Mondays! We all love them, don’t we?!
To get the week off to a good start, let’s have a give-away! Today, thanks to Lorraine at LES Designs, whose thread I featured last week in this article on overdyed embroidery threads, I’m giving away some very colorful skeins of thread!
Better yet, when it comes to the prize, it’s Winner’s Choice – so read on for more details on how the give-away works.
For this thread give-away, the prize is 5 full skeins of beautifully colored, overdyed embroidery thread from LES Designs. The winner will get to select the skeins you want, so that you get the colors you want, rather than whatever colors and thread sizes happen to be mixed in a sampler pack.
Lorraine dyes a number of different sizes of embroidery threads, so you can select your choice from among the different types of threads, too. Any combination of five full skeins works – it’s kind of like a mini stash-shopping spree!
To join the give-away, though, there are (as usual) some guidelines you have to follow, to keep things organized.
Give-Away Guidelines
1. To enter the give-away, you must leave a comment on this article, on the Needle ‘n Thread website. If you’re not sure how to get to the comment section on this article, just follow this link and it will take you directly there. Comments left on other articles on Needle ‘n Thread or sent via email are not eligible for the drawing.
This give-away has ended. Thanks for participating!
2. In your comment, answer the following:
Of all the threads that LES Designs produces, which one grabs your attention most and why? Is it the color scheme that attracts you, the type of thread, the fact that it’s over dyed? (If you’re unsure of the threads available at LES Designs, you can pop over to Lorraine’s shop and take a look) If you win, what do you plan to do with the thread?
3. Make sure that you leave a recognizable name either in the “name” line on the comment form or in the comment box. For example, if your name is Alice, please make sure that you qualify which Alice you are. Something like “Alice in Albuquerque” or Alice W. would work. This helps eliminate confusion when the winner is announced. Thanks!
4. Submit your comment before Saturday, August 17th at 5:00 am CDT (Kansas, USA). I’ll announce the winner on Saturday morning some time.
The winner will be selected randomly from among the entries that comply with the guidelines above.
Anyone, anywhere may enter the drawing.
When the winner is announced, the winner must contact me with a shipping address and an email address, and I will forward that information on to LES Designs. The threads selected by the winner will be shipped directly from LES Designs.
So there it is! If you’re keen to add a splash of overdyed color to your thread stash, do join in!
And have a swell Monday!
The multi-color thread is absolutely beautiful – what vibrant colors and what
projects come to mind.
Thank you
Arleen
Thanks for the give away! I looooooove the pink, purple and blue pearl cottons! It’s probably the fact that I just love floss that changes color— and the colors themselves!
I love this thread. It is really beautiful. It will be great for some crocheted bracelets I’m making!
Beautiful threads. The colors are so vibrant!
I would choose this size 8 perle with variations of turquoise blues with hints of blue violet. I like to do Hardanger with overdyes and I am a blue person.
I would choose #8 perle in variations of turquoise blues with hints of blue violet.I like to do Hardanger with overdyes and I am a blue person
these threads are gorgeous. As someone just getting back into needlework after a 30 year hiatus, it is incredible what options and variations there are that I did not find years ago…Having fun experimenting!!!
I love all of her colors, but the one that inspires me most is the hand dyed 20/2 silk 9. It’s autumn colors, and I’ve always wanted to stitch a great big tree using a varigated thread! I think it would be beautiful!
Thanks as always for these opportunities!
I am a sucker for saturated colors, which is why I love overdyed thread! So many possibilities abound–I often love embroidering nature themes with almost technicolor vibrancy. Don’t you think the hand dyed 12 perle cotton 17 is like a sunset?
Ok–the truth is that I have only started experimenting with pearl cotton and I know that I want to use it more often in my embroidery, but I don’t know which size is best for what yet. I am about to embark on a crazy quilt, so I think I like the sampler packs the best. If I don’t win I may just buy one to experiment with! I think that these threads would be beautiful on a crazy quilt and since I am hoping to have a 4-season’s theme, any of the colors could easily be incorporated.
Love all the beautiful colors. They are great for the wool that I have started embellishing.
