name that colorway!

We are {sob} sending 17 old friends into the vault very soon to make some room for new best friends.

This is distressing, I know. You hate change. You don't want me to tell you can't have something you like. It's like your mom telling you you can't eat the Halloween candy for breakfast when you're four.

(If you don't recall this from childhood or parenting, it goes something like this: "Please? PLEEEEEEASE can't I have just ONE PIEEEEEEECE? PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE?" And then when the level headed mother thinks, Peanut butter cups for breakfast can only bring bad things and says "No, maybe you can have a piece after lunch if you eat everything on your plate," the child has no choice. They must respond, "You're not my mommy anymore. My real mommy would let me eat as much candy as I want.")

Unless, of course, you're blessed with a mild mannered four year old who obeys your every instruction without arguing. In which case, I would suggest keeping that to yourself. Thanks.

I've already gotten my fair share of "Mean, mean, mean, badbad Yarnista" comments. And that's OK. I'm prepared to be the mom in this situation. That means you get to be the four year old. And in case you don't remember from childhood or parenting, four year olds are easily distracted by shiny objects.

Look! It's a yarn picture!

It's a contest!

It's a sale!

Our soon to be released collection of colorways has 34 beauties in it. Put 17 to bed, bring 34 guests to the party. See how, being the benevolent Yarnista that I am, I'm actually increasing your colorway options when this is all said and done?

Thirty-four is a lot of really good colorway names to come up with. And I am picky.  I have been known to ruminate on these things for days. We've brainstormed some names in the studio, and I have some I like. But I could use some more suggestions. (Note: picky does not always equal mean. One can be selective without being an ogre.)

So, here's your chance to offer your colorway name suggestions. If we pick your name, you'll get a skein of that colorway when it's released. No catch. No "just pay separate shipping and handling, which is really like paying for item." I will send you a skein for honest-to-goodness free.

A couple of hints to increase your chances of winning:

1. No names that are currently in use. You can check out our colorways here and here if you're not sure.

2. No names that are impossible to pronounce. People do not always want a lesson in etymology when holding a skein of yarn. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that I will not be choosing Deasmumhnach, Larfhlaith, or Oilleog. If someone can't even take a stab at it in English, I probably won't choose it.

3. The name has to have a pleasant sound, feel, or connotation without being overly trite. I'm not as attracted to names like "Holding hands under a rainbow made of angels," or, "Fairy skipping across a pond of enchanted lily pads." Conversely, I also don't tend to choose names that have negative words or sounds in them, like "Kill him," "Parseltongue," or, "Moaning Myrtle."

4. Names should not be shared with other well-known products currently being sold. In other words, I'm not going to name a colorway "Bounty Paper Towels," "Tide Free and Clear," or, "Land O'Lakes Butter."

5. Names should not be something my nine year old son would find hilarious. You know exactly what this means, don't even ask.

6. I especially like groups of names that are related to each other somehow. Previous colorway collections have been things like Bayside, Driftwood, Skipjack, and Salt Spray. They sound pretty. The relate to each other. My brain likes that.

To enter, leave your suggestions in the comments here. I'll close the comments at the end of the day on April 2nd, so you have time to think about things. You can enter as many times as you want. Please leave a valid email address in the email box when filling out the comment. I need to be able to reach you. If you leave it there and not in the actual comment itself, no one else will be able to see it.

And while I've bent your ear, the 17 colorways that we're saying goodbye to are 20% off for a limited time. Grab them while you can.

Ready, Set, Go!

Comments

[Rachel]

Or, collective nouns are always fun - the bird ones are always the best. An exaltation of larks, ostentation of peacocks, unkindess of ravens, charm of finches, murmuration of starlings - and of course, the obvious, skein of geese. You could use the whole phrase or just the first word.

[Carol]

Honey crisp, Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, MacIntosh, Liberty, Jonathon, Mutsu,
Blue Cheese, Colby Jack, Swiss, Parmesan
Mother, Father, Sister, Brother,Baby, Auntie, Uncle, Grammy, Gramps
Hot tomato, Hot potato, Kale, spinach, carrot, tomatillo, summer squash, cucumber
Curry, Cinnamon, Allspice, Cloves, nutmeg,
Dill, Rosemary,parsley, basil, lemon thyme

Can you tell I've been starting seedlings??? and tending to the apple trees? (Please no freezes til next fall) I know you like Irish names, but can't most of this be related somehow? Maybe use the Irish translations? If they're not too crazy anyway

[Anne-Marie]

How about some Irish locations: Galway, Limmerick, Killarney, Donegal, Waterford, Dublin, Connemara, Derry, Wicklow, Kilkenny, Roscommon, Roscrea, Athlone, Nenagh, Tralee and my favorite Dingle.

