This is the fun part! Now that you have selected your fabric you can start getting the threads together.
If you have a thread stash, get it out. If you don't have a stash, now is the time to start putting one together.
The threads you choose will be influenced by a number of things:
- The colour of your background fabric. I started by selecting colours for the main elements ie the tree trunks and then built the colours around these. I chose a lot of variegated threads for this project as they worked well with the many colours in the fabric. The variegated threads also create a lot of the character of the finished elements such as leaves and stems.
- Availability of threads - what you have available to you in your local area and /or your stash. I have used threads made in Australia as well as threads produced overseas. Over my many years of stitching I have collected quite a variety of different brands, some for specific projects and others as an impulse because I couldn't resist them or they were on sale to walk by. Of course this did not stop me from purchasing more for this specific project.
- Budget - I have used quite a lot of silks and hand dyed/over-dyed threads. These can be somewhat more expensive than the more commonly available threads such as DMC and Anchor. Imported threads can also be more expensive so try using what you have available and then add just a few little treasures as a special treat.
- Texture - I have used silks. cottons and wools in a variety of thicknesses from stranded cottons and silks, pearl silks and cottons of varying thickness and silk ribbon. This project is a great way to experiment with threads and try out some that you haven't used before. Try combining different threads to create new textures.
Here is the list of threads I used:
ThreadworX (previously needle Necessities) Over-dyed stranded cotton floss
1041 Dust to Dust
1069 Spanish Olives
1070 Rocky Mountain
1090 Red Lipstick
DMC Colour Variations 4030, 4145, 4150
Colourstreams Hand Dyed Ribbons and Threads
Stranded Silks - 37 (Uluru), 50 (Blackberry Ripple)
Ophir -19 (Verde), 16 (Seascape), 23 (Rose Blush), 28 Carnivale
Exotic Lights - 21 (Purple Genie), 24 (Plum)
4mm silk ribbon - 17 (Jacaranda), 37 (Uluru)
Caron Waterlilies - 104
Gumnut Hand-dyed Yarns - Buds 589
Strand Crewel Yarn Wool Mohair - 253
Kanagawa Embroidery Silk - KNK - ? Oops can't find the number
30 gauge covered wire, felt
Pretty colors!! And nice thread choices. This will be so fun to watch develop!
Posted by: Mary Corbet | Saturday, 01 May 2010 at 01:21 AM
I have my collections of threads ready. I am so looking forward to this tutorial. Thanks so much for doing this for us. Hugs Judy
Posted by: Judy | Sunday, 02 May 2010 at 12:12 AM
Hello! Long time no post. You OK?
PS Thanks for letting me know, via this post, that NN is now marketing under Threadworx. I thought they'd totally gone under.=)
Posted by: Elizabeth Braun | Wednesday, 02 February 2011 at 04:06 AM
I love seeing different kinds of colors. My hands are itching to do something.
Posted by: dikka | Monday, 28 November 2011 at 08:02 PM