I love the look of this thread! I used it last year on a fall tablemat made of black wool felt appliqued with dyed wool pumpkins. The thread was used to connect all the pumpkins, in the rust and green colors. Beautiful and so nice to use.
I absolutely love any and all variegated threads. I presently am working on a Kim McLean applique quilt called Pandemonium and am adding embroidered details to the many figures used in her designs to add dimension. I love, love, love all the bright variegations: pinks, blues, reds, yellows. They supplement the designs sooooo well.
This one is GORgeous! Definitely the color drew me in.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/151809404/hand-dyed-12-perle-cotton-14?ref=shop_home_active
What would I do with it? Well, the first week would be looking and playing with it. It will be perfect for botanicals, Spring through Summer theme.
Then I’ll play with it some more before starting.
I love the vividness of the colors…..absolutely beautiful.
I love all the colors! They are so rich and vibrant, but I am a blue fanatic, so my eyes just naturally go straight to the blues! I love these threads and have used them in several projects. Not certain what I would use them for if I win, I have several things that I am wanting to do, but I would put them to good use!
Thanks!
I love the beautiful color selection. Exquisite.
I really like the color scheme of “Hand dyed 8 perle cotton 1”. The blue and violet shades are so soothing to me. It was tough picking out a favorite, but the blue and violet just seemed to pop out. Reminds me of when I use to pick violets for my mom when I was a child.
I would love to have some of the dyed purple skeins. The colors look so fun! I want to try some knotting with these colors
I like the green mixes. I can see them in leaves and other greenery. I like nature!
Oh my goodness. What a beautiful array of color. I love using over dyes on my hardanger projects. any of the samplers would lend an unusual new look. I have some special linen pieces I have been wanting to stitch, and would love to be the lucky winner. thanks for the opportunity.
I LOVE those colors. I want them all!
LOVE the idea of a mini stash! Good luck to the winner.
2. In your comment, answer the following:
1.Of all the threads that LES Designs produces, which one grabs your attention most and why?
A. I like the over dyed threads the most. They are like working on your needle work project with a rainbow of colors at one time.
2. If you win, what do you plan to do with the thread?
A. I am wanting to make some pillow cases with flowers and butterflies on them and decorate some tee-shirts.
I love these threads. They have the most beautiful colors and sheen.
What a wonderful give away and how generous of Lorraine to let us choose. I love, love, love, love, love overdyed threads. I have been drooling over Lorraine’s threads ever since you featured them. My preference in her thread choices would be either her 20/2 silks or her #8 or #12 perle cotton. Okay, I admit that really didn’t narrow it down much but if I were forced to choose just one, I guess it would be her silk. The next hardest choice would be selecting colors from her wonderful choices.
I love using overdyed threads in crazy quilting. I don’t have much in perle cotton weight, but I’d love to have some! I seem to gravitate toward greeny/blue colors, but I’m stepping out of the box this year and looking at orange/red/yellow tones. What yummy threads.
Nancy in Newport
What’s not to love about each of her colors! Each skein has it’s own richness and becomes a work of art in itself. I particularly like skein color ten, I can envision the colors worked into leaves. I also particularly like the sampler 7, as we look into the fall, it has such wonderful blends of the seasonal colors.
I love the silk threads. They seem to be so vibrant and the colors are wonderful. I especially love the green to blue. It is a favorite color scheme of mine and these threads are wonderful. I am also a quilter and I have a quilt in mind that would be made of embroidered squares in paisley patterns. The lively colors would be perfect for this project.
Thread pack number 11 rings my chimes. Those colors are all of my favorites. I am going on a long road trip and plan to embroider all over the US in September. These colors would sure make me happy.
Carol in Windsor, CA
I like the #5 perle cotton overdye – embroidery = yes, but it also works great for knitting beaded amulet bags on size 0000 needles. The silks are lovely and really give a beautiful shimmer to my art quilt projects. Thanks to LES Designs for the giveaway!!!
