Thursday, January 28, 2016

~ Thread Questions ~

Good Morning Friends & Folk!

another grey/wintry morning to be had here at the farm…
clouds with blustery winds are keeping the chickens active this morning ~
their little fluff-butts are shaking off the cold!!!

Since I've been working on embroidery lately, and showing my progress here on this blog,
I've received a couple questions from folks, that I thought might be better answered here for everyone... 
{if you're interested, that is}
;)

Question: 
do you over dye your own floss/threads?
Answer: 
yes I do ~ I love to in fact! 
I prefer to use a mixture of coffee, tea, walnut stain, cinnamon & ground clove to dye with.
I like the look of the brownish-stain coming through the actual base color of the color-fast thread.
...you can click HERE to see how.
{I have added this as a permanent link to my sidebar over there on your right ---->
 for your future reference.}


photo shows my DMC perle cottons over dyed with  my stain technique

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Question:
when working with punch needle & DMC floss, do you use 2, 3 or 6 strands of floss?
Answer:
I  prefer to use all 6 strands of floss when I punch ~ using a medium tip Cameo Ultra Punch needle.
I like how 6 strands of floss mimics the 'full' look of a miniature hooked rug.
when I punch with Valdani Perle Cotton, I prefer to use the #8 size, which is thicker than the #12.
I also combine Valdani & DMC threads when I punch ~ I love how that looks!

~ here is the list of colors in my "Spring from Notforgotten Farm" designer collection 
from Valdani Threads:

H 209 ~ khaki black
H 210 ~ melancholy purple
JP 7 ~ faded marygold
JP 12 ~ seaside
O 154 ~ dark antique gold
O 178 ~ tea dyed stone
O 506 ~ cinnamon swirl
O 510 ~ terra cotta swirl
O 531 ~ black nut
O 534 ~ quiet fall
O 538 ~ cottage smoke
P 2 ~ olive green

"Spring from Notforgotten Farm"
 Valdani Designer Thread Collection

Here are the colors in my 'Autumn from Notforgotten Farm' designer thread collection 
from Valdani Threads:

M90 ~ chocolate brown
O154 ~ dark antique gold
O178 ~ tea dyed stone
O217 ~ yummy pumpkin
H210 ~ melancholy purple
O196 ~ muddy bark
P2 ~ olive green
O510 ~ terra cotta twist
O540 ~ black olive
O506 ~ cinnamon swirl
O548 ~ blackened khaki brown
P11 ~ aged black

"Autumn from Notforgotten Farm"
Valdani Designer Thread Collection

and,
 here is the color list for my
"Winter at Notforgotten Farm" designer thread collection from Valdani Threads:

O178 ~ Tea Dyed Stone
P1 ~ Old Brick
P7 ~ Withered Blue
O513 ~ Coffee Roast
O154 ~ Dark Antique Gold
O506 ~ Cinnamon Swirl
O545 ~ Primitive White
H212 ~ Faded Brown
P2 ~ Olive Green
O196 ~ Muddy Bark
O501 ~ Ebony Almond
O534 ~ Quiet Fall

project shown using my "Winter" by Notforgotten Farm Designer Thread Collection
from Valdani Threads



I have also added a permanent link of my list of preferred DMC colors
 to my sidebar for you today too 
you can print this list and keep it in your purse…
then when you're out & about you'll have it handy ~ like I do!

My Favorite DMC thread colors

ecru - ecru 
310 - black
400 - mahogany dark
422 - hazel nut brown light
451 - shell grey dark
610 - drab brown dark
611 - drab brown
640 - beige grey very dark
645 - beaver grey very dark
647 - grey beaver medium
720 - orange spice dark
728 - golden yellow
729 - old gold medium
732 - olive green
734 - olive green light
783 - topaz medium
801 - coffee brown dark
830 - golden olive dark
831 - golden olive medium
869 - hazel nut brown very dark
918 - red copper dark
919 - red copper
920 - copper medium
921 - copper
924 - grey green very dark 
926 - grey green medium 
946 - burnt orange medium
3011 - khaki green dark
3012 - khaki green medium
3021 - brown grey very dark
3033 - mocha brown very light
3042 - antique violet light
3064 - desert sand
3328 - salmon dark
3740 - antique violet dark
3768 -grey green dark
3781 - mocha brown dark
3782 - mocha brown light
3787 - grey brown dark
3799 - pewter grey very dark
3828 - brown hazel nut
3858 - rosewood medium

these are my 'turn-to' colors again & again
used in my needlework & painting ~

I now carry ALL of my DMC floss palette colors here in the FARM SHOP! 
YAY!
{{{ and thank you Peter i love you }}}

Question:
what threads do you prefer to work with when doing your hand embroidery projects?
Answer:
all of the above & then some!
if I am working on a project that is a one of a kind piece to be sold, then I use floss, yarn, perle cotton, silk threads, old & vintage fibers….
really any kind of floss/thread is suitable for me to incorporate into my work.
i love to mix it up!
BUT
if I am creating a model for a project that will become a pattern, then I will usually stick to a certain fiber such as DMC or hand dyed threads such as Gentle Art or Weeks Dye Works threads 
or my Valdani cottons.
this makes it easier for folks who purchase my designs 
to replicate them in the same fibers as I have for the model.

Last Question:
do you ever sleep?
Answer:
I get this one a lot!…
~ and my answer is yes ;)
peacefully.

Hoping I've helped you today,
 I love to hear from you ~ SOOOOoooo
if you ever have questions email me!


I am here to help in any way I can & truly love sharing what I do with you all!


~ Blessings from the Farm ~ 
 Lori

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Lori, thank you, thank you, thank you! for that tutorial on over dyeing! I am currently experimenting with pecan dye. I see that you dye the threads, but do you ever over dye the finished piece? Will email…have a beautiful day!

dianeknottllc.blogspot.com said...

Love your tips, Lori. And the photography is beautiful.
Diane

Lynda (Granny K) said...

Thank you for sharing your info on over-dying. I'm currently overdyeing some very bright cheapo embroidery floss with walnut- crystal dye and tea with fairly good results. I'm not as brave as you with the 'browning on a metal cookie tray in the oven' though (yet!).

Jacqueline said...

As always you are generous to us out here in blog land. Thank you.

Hunny Crafts Primitives said...

Thank you so much for sharing Lori, I love what you create and the colours, threads and fabrics you use xxx

Jackie said...

Thank you for sharing with all of us! I look forward to reading your blog. You always have something wonderful....