affiliation with them. You can however find my pattern that do use Bendigo Mill yarns on their webpage. They are not necessarily shown in the same order as the colour samples at the top.
Links are provided to the years selected in the table
2027 Colour My yarn match Yarn Verdict
Deep Rooted closest match Nundle 8 Ply Col Burnt Orange YES
Cottage Door closest match Bendigo Mill 8ply Alpaca Col Dusky Blue Nope
Rose Earth closest match Bendigo Mill 8ply Luxury Col Nude YES
Luminous Blue closest match Morris and Sons Empire Imperial Blue YES
Pop Pink closest match Bendigo Mill 8ply Whiper Col Musk Stick Maybe
Energy Orange closest match Morris and Sons Empire Nasturtium YES
Clay closest match Bendigo Mill 8ply Whisper Strawberries and Cream YES
Grounded closest match Heirloom Alpaca Col. Moss NOPE
I hope you’ve enjoyed having a look at the colours predicted for 2027 and the Australian yarns I’ve found to match them. There are, of course, plenty of other yarns and brands that could be used, but I decided to keep my selections to Australian yarns where possible.
I hope this has given you a little inspiration for your own 2027 projects and perhaps introduced you to a few yarns you haven’t tried before.
If you’d like to see what I’m designing with these colours, or simply want to keep up with what’s happening at Auburncraft, why not join my free Yarn Stalker Gold Membership? Just sign up for free on my homepage and log in through the account menu to access the members area, where you’ll find free pattern downloads, sneak peeks and member-only offers.