All of Lorraine’s threads have beautiful color combinations. I particularly like the 12 perle #14 because of the color. If I were lucky enough to win I would be torn on how to use them as I quilt, cross stitch and embroider. I place the cross stitches and embroidered pieces in unique quilts I make… we spend six months a year cruising on our boat and I don’t take my sewing machine so I take hand work and when I get back to land, I then finish the quilt with my handwork.
I’m not sure what you mean by website, but I will try and submit an entry anyway. I’m fascinated by the overdyed colors in the greens with the touch of yellow. I’m thinking that would make lovely additions to garden embroidery or nature scenes. I’m always drawn as well to purples and blues mixed together. I like stump work and think the overdyed threads would be elegant with those designs.
ooh, I love all these beautiful threads! The one that jumps out at me most is her hand dyed 8 perle cotton in the reds and greens colorway. I am going to start embroidering a Christmas Stocking and this would be fantastic!
What beautiful threads
I have a few ideas for surgeries or I’ve quilting that I’d use the threads for or, if I was fortunate enough to an and was able to get the right colours I could s then on my challenge piece
I should also consider overdoing some threads myself for projects
Just adore overdyes in any type of thread. I use it mainly to embellish from smocking to crazy quilts. It also works great in my thread painting projects for certain aspects such as leaves that need to “glow” green from the sun….
What luscious colors! Definitely eye candy for the embroiderer’s soul….I want to start a crazy quilt this fall and use special threads on it, I would call these Special! Just lovely
I adore overdyed fibers and have been using them whenever I get a chance. I really love to do cutwork such has hardanger and the idea that the perle cottons are available in over dyed is just so exciting. I really love the earth tones and the 5 perle cotton 20 jumped out at me for a sampler or some fun hardanger pieces.
Thanks and good luck to the winner.
I am new to this site so this is my first newsletter and all I can say is that it is pure eye candy….delicious colors.
Love all the colors because they are so brilliant! Would love to do a hardanger piece with hand dyed 5 pearl cotton 10.
Those threads are gorgeous! I really like seeing multicolour thread not just because they’re lovely, but because the colour schemes can inspire me when I pick out colours for a new project. It’s easy to get stuck with your favourite colours so you need some combos from someone else, ideas from outside, sometimes to evolve.
Many of them catches my eye, but one this rainy day, filled with grey skies and thunder, I’m really attracted to the warm sunset colours like http://www.etsy.com/listing/155002335/hand-dyed-202-silk-3 and http://www.etsy.com/listing/150852696/hand-dyed-12-perle-cotton-17
Otherwise it’s http://www.etsy.com/listing/155002670/hand-dyed-202-silk-16 that’s on my wishlist now, a colour scheme that goes very well with my bead and fibre stash.
Wow, what a prize. I’ve never tried these threads but have a few on my wish list after your review. I’ve never met a hand-dyed thread I didn’t like. #14, the #12 perle dyed in blues and greens really caught my eye because it reminds me of the ocean. I like #12 perle because it’s more delicate. Thanks for the opportunity to win these gorgeous threads!
Color is one of the most important things in my life, and the ones on the LES website are simply exquisite! I adore Samplers 1, 11, 25, 14, 12, 20…hmmm, I see a trend here. I think I might end up entering ALL the numbers! I have been under a bit of stress lately, and my way to deal with it is that I am starting a new project that calls for 89 DMC colors! Ahhh…that will settle me down as nothing else can. I would LOVE to get my hands on these samplers!!
Its always the colour scheme for me. First thing that grabs my attention is the colour – I decide what I want to buy and then I think – “Oh and what is the type of thread again?”
All of Lorraine’s colours are beautiful, but I admit being partial to – hand dyed 8 perle cotton 8 and 20 and hand dyead 20/2 silk 13.
12 perle cotton 25 with turquoise, orange, yellow…
A field of embroidered wildflowers – That’s what it would be. And, yes, the overdyed process makes it
spectacular. Thanks for the chance.
