How To Choose Yarn Colors For Crochet Amigurumi Projects
Choosing colors can feel intimidating — especially when you’re staring at a giant wall of yarn or trying to imagine how different shades will look stitched together. The good news? You don’t need an art degree or a designer’s eye. With a simple color wheel and a few easy tricks, anyone can create beautiful, coordinated color palettes for amigurumi, wearables, blankets, and more.
Let’s break it down into stress-free steps.
1. Meet the Color Wheel (The Super-Simple Version)
Here’s the basic color wheel you’ll use for almost everything:
- Primary colors: Red, Yellow, Blue
- Secondary colors: Orange, Green, Purple
- Tertiary colors: The shades that sit between them (yellow-orange, red-orange, blue-green, etc.)
The magic of choosing colors comes from how they relate to each other on this wheel.
Think of it like a map — when you know how colors “travel,” it becomes much easier to pick combinations that feel balanced and intentional.
2. Choose a Color Harmony
Here are the easiest and most reliable ways to make colors look good together:
A. Monochromatic (Many shades of the same color)
Perfect for soft, blended looks.
Example: Light blue + medium blue + navy.
These tend to be the first thing we think of when we think of dragons or other creatures who have “belly” colors different from their main color.
B. Analogous (Colors Next to Each Other)
This is the gentlest, coziest combo.
Example: Green + teal + blue
or
Pink + red + orange
These give a great gradient effect that is currently very popular.
C. Complementary (Opposites on the wheel)
High-contrast and bold.
Example: Purple + yellow
or
Blue + orange
Great for statements, standout details, etc.
Tip: Use the brighter color as the accent to avoid overpowering the project.
D. Triadic (A triangle on the color wheel)
Balanced + playful.
Example: Purple + Green + Orange
(think Halloween!)
or
Pink + Yellow + Mint
Great for cartoony characters, “matching” sets, and kids’ toys.
3: Pick ONE Color You Love First
The easiest mistake is trying to choose all the colors at once.
Instead, try choosing one color you love, then build around it using one of the harmonies above.
This keeps your palette from becoming chaotic.
4: Use a Palette Generator (This makes it SO easy)
If color-picking still stresses you out (or if you want to play with ideas):
👉 Visit https://coolors.co
Coolors lets you:
- Generate palettes instantly
- Lock a color you already have
- Shuffle until you find one you love
- Export palettes to keep for later
It’s one of the easiest ways to discover new combinations you’d never think of on your own.
5: Test Your Colors the Smart Way
Before you commit to a whole project:
✔ Crochet a tiny swatch
Just a few rounds in the round can show you how colors interact.
✔ Take a photo in natural light
Phone cameras exaggerate bad combos — a quick check can save hours of frogging.
✔ Look at the colors in different orders
For amigurumi, the placement matters as much as the colors themselves.
Try imagining:
- Body in main color
- Belly in accent color
- Spikes/wings in the third color
- How accent colors will play a part
Swap the roles until something clicks.
6: Trust Your Taste
Color theory is just a tool.
Your creativity is the magic ingredient.
If a color combo makes you happy?
It’s the right one.
There are no “wrong” choices — just different moods, personalities, and stories to tell with your creatures.
7. Gamer Themed Colors
This was a recent conversation on Facebook, and I just HAD to add it to this post!
In lieu of traditional gender colors, consider class colors for gamers. You can envision the class of the recipient or of the creature you are making. These colors were pretty much agreed upon by the gamers in the group.
- Barbarian: Rust or Orange
- Bard: Rose or Pink
- Cleric: Silver or White
- Druid: Moss Green
- Fighter: Red
- Monk: Sky Blue
- Paladin: Gold
- Ranger: Emerald Green
- Rogue: Black or Ash
- Warlock: Purple or Iris
- Wizard: Cobalt/Dark Blue
Yarn ideas
Need a few ideas for acrylic yarns with a wide variety of color? I really like Big Twist (formerly from JoAnn Fabrics and now available at Michaels, Mary Maxim, and Herschners).
See some of my favorite combos. –> Patterns that use Big Twist Yarn
🌟 Final Tip: Save Your Favorite Palettes
Start a folder on your phone or Pinterest board called “Crochet Color Ideas.”
Every time you see a palette you love, save it.
Future-you will thank you.
Yarn on,
Kati
Kati is a crochet pattern designer, dragon obsessive, and certified geek who has been turning yarn into fantasy creatures since 2016. Her patterns lean heavily toward dragons, fantasy beasts, and whatever her brain decides is a good idea at 2am. She is proudly anti-AI crochet and very pro-finishing-your-WIPs (she’s working on it). When she’s not crocheting something with too many horns, she’s probably watching something nerdy or playing dog agility with her two American Hairless Terriers. Want to work together or just say hi? Contact her here.