Embroidery Thread – Abundant Color!

I’ve recently acquired some new threads to play with.

I know. It’s a tough job, always having a reason to “play” with embroidery thread!

Soon, I’ll review the threads in depth, but since I haven’t actually stitched with them and tested their performance and resilience, today, I’m just going to show you the threads in general (no names, branding or anything) and share some first impressions – and some reasons why I think I might want to explore using them in some projects and kits.

I’m afraid I did the same thing to you a few weeks ago, showcasing this new collection of embroidery ground fabrics. This is the same approach with threads – a little eye candy, without much real substance.

Well, that’s candy for you! All sugar, no substance…

But who doesn’t like a little sugar now and then?

You see, I had occasion to visit an embroidery business that dyes their own threads, which they sell in a vast array of colors. These threads are overdyed – they have subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) variations in colors.

My first thought when I saw the thread wall before me upon entering the building was Good Golly! That’s a LOT of color!

First, I just walked along the wall to take in the quantity visually.

I knew I would purchase some of the colors to take home and test, but in fact, I didn’t have a plan on how to approach that. I wasn’t expecting such a wide array of colors, with all kinds of shades and nuances.

Without a plan, there was nothing for it: I had to let whatever struck my fancy rule my choices. I regret now that I did not pause longer over certain color families and make more judicious – and extensive – choices. But more on that below.

I am always drawn to reds, and oh, the array! Here, it was a matter of picking colors that caught my eye first, followed by making choices within those colors based on the names.

I know it’s not a very scientific way to choose color, but that’s all I had to go by – the color of the thread and the name of the thread. I had to use something to narrow down my choices.

Here is where my regrets lie. There was a lovely range of purples, and oh, how I wish I had thought things out more carefully!

It always seems to me that there’s a dearth of good purples in most thread collections. The DMC line of floss, for example, suffers from a lack of varied purples in numerous shades and colors. Cosmo, the same. Even working between brands – combining DMC, Anchor, Cosmo – I’m always surprised that I still want more options in purple.

With purples lacking in the standard commercial floss world, I like to look at specialty threads to see what smaller dye houses offer.

And I knew this! But I got caught up in the moment, didn’t think, and didn’t concentrate on selecting more from the purple range. If there is a next time, I will know better.

There is a wide and vast nuanced array of blues and blue greens. Think oceans tropical to polar and everything in between, in all their moods; deep and rich and light and airy.

When I got to the yellows and greens, I was suddenly sadly defective in my ability to choose well! I acquired very few from these color families.

Oh my word, there was so much green to choose from. From deep dark woodsy greens to spring and summer grassy greens, and more – oh, much more! So many options!

While I managed to work some brighter orangey reds into my red choices, I regret that I also didn’t concentrate on their orange range as I should have. Again, I was distracted by too many options.

I’m going to play with these threads soon, and I’ll share my experiences with you and tell you more about them as I learn more about them.

There are several reasons why this thread line appeals to me, and if it works out that I can use these threads for a project or two – or maybe as some curated thread color packs so that you can sample them, too – I will. We shall see!

Besides loving their extensive range of color, I’m happy that the company dyeing these threads is somewhat “local.” It’s a small US business not too far from me. So that attracts me, too.

More to come!