I could find no names on the Lorraine website but on page 2, the first 2 colors are my favorites. I love things in greens and these 2 would make great colors for leaves. I am always changing colors in samplers especially leaves and love the overdies for a more realistic look instead of a flat color. Patricia from Colorado springs
I love all the colors, but it’s hard to decide which would be the most fun to play with. There’s one combination of blues that is beautiful, and would probably work beautifully in Hardanger – and I’m a “blue” person. But there’s also the Sampler #10, that has a wild variety of colors – oranges, purples, greens, and reds that would be lots of fun. I can’t decide – I’d love to have them all!
Mary in MN
It is the colors that just make my heart sing….I would love to have a skein of each one…But the #12 is what I use the most as I use it to put the finishing touches on my applique work….Luv your website….Dot M. From Pa.
I love to stitch with over dyed threads. I like the effect that I get when using them. These threads are beautiful and I would love to try them!!! Please pick me!!!!!
I love the colors in Hand dyed 8 perle cotton 29. I could design a great geometric using that and pulling in other threads to match some of the colors as accents.
My favourite thread on the site is the Perle 12. Its one of my most preferred threads to use in my crazy quilting.
Wow, what a great selection of colors. I generally just love over dyed threads because they add such interest and depth to stitched pieces. I see there are a lot of purples and rose colors on the site. One was a rose/gray combo. I never would have thought of that but I love it. My favorite way to use this type of thread is in making biscornus. Biscornus are not very large to begin with so using over dyed threads adds a lot to a rather basic blackwork design or small embroidery or cross stitch pattern.
Hi Mary–I LOVE overdyed threads, and this is a thread I’ve not heard of before.
In looking at the threads in Lorraine’s Etsy shop, two things caught my attention. First, there’s not a pastel in the bunch. I don’t like pastels, I like my colors to be bright and bold, and these fit the bill. Second, there are a number of different threads that have my favorite color combination at the moment–orange, purple, pink. The silk ones are especially pretty.
Thanks to you and Lorraine for a great giveaway!
Carol S.
The 8 perle cotton #23 set my eyes on fire! The richness of the colors, tints and shades is super appealing. I would like to use it on a pattern that would normally be used for a single color embroidery on a toning fabric, maybe a light pink. I’d want a flowing design instead of something with identifiable flowers or items.
12 Perle cotton 14, the lime greens and
turquoise colors I would like to use on quilt patches for my daughter. She loves these colors together
Mary, how awesome. This will be a wonderful way to try out these beautiful threads.
I love the over dyed threads, however I have not ever used them before, I am a beginner in hand Embroidery, but hand quilted for many years, If I won I would make a complete embroidery project with the beautiful threads…
I love the fact that it is pearle cotton that is over dyed. Really hard to find so it is great to know where to go to expand my stash. I especially like the gold/green/orange colors. Fits well with my color palette.
I adore overdyed threads! I use them extensively in my work. They add a shimmer of light and color in a way solid thread cannot. I am just starting to dye my own threads so I know how difficult it is to get the lovely color transitions Lorraine does. I would be so very thrilled to win them.
LES over dyed threads are all gorgeous. It is very hard to choose just one. If I had to choose, it would be Hand Dyed 8 perle cotton #25. The colors remind me of the ocean/sky, and I have plans to embroider a piece with an ocean theme.
Mary, thanks so much for this give-away and for brightening my days with your expertise and beautiful work.
Karen from Iowa
To answer your questions, the first thing that grabs me is Lorraine has #12 perle cotton. It’s hard for me to find in a shop and over-dyed is impossible. The second thing is color scheme. I like the unusual and enjoy the accent of a complimentary color to the main one. Don’t laugh but I don’t like to get my hands wet. I’m a stitcher not a dyer. And there is the advantage of choosing the thread when I know what color it is. Barb W of MO
What a great giveaway!
After looking at the LES Designs product line The ones that appeal to me the most are the overdyed silks. There’s something about the soft look of the fiber and the way it takes the color. In terms of color I found it hard to choose a single favorite but I guess I’m starting to think of fall and found the olive, yellow, orange, pink and multi ones (#’s 20, 14, 16, 2 & 3) very appealing. If I had to choose one it would be the multicolored #16 because it’s not quite like any other thread in my supply. If I were lucky enough to win this giveaway I’d use the thread for a stitch sampler which would let the beauty of the threads themselves be the focus.
