In standards of crochet patterns, the ordering of the colour is strategic. Not all designers follow this, but there is a method to the madness.
Colours in patterns are assigned a letter in uppercase. An example such as below shows this.
- 10th rnd: Join E with sl st in next ch-3 sp. Ch 1. (1 hdc. 2 dc. 1 hdc) in each ch-3 sp around. Join. Fasten off E. 20 groups. 80 sts total.
The designer is telling you that E is being used which is the colour assignment in the pattern.
Colour Lists Can Appear in 3 Different Ways
- The designer can start with MC, which stands for Main Colour, and then move on to A, B, C, etc. The pattern could be a main colour with a bit of other colours so this would apply.
- The designer can use A, B, C, D, E instead and not use MC.
- In standards on Yarnspirations in recent patterns, it may say Contrast A, Contrast B, Contrast C and etc.
All three ways mean the same thing. Crochet standards change over time.
The ordering of the colour list is typically when the colour is first used in the pattern. It's not typically alphabetical. Patterns usually start with the first colour being A or MC.
As a designer, it's easier to assign the letters as I am using them in the prototype and put them in order on the list when I first touch them. In the case of the Study of Christmas Cookies design, the last part of the list isn't actually used in the pattern until more than halfway through the project.
Sandra says
Interesting that you used The Study of Christmas Cookies and color E for this example. I frogged round 21 because I didn't care for the looks of color E with the color A round just before it. Then I saw that round 21 starts with join E...but ends with fasten off color B. And round 22 begins with join color E. Obviously an error; but I didn't notice that until the colors didn't work for me. All is well now and I am enjoying this project immensely. Thank you, Mikey!