The yellow does seem to photograph darker than it actually appears. It reminds me of photographs of our dining room floor. I was so surprised, after we put the new floor in and I first saw a photograph of it; the camera picked up tiny threads of butterscotch that aren't that noticeable in person, and it looked three or four shades darker in the photos than it actually appears. This yellow has clusters of tiny brown dots, and fewer clusters of tiny white dots. The lighter areas aren't fully coming through in the photos; the fabric is actually both deeper and lighter than the color card.
I was thinking about the photos I've seen, of large groups of the broken dishes units arranged row by row, and the 3-D effect is very strong in those. I think the effectiveness of the pattern will likely depend on that yellow really coming forward, so I'd be counteracting that effect by going with this darker gold. Maybe one of the golds I have coming will be the answer. I would like something that comes forward but doesn't overwhelm. I think I will probably end up not doing any sewing with yellow until we have the whole picture. I have plenty of non-yellow work to complete -- finishing the clue #1 HSTs, cutting and sewing the clue #4 HSTs, sewing my blacks to the clue #2 units, and making some new clue #2 units to include the two lighter pinks I've brought in since then.
Thank you, everyone! It really helps to talk these things through.