Embrace the colour

We talk clashy colours and electric blues with Esme Crick

Living in Suffolk with her other half, two children and “fat grumpy cat, Hank Deluxe”, Esme’s love for making blankets comes from necessity. Their house is freezing all winter, so they huddle under blankets to keep warm! She designs all day every day, and always has a ton of projects on the go.

What’s the idea behind the Waves blanket?

We had a beautiful family holiday on the Norfolk coast this summer, and my daughter and I took lots of photos of the changing patterns on the sea. Those interlinking, shifting and sparkling shapes definitely inspired the design of this throw.

What inspired your cool colour palette?

This was an interesting process, as the cool palette I used is not my usual place to hang out! I think it is vital for me to extend my colour perspective as I can get a bit stuck in a particular colour vibe. I wanted to capture the movement of the sea, and the yarn and subtle shade changes were perfect for that.

Tell us about the alternative colour palette

The warm colour swatch is more my natural colour palette: I love big, jumpy colours and clashy similar tones. It’s amazing how the same pattern can look so different in a new palette! I would have this throw as a real statement piece in my sitting room, on the back of our big tatty sofa. What do you enjoy about designing blankets? Blankets have always been my absolute favourite things to design and make. There is so much scope in a large project to go a bit crazy with colour and shape. Also, with a blanket, I pick up my hook and I know I am off on a real making adventure – dedicating weeks and weeks of work to a project is very exciting for me.

What other blankets have you designed?

I have made so many! But one of my all-time favourites (and loved by many people who made it) was my In Living Colour throw from Simply Crochet issue 53 (above left). I was reading a lot about colour theory at the time, and this piece was inspired by one of my heroes, colour theorist Josef Albers.

Have you made any other crocheted items that have a particularly warm or cool colour palette? Having never been a huge fan of blue, a couple of years ago I got completely obsessed with electric blue, which along with a gorgeous copper contrast started appearing everywhere in my house. Then a friend of mine was expecting a baby, so I made her a Starry Night mobile for the imminent arrival. I still look at those shades of blue now and feel overwhelmed by the depth and intensity of the colours. Colour is a powerful force, isn’t it?