I love over-dyed threads because of their uniqueness. The colors in hand dyed sampler are awesome; that’s what caught my attention. If I win, I would be using the LES threads on my crazy quilt blocks. Glad you pointed out LES threads as I had never heard of the company. One can never have too much embroidery thread!
Thanks.
What a marvelous giveaway. I would probably choose a sampler 1 and then a chartreuse/purple single skein. I took a class at quilt guild with Sue Spargo and would use the threads to work on finishing my project. The background is wool with a variety of fabrics appliqued on it. Thanks for a great giveaway. You always have great and pertinent giveways. Thanks.
Overdyed threads are my favourite to work with. I am relatively new to hand embroidery, but have joined a great guild and am learning lots. I particularly like the fact that I can get size 12 Perle on the LES site. I am finding size 12 hard to get here in Canada, especially in nice hand dyed variations with subtle colour changes.
I love the colours that the overdying creates…I love fibre and threads, but theswe colors are gorgous…The Hand Dyed 12 Perle Cotton 11 caught my attention…I will be adding these threads to my favorite list.
The purple and green caught my eye. They are all so beautiful, but that combination pops. I make small pillows with scent in the cente. They each have a monogram and touched with ribbon embroidery and some bead work. These colors will eed to have some thought put into the pattern, but what an enjoyable challenge.
I like all of the threads and colors and think it would be fun to do a random geometric project with any of them. I like the smaller size perle cottons (8 or 12) and any thread would be fun to use. I had a great time looking at all the beautiful colors at the website. The only thing that makes me sad is that I would not be able to teach something if I designed it since so few of the same thread is created at one time.
I forgot to say which one grabs my attention. Sorry, I was too excited when I got there.
I really love the green colorways. They work so beautifully when doing flowers and landscapes. For that same reason, I adore the hand dyed 5 perle cotton 10 in reds, pinks and purples. Wow, I can just see a bouquet of roses stitched with them. So pretty!
Just beautiful. I would choose the green, gold and rusts for a Fall table runner I have been planning on doing for a long time. I could see flowers and so much more that would be fun to do in all of them.
Beautiful threads. I like the lime green, apricot and blue green combination.
Wow what stunning colours. I love sampler 17, my eyes relaxed as soon as I saw it….not sure what I would make with it yet.
Thanks for the generous giveaway!
The first thing that grabs me is the color! The colors are gorgeous. I have a project in mind for a certain color of the over dyed thread. It would give it the pop it needs to get it finished.
Under duress to choose, I am selecting Sampler 10 because it is bold! The threads would probably end up in an antique reproduction as I am currently obsessed with home related magazines from earlier centuries. As always, thanks for doing this, The give-a-ways are fun.
The thread is overdyed beautiful and I am so hoping that I am a lucky winner. I use a lot of overdyed threads in my projects. Thanks for offering them as a give away.
Laura
I like the feel of silk and would love to use the overdyed embroidery thread on flowers. The color ranges in the same family would make beautiful flowers on a project!
Mary,
Thanks so much for your articles. I thoroughly enjoy them especially your tutorials! I had never heard of over dyed threads so this was a great article along with the beautiful photos of Lorraine’s threads.
Although, it was difficult to choose, I liked the Hand dyed 12 perle cotton 16. I could see using these threads in a nature/bird design I have been contemplating doing for awhile. I think her designs are so attractive because the colors are unique as compared to the ones one can usually order or buy.
Thanks for providing the LES link. Beautiful threads.
Have a great Monday!
Micki in Wilkesboro NC
I love the blues and turquoises and greens in the size 8 perle cottons. I would be using them for hand embroidery. I’ve recently fallen in love with mermaids and I can see these skeins being used for hair, fins, and tails. But – all the colors are so gorgeous; I can see them being used in my samplers. Perle cotton’s texture is so lovely.