[Kristen]

Grey Gander
Tabby cat
Cavernous
luminous
harlot rouge
Lila Rose
Tuppence
Orla
Robbin’s egg
Midnight moon
Buttered toast
Flight of the bumble bee
Madame butterfly
Carmen
La Boheme
Deep sea dive
Tulip field

[karen]

Piney Woods
Fernbank
Wisteria (or Wisteria Lane)
Holly Springs
Miss Rose
(Little) Yellow House
Through the Hedge
Stone Wall

[Jessica Anderson]

Addison, Avonlea, Anne with an e, Green Gables, Gilbert, Marilla Cuthbert, New Moon, Lilly, Lillian, Narnia, Swan Lake, Nutcracker, fantasia

[Rachel H.]

I'm going to sheepdogs for inspiration, for their work ethic and their optimism.

Herding commands and terms: That'll Do, Away to Me, Come Bye, Steady, Outrun, Lift, Fetch, Drive.
Coat Colors: Blue Merle, Red Merle.
Famous sheepdogs: Old Hemp, Yarrow, Wren, Wiston Cap, Shep, Sweep

[AmyS]

I'm going old school, ready?

Niall, Eoin, Art, Sweeney, Hogan, O'Keeffe, Bell, Sheehan, Lyons and Connolly. There's also Catraoine, Sinéad, Aurnia, Ailbhe, Iasan, Cillian, Alastar, Sorley and Dermot.

[Jennyroo]

Here are some suggestions. I picked a theme... APPLES! Okay, I know nothing about apples other than the 6 varieties my local grocery store carries, but google helped me out big time! Hope you have fun reading this list.

I used to think naming colours at J.Crew would be my dream job, but maybe naming apples comes a close second? Tee hee!

Adanac
Aerlies
Akane
Akero
Albany Beauty
Albermarle Pippin
Allens Everlasting
Ambrosia
American Mother
Annie Elizabeth
Api Etoile
Ard Cairn
Ariane
Arkansas Blackapple
Arlet
Arlington Pippin
Arthur W Barnes (this is a most grown up sounding apple. He must have an MBA)
Autumn Gold
Bailey Sweet
Ballarat Seedling
Barnack Beauty
Beautiful Arcade (says fruit is red splashed with yellow, ooh!)
Beauty of Hampshire
Beverley Pippin
Billie Bound
Binet Rouge
Black Gilliflower
Bloody Ploughman (ok, just checking to see if you're still reading... this one made me laugh! Scottish, in case you're wondering!)
Blue Pearmain
Blush June
Bonnie Best
Bottle Greening
Bountiful
Braeburn
Bright Future (in case you're donating yarn to a scholarship fund or something, LOL)
Britemac
Broxwood Foxwhelp
Brushy Mountain Limbertwig (ok, don't those last two sound fun? It would give your staff a giggle every time they filled an order!)
Cameo
Carolina Red June
Cheddar Cross
Cheerful Gold
Chieftain
Chinook (google chinook and images for some gorgeous photos of the arched clouds in the sky that accompany these Rocky Mountain warm winds!)
Chivers Delight
Cole's Quince
Crimson Crisp
Cripps
Criterion
Crofton
D'Arcy Spice
Dandee
Davey
Dawn
Delblush
Delicious
Dog's Snout (yes, really. Who would want to eat that apple, I ask you?)
Dorsett
Duchess of Oldenburg
Duke of Devonshire
Earliblaze
Earligold
Early Harvest
Early Strawberry
Ellison's Orange
Elton's Beauty
Empress
Etter's Gold
Fallawater
Fallstaff
Fameuse
Fearn's Pippin
Feltham Beauty
Fireside
Five Crown Pippin
Flamboyant
Fortune
Fuji
Gala
Garden Royale
Geneva Crab
Golden Delicious
Golden Nugget
Goldrush
Hawkeye
Hidden Rose
Honeycrisp
Hudson's Golden Gem
Ingrid Marie
Irish Peach
Jazz Jester
Jonalicious
Jubilee
July Red
Jupiter
Katy
Katya
Keepsake
Lady Williams
Laxton's Fortune
Leather Coat (um, maybe I'll peel that one?)
Limelight
Maiden's Blush
McIntosh
McLean
McLellan
Meridian
Merton Delight
Mollie's Delicious
Morgan Sweet
Mutsu (yum! we called these Chinese apple-pears growing up. Not politically correct, but still delicious!)
Newton Wonder
Nonetit Bastard (ok, another laugh for you. Seriously, Denmark? That's the best apple name you could come up with?)
Northern Lights
Northern Spy
Nova
Olliver
Ontario
Opalescent
Orin
Oriole
Ottawa
Ozark Gold
Pacific Beauty
Parkland
Peasgood Nonsuch
Peck's Pleasant
Pink Lady
Pixie (or Pixie Crunch, however the latter sounds like you are snacking on the aforementioned elf so I prefer the former!)
Polka
Prairie Spy (who knew apples were so sneaky?!)
Priscilla
Pristine
Pumpkin Sweet
Puritan
Red Devil
Regent
Revival
Rocket Red
Rome Beauty
Rusty Coat
Saturn
Scarlet O'Hara (can you knit a hoop skirt?)
Scarlet Surprise
Scotch Dumpling
September Wonder
Shamrock
Tickled Pink
Transcendant Crab (they must do yoga)
Twenty Ounce
Victory
Viking
Vista Bella
Waltz
Yates

