? for needlepointers on using different type threads in one piece

Hi, I am a longtime lurker/infrequent poster here on RCTN and I have a question
for any needlepointers who may be here.

I have a painted canvas in the pattern of a patchwork quilt that I have just
started. It is made up of nine blocks; the blocks themselves are made up of
diagonal stripes, with each block alternating between left-facing stripes -- \
-- and right-facing stripes -- /-- (clear as mud?).

I got this canvas on sale for $20 (which is a huge bargain because it's
perfectly painted) and I intended to use threads in my stash for it, since I've
built up quite a lot and I'm not a thread collector. Last night I went to pull
thread for it and found that I do have quite a lot of the colors. The problem
is that they are mixed between DMC pearl cotton #5 and Silk & Ivory.
Therefore, they are very different textures and weights.

I am sure a project could be done nicely mixing these textures/weights if it
were done intentionally; my problem is that, as far as I can see, the stripes
are random (there are about 10 colors in the piece, ranging from light
pastels to dark colors, and the color patterns don't seem to repeat). Since I
will be picking threads based only on what colors I have available, the
placement of the different textures will therefore be totally random. Can this
work, or should I give up and go buy more Silk And Ivory, which is the first
color I pulled and started? (Now that I have started using this it's become my
thread of choice for the sensory experience.)

Thanks for any help anyone can provide. I hope this question makes sense, it
is so hard to describe needlepoint in text!

India

WIPs: Hummingbird needlepoint canvas; Remember the Ladies Kreinik Milkpaint
Series "Enough Is As A Feast"; striped quilt needlepoint canvas.

Hi India

My grandmother had numerous articles of stitched patterns she had
created, using whatever floss or material she could lay her hands on.
Each and every one of them is unique!

I purposely select various types of flosses to achieve certain
effects. However, in my grandmothers case, it was all she had to work
with at the time. Some of her pieces have a strange myriad of
materials used as flosses, even horsehair alongside of silk crossed by
cotton.

As a kid, I can remember her keeping an eye on one of grandpa's
shirts, waiting for it to wear out so she could cob the threads from
it to get that color for an area she was working on in one of her
pieces.

If one were to analyze the 'floss' in her pieces, they might even find
the closure thread used on a flour sack to get a certain color.

This is the same grandmother that cross-stitched filigree corners on
all of the copper window screens on her house using blond horsehair,
and their initials in the center of the front screens and door
screens. And on occasion, a 5 pointed star to cover a hole in the
screen.

TTUL
Gary

On 7/28/03 10:33 AM,"Mmeindia" posted:

Hi, I am a longtime lurker/infrequent poster here on RCTN and I have a
question
for any needlepointers who may be here.

Another list you might like, which is very much about all aspects of NP is
the ANG list. Good for technical advice - you could check it out at the
www.ang.org website. Not to detract from RCTN, of course BG But, the ANG
list is a great source of info for NP.

I have a painted canvas in the pattern of a patchwork quilt that I have just
started. It is made up of nine blocks; the blocks themselves are made up of
diagonal stripes, with each block alternating between left-facing stripes -- \
-- and right-facing stripes -- /-- (clear as mud?).

Very clear - really.

thread for it and found that I do have quite a lot of the colors. The problem
is that they are mixed between DMC pearl cotton #5 and Silk & Ivory.
Therefore, they are very different textures and weights.

First question - what gage is the canvas? I'm assuming it's 18 ct.

I am sure a project could be done nicely mixing these textures/weights if it
were done intentionally; my problem is that, as far as I can see, the stripes
are random (there are about 10 colors in the piece, ranging from light
pastels to dark colors, and the color patterns don't seem to repeat). Since I
will be picking threads based only on what colors I have available, the
placement of the different textures will therefore be totally random. Can
this
work, or should I give up and go buy more Silk And Ivory, which is the first
color I pulled and started? (Now that I have started using this it's become
my
thread of choice for the sensory experience.)

