How to Create a 4-Stage Gradient

Periodically, we've been talking about various strategies for creating your own gradients. We've already looked at simple, basic and three-color gradients, so it's time to tackle another one.

Today, let's delve into one way to craft a four-color gradient, so you can create one of your own. Our focus is example three from the overview post, Ombres & Gradients: 5 Ways to Create Your Own.

3. Four-stage gradient: Twegen Coffee



Yarn. Cotton Fleece (Brown Sheep)

Stitch. The fluted rib stitch produces a reversible, tweedy fabric with fluted columns on the front and fluted ribs on the back. 

Strategy. Each strip consists of two colors worked in alternating rows. To achieve a similar look:

• Choose five shades in related color families. 
• Pair them by value: dark with dark, medium with medium, and light with light.
• Work the first strip with two darks, CC1 and CC2.
• Work the second strip with one dark and one medium, CC2 and CC3.
• Work the third strip with two mediums, CC3 and CC4.
• Work the fourth strip with one medium and one light, CC4 and CC5.

In Twegen Coffee, the strips were worked as follows:

• Strip 1: Cavern, Slate 
• Strip 2: Slate, Teddy Bear Brown
• Strip 3: Teddy Bear Brown, Milk Chocolate
• Strip 4: Milk Chocolate, Cotton Ball

Arranged dark to light, the strips were seamed and trimmed with Cavern (black). Unfortunately, several of these colors are no longer available, but comparable ones are. Twegen Harvest features a similar strategy, using eight colors instead of five. In both instances, I chose this approach to make the most of yarn on hand and leverage the interesting woven look the fluted rib stitch produces.

The beauty of crafting your own ombres and gradients is the opportunity to tailor them to suit your tastes, make the most of yarn you have, use up oddballs and uglies, and more. I think this particular gradient would be striking in shades of burgundy, wine, claret, red and rose, in blues ranging from deep navy to summer sky, in greens ranging from forest to mint, or in subtle shades of grey.

Want to make a dent in your stash? From afghans to accessories, a four-color gradient is a great solution. It's the ideal way to combine a handful of colors to get the yardage you need for a larger project, or to use up leftovers and partials in smaller projects.

To see all ombre and gradient posts, click here.

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