First, something fun I like to do. When I place an order for Cushings, I like to pick up the dye chart and just pick something I have never used. You know a BLING color, those colors that are rarely used in a recipe. It is fun, and I have found some really great colors this way. For example, I love Bright Green, I love it over dark brown texture's. It is also nice to use Bright Green with any red, it works well as a drabber in a red recipe. Another color I like is Orange, I use it often with brown dyes or over a brown wool. Old Rose is very pretty when used with a brown, great for a primitive floral. Burgundy and Maroon are some other's to try for something different, they are very dark, so beware.
Let's talk gray. You know any Cushings gray will act as a drabber for a wool that has gone a bit bright. Do you need a good gray, say for a background?? Or for an animal in a rug?? Don't have a gray? Make your own by mixing a brown and a blue.
Tan will tone down a shade that is too vivid too. I like my colors prim and muted, but I don't like a nowhere color. I like colors that go easy on the eye's, but not one's that say nothing, a color should sing to you, otherwise put it back in the dye pot and try again.
Even though Cushings has some fabulous green's, sometimes I like to make my own by mixing blue and yellow. This is how I come up with new shades, otherwise I find them looking too much alike. Any yellow/gold, brown, and a touch of red dye will give you a nice new orange too. The fun can be what if??? You choose any brown, yellow, and red, as matter of fact try two different recipes using 6 these colors and compare them.
Bronze Green is great alone to dye a wonderful ruch warm green. Oh how I love green, must be all of the tree's I hook! LOL!
If you click on "All those extra wool strips," The poinsettia rug above is one where I used the re-dyed strips in the background. The directions are in the other post. You can click the photo and get a closer look.