It can definitely work. What you probably want to do is try and stay with
similar weights. Personally, I wouldn't mix cotton floss with Silk'n Ivory,
perle cotton. But, I've done a piece recently which was all basketweave, but
done with various threads - Felicity's Garden (similar to silk'n'ivory -
doesn't need to be plied for 18 ct), perle cotton, Caron Snow, some NN
rayon/cotton (SpringII), WDW & NN overdyed Perle, some soie d'alger, some
Frosty Rays (hateful), and Petite Very Velvet. I just let the threads give
texture, rather than varying the stitches, and it came out great. This
wasn't a stripe pattern, rather a Nursery Rhyme Motif from the Cow Jumped
Over the Moon, but it worked well.

Totally love the Silk 'n Ivory, and Felicity's Garden - they have a great
hand. So, my advice to you, is yes, you can mix your threads quite a bit.
But, think of all your work - and while trying to use your stash, be
judicious - don't cheapen your work. After all, thread is inxpensive
compared to your time and effort. But, I'm sure you have lots that's usable.
Just perhaps sketch in pencil your canvas, and if you're planning to vary
the stitches, maybe use some colored pencils, or crayon, and mimic the
stitch texture in the various stripes. That will give you an idea of how
much mixing will work - without being too busy. Might work in some mosaic
stitch, or scotch stitch - not too complex, but would give the effect of
fabric in the quilt stripes.

Good luck - I'm sure whatever you decide will be lovely.

Ellice
Red Hare Pond DesignWorks
Thanks for any help anyone can provide. I hope this question makes sense, it
is so hard to describe needlepoint in text!

India

WIPs: Hummingbird needlepoint canvas; Remember the Ladies Kreinik Milkpaint
Series "Enough Is As A Feast"; striped quilt needlepoint canvas.

I wouldn't mix these threads on a canvas of a true-to-life image unless
the designer recommended it. Since this design sounds
geometric/abstract it should work as long as you get the level of canvas
coverage you desire. In fact a design like this could be used as a
study in different threads. I'm guessing when this piece is completed
you will get to brag about it. :-)

"Mmeindia" posted:
I am sure a project could be done nicely mixing these
textures/weights if it were done intentionally; my problem is that,
as far as I can see, the stripes are random (there are about 10
colors in the piece, ranging from light pastels to dark colors, and
the color patterns don't seem to repeat). Since I will be picking
threads based only on what colors I have available, the placement of
the different textures will therefore be totally random. Can this
work, or should I give up and go buy more Silk And Ivory, which is
the first color I pulled and started? (Now that I have started using
this it's become my thread of choice for the sensory experience.)

--
Brenda Lewis
WIP: J. Himsworth "I Shall Not Want" xs
J & P Coats "Dancing Snoopy" latchhook

It's great to vary thread and yarn textures on your painted canvas
especially when stitching a geometric flat pattern.....the threads and
yarns will provide a bit of texture.
I always love to vary the types of threads when stitching models of my
own designs.....it's an adventure to see what effects different threads
can add to my designs in color and texture.

One of my favorites to stitch with is perle cotton.....use a lot of this
in my stitching along with silks, wools, metallics among many other
specialty threads in one design......overall it depends on the design
how many threads you'll want to differentiate areas.

Perle cotton and silk ivory would be lovely stitched in your geometric
design......one texture would play off the other......the glossier by
contrast perle cotton would have an interesting contrast to the more
matte but slightly fuzzier silk and ivory wool yarns. You can vary the
width or size of your geometric pattern with the threads for effect.

The more important and noticeable effect you have for your stitching is
the application of the side by side colors......color appearances are
affected the way they're arranged together.......some colors will "dull"
or pull down the brightness of surrounding colors......sometimes for
good effect and at its worse, there'll be a dull muddy feel to the look
to the overall design.
On the opposite will be colors that will increasing the brilliance or
brightness of surrounding colors.......this caused most often by the use
of contrasting colors.

You can see these color principles applied to the geometric color
patterns used in Amish quilts. The quilt designs are varied by the
arrangement of colors........some of these quilts will look brighter
than others despite the use of the same colors and fabrics.

I have several Amish quilts that are wonderful examples of geometric
color arrangements......one of my favorites is the Trip around the world
using the same colors in different combinations as the color blocks go
around the quilt creating optical three dimensional effects.

The color combinations of the 60's is a good example of what is known as
optical-art effects.....colors "vibrating" off each other.....quite
animated and quite dizzying!

A simple way to explain.......one can use all greens and blues......the
quilt will look very cool and calm.....with the introduction of an
opposite color such as a red or orange, the colors will liven up with
the contrast.
Or only add a purple to the blues and greens for a "quieter" color
appearance.