Renee Russell (in Portland)
I have made LES Designs a f”avorite” after your review of her overdyed threads. They are so incredibly beautiful! I don’t have a favorite color – it would depend on the project I use them for, and not just hand embroidery. I have recently been introduced to felted wool projects and I can really see these beautiful threads used on any number of wool designs. Yummy stuff!
Mary, all I can say I am happy for the day I found your web site. I look forward to it each day. And the give aways are a bonus. I love the threads in the give away they are just beautiful. I have never used these before. If I should win I would love the purple and blues.
Thank you, Margaret G. MO.
I just love sampler #10 – with the colors going from yellow and orange all the way to purples. Just beautiful! It’s so pretty I think I would admire it on the table awhile before I found a project! Thanks for the chance to win – Toni in Lakeview
The colors that grab my attention is the rich greens and golds.
I love the over dyes.
Fall colors are my favorite
Actually all the Les designs threads are fabulous
I really like the silk overdyes. They fill a void in the market. I especially like #9 & #16. I’d like to add them to my stash for a future mixed media project.
Most definitely it is colour that grabs me first – especially a skein that is variegated. I am currently planning out an applique quilt that has embroidery in it as well and would very much like to use the threads in the project.
I use a lot of variegated embroidery thread in the freeform embroidery I do. My favorite (albiet a hard choice) is here: https://www.etsy.com/listing/158751868/hand-dyed-5-perle-cotton-2?ref=shop_home_active
It is #5 DMC perle cotton thread in variations of gold, red violet and violet. The colorway is what appealed to me most and it is cotton which I use most. Thanks for the giveaway.
I love love the blue colors, it’s perfect for embellishing the jean quilt I’m making… I really adore the verigated colors in stitching, it’s such a surprise to see the designs the variegated colors create!
Such beautiful threads!I’m putting together a project that I would like to use this gorgeous thread on. It would be the perfect choice because of the bright and intense colors.
I hope I get picked from the drawing, but if not then I’m sure that whoever is will be more than thrilled.
Thanks Mary!
Love love LOVE the overdyed thread! I especially like the pink ones because it just grabs my attention…plus I like ANYTHING pink! I’m really enjoying your daily newsletters…they’re informative as well as inspiring!
Keep up the good work!
Sorry Mary, I got so excited about the over dyed threads, I didn’t read the comment instructions.
Hand dyed 12 perle cotton 20 is my favorite because those are some of my favorite colors and I have been wanting to try #12 perle cotton. I will be starting a pillow project soon and will use the over-dyed threads on it. I love her website and am going back for a more thorough look. Thank you for the great give away.
The colors are gorgeous, but it is the texture that grabs my attention. I love fine embroidery but I also love crewel and this texture really is the best of both. It is smooth and beautiful but with more substance than fine embroidery floss. I’d love to work with this variegated thread to create a floral work.
Mary Ann
I love the silk threads on LES’s Etsy shop but it’s too hard to choose! The perle cottons in the 3 weights also appeal to me. So many of the colour combinations do to.
Great giveaway!
Heather M.
The Perle cottons, especially sizes 8 and 12, appeal to me. There’s a nice variety of colors and they look gorgeous on the website. I’m usually a purple and blue person, but the variety of golds, reds and oranges really attracted, and Fall is coming! I do mostly Hardanger and drawn-thread work, and I’ve been experimenting with the effects you can achieve with overdyed threads, so these threads would be great for that.
Of course, the silk 20/2 looks interesting, too…who knows where it could lead?
I absolutely love the hand-dyed sampler #1 with its purples, blues, oranges, and golds. I am working on a desert sunset design and can picture the purples and blues as the hills and mountains with the oranges and golds with hints of pale greens and lavendars in the sunset sky. I didn’t know about the website, but it’s bookmarked now! Thank you!
Hand Dyed Sampler 7 – that’s the one! Those colors are just to die for and they would add the finishing touch to the small quilt I’m working on – a fiery dragon panel, embroidered in blackwork with lots of red highlights!
A beautiful 20 meter/21.67 yard skein of hand dyed #12 DMC perle cotton thread in a blend of lime green, apricot and blue greens.