In case you are wondering, I also googled Irish apples and came up with this list:
IRISH PEACH (EARLY CROFTON)
WIDOW’S FRIEND
KERRY PIPPIN
EIGHT SQUARE or KILL APPLE
CAVAN SUGARCANE
ARD CAIRN RUSSET
ROSS NON PAREIL
KILKENNY PEARMAIN
KEEGAN’S CRAB
SAM YOUNG

[Cinnamon]

OOOooh Fun! Off the top of my head and not necessarily grouped:
Carousel
Tea Party
Twinkle Lights
Summer Evening
Firefly
Twilight Song
Nightingale
Midnight Moon
Morning Mist
Dew Drops
Hmmm,..I'm out of ideas. Probably because I need to go to bed!

[Yarnardent]

Leannán ;)
cairdeas - friendship
ceapach - flowerbed
oràistì [ur-awsh-chee] - orange
pìog ùll [pee-owg ool] - apple pie
Rua [roo-eh] - Red-haired
saol na tire - the life of the country
scéalaì - storyteller
seaclàid [shock-lawj] - chocolate

[affiknity]

Go with Indian names for spices. One word names, easy to pronounce, sound exotic and you can name colorways based on the color of the spices.

Dalchini
Elaichi
Laung
Mirch
Kesar
Til
Saunf
Methi
Ajwain
Dhania
Bari
Haldi
Hing
Imli
Amla
Jeera
Khas
Kokum
Tulsi
Javitri

[Shelley]

Baby's Smile, Cold Sweat, Hard Work, Dreams, Bittersweet, Longing, When We Were Young, Brave Heart, Champion, Enchanted.

INCONCEIVABLE

[affiknity]

Some names from my list. I do keep a list of favorite names, why do you ask? :)

Anwen
Argider
Belinda
Bella
Frida,
Indah
Ingrid
Kallisto
Kaloyan
Kanta
Mei
Masami
Mizuki
Nava
Orabela
Tomomi
zahi
Ziba
Zuri

[affiknity]

I am back with more suggestions. Hindu months!

Chaitra
Vaisakha
Jyaistha
Asadha
Sravana
Bhadrapada
Asvina
Kartika
Margasirsa
Pausa
Magha
Phalguna

[odessa]

Picnic Blanket, Lemonade, Tallgrass, Grasshopper, Porcupine, Glacial, Meadow, Snowberry

[Genia Potter]

Shelagh, one of the prettiest Irish names out there and, perhaps not coincidentally, my daughter's name.
Laura.
Stephanie

This is fun!

[Genia Potter]

One more: McGee

[Ellen (lnand)]

Atlantic, Pacific, Mediterranian, Aegean

Tangere, Memory, Rememberance, Perception

[Hayly]

To keep some feminine names in the mix
Hayly
Lydia
Elzabeth
Miranda

and how about some great composers
Bach
Brahms
Beethoven
Schubert
Liszt
Mozart
Schumann
Holst
Bizet
Berlioz
Palestrina
Puccini
Monteverdi
Purcell
Handel
Hayden
Mendelssohn
Ravel
Wagner
Rossini
Verdi
Gounod
Borodin
Saint-Saëns
Strauss
Mussorgsky
Tchaikovsky
Dvořák
Massenet
Grieg
Mahler
Debussy
Satie
Rachmaninoff
Copland
Bernstein
Barber
Britten
Webber
Rutter