However, to make things a little tougher......adding either a blue or a
red based purple can drastically change the color feel of the
design.......one color can brighten and the other color can make it
muddy...... this can be best explained with lipstick.......some of us
look better wearing a blue based red and others will look better wearing
an orange based red........basically, the best way to choose colors you
like, is using colors you are pleased with and can live comfortably
with.

Working with colors is a real art.....some are born with a natural
affinity for color but it can be learned using basic principles and
observation.

Different textures of yarns and threads will reflect light differently
creating subtle contrasts in your stitched piece....... the same
principle applies when using specialty stitches with these same threads
can also alter colors a little.

Yes, those silk & ivory yarns have a wonderful feel to them,
incorporating the best qualities of wool and silk....the soft, smooth as
"butter" like feel when pulling the yarn through the canvas is due to
it's silk content, with the wool giving the yarn better "wear"
durability.

A side note: Cece of The ThreadGatherer custom hand dyed a silk and wool
yarn in my shade of "Wooly Dream Blue", an ultramarine blue for me to
stitch models.......this particular yarn being hand dyed also exhibited
subtle gradations of color with a soft "glow" due to the silk content
and not a flat blue when stitched.
---
Lula
http://www.woolydream.com
Needlework Adventures

Mmeindia wrote:

I have a painted canvas in the pattern of a patchwork quilt that I have just
started. It is made up of nine blocks; the blocks themselves are made up of
diagonal stripes, with each block alternating between left-facing stripes -- \
-- and right-facing stripes



is that they are mixed between DMC pearl cotton #5 and Silk & Ivory.
Therefore, they are very different textures and weights.

I am sure a project could be done nicely mixing these textures/weights if it
were done intentionally; my problem is that, as far as I can see, the stripes
are random (there are about 10 colors in the piece, ranging from light
pastels to dark colors, and the color patterns don't seem to repeat).


Since I
will be picking threads based only on what colors I have available, the
placement of the different textures will therefore be totally random. Can this
work, or should I give up and go buy more Silk And Ivory, which is the first
color I pulled and started? (Now that I have started using this it's become my
thread of choice for the sensory experience.)

India

India --

Don't worry about mixing many different threads in the same
needlepoint piece, I do it all the time. In fact it enhances many
needlepoint pieces to have the different textures of many threads as
well as the different colors.

It's particularly good in pieces like the one you describe, which is
based on a patchwork quilt. Go ahead and use what you have, the
result will be wonderful, a technique I call Scrap Bag Needlepoint.

Like Scrap Bag quilts, these designs get their charn from using
different threads.

I would caution you in one aspect. If you are using Pearl #5 and Silk
& Ivory for the "background" of the blocks, use only one for each
block and, if you have enough, alternate them. Mixing the two in one
block or in one part of a block will not look good, although it can be
done.

Keep Stitching,
Janet
Napa Needlepoint
http://www.napaneedlepoint.com

Thanks to all for the replies, I really appreciate it. After reading Lula's
description of how colors work, I looked at the piece again and realized the
colors are not random, they are in a pattern, it's just a subtle, asymetrical
one. (I can't remember the term but it's the type of scheme where the colors
are opposite on the color wheel.)

I think seeing the pattern will help me use the different textures to their
best effect. I'm going to give it a shot.

India

In article ,
(Napa Needlepoint) writes:

Like Scrap Bag quilts, these designs get their charn from using
different threads.

I would caution you in one aspect. If you are using Pearl #5 and Silk
& Ivory for the "background" of the blocks, use only one for each
block and, if you have enough, alternate them. Mixing the two in one
block or in one part of a block will not look good, although it can be
done.

Janet, thanks so much for your reply. Gary's post reminded me that the
original purpose of a patchwork quilt was to use up fabric that was lying
around so I came to much the same conclusion.

Regarding your caution, I have one question. The blocks in this piece don't
have backgrounds; ie, they don't look like an applique on a colored ground. If
it were a real quilt, each block would be made up of diagonal stripes of
different colors. Was your caution just for background areas, or do you feel I
need to use only one type of thread per block?

TIA,

India

Gary, this was an incredible post-- I'd love to see your grandmother's work.

India