There is only one skein of this left in her inventory, but I love it. I think it is the colorway – I love blues & greens of almost any shade, but the pop of apricot is stunning and very unexpected.
Just finished a project with variegated floss and would to try my hand at using over-dyed. The colors are amazing 🙂
I love embroidering with all types of threads, and the colors of these are just delicious! Thanks for the offer.
Thank you for this giveaway!
I love the thread ” Hand dyed 8 perle cotton 18″ because I love the combination of colours gathered together!
This thread will be great to be used in a cross stitching pattern that I have!
Thanks for the chance!
Loriana from Italy
I am a recent follower of your blog and just love it. I have tried to overdye my own threads and it is much harder than it looks.
Definitely 8 DMC perle cotton! 🙂 First of all it’s my all-time favorite embroidery thread and second the amazing colors Lorraine dyes them make it even more appealing! I Would LOVE to win these skeins!! 🙂 Thank you Mary and thank you Lorraine for the opportunity (from Portugal)!!
I did’t read all the requirements. I love all the colors. I will use them with my wool appliqués
All the skeins are beautiful. I look at each one and I equate it with something in nature. Oranges and reds-leaves and mums. The greens-fields. The blues water or sunsets. My two favorite are: 8 perle cotton 17 on page one because it looks like a snake I’ve seen in the yard and on page two 12 perle cotton 7 because I think of goldfish in a pond.
Thanks for the give away!
I love this beautiful thread.
I use it for my Crazy Quilting and I hope that I win.
Greetings Maria
I just looked at Lorraine’s shop on etsy and love her Sampler #9 in overdyed perle cotton. I have a wool applique project (colorful flowers) and these threads would be perfect. Just one sampler left – I may need to place an order before the drawing ends! Barb
The overdyed colors – totally out of my comfort range, but would love to see how I did stitching with them. I certainly like looking at the bright colors!
I plan to do my own design, something again, I haven’t ever done. I would like to try before it is too late and lost the opportunity to stretch and see what I can design.
The colors of these threads are gorgeous. Would love to try some out!!
I just learned of these beautiful threads in your previous newsletter and haven’t even had a chance to try them yet but definitely plan to. We live in an area where we have to travel a minimum of 30 miles to find a small and limited supply of hand dyed threads. I lead a group of about 12 crazy quilters and we do not have access to threads like LES Designs so we are very glad to learn of her site thanks to you. Of course I’d love to win too to be able to show everyone firsthand low lovely they are. Thank you for this great opportunity.
All the colors are beautiful, but I think my favorite is the “Hand Dyed 5 Perle Cotton 13” in shades of purple. I have a ‘project’ waiting for thread and this would be perfect.
Hi
I think they make any embroidery more beautiful. I think Sharon (pintangle ) dyes hers and here embroidery samples look great. By winning, I can at least try to do the same.
I just love their 12 perle cotton. I use it in my crazy quilting. What grabs my attention is the fact that they are overdyed. The colors just pop on my work. I especially love the blues and purples. Krind
Of all the threads that LES Designs produces, all the beautiful colors grab my attention most. The colors are ones I’ve never seen before and the possibilities are infinite.
I like the Lorraine 17 Hand dyed 8 perle cotton 21. Thanks so much for the chance! I’m really enjoy your blog.
Since it took me 55 years to discover hand or surface embroidery, I am in awe of these beautiful selections. How can one choose from such an array! LES Designs have outdone themselves.
The one that most popped out at me would be the bright turquoise and lime green size 12 perle cotton with bits of orange. I’ve always loved that color scheme =D I’d love to use it maybe in some tatting, I think the colors would pop more that way. ^_^
The one that grabs my attention most is Hand dyed 12 perle cotton 5. I like that weight to work with and these colors are intense and clear on their own but have a subtle shift from one to another with just enough variation to make it interesting and lively without messing up your color scheme.
I’m currently loving crazy quilting and wool applique projects and I think it would be an asset to either
Oh wow, the COLORS! I do love overdyed threads–not that I have many–and some of the color schemes she’s got are just stunning. Wow. I would pick this one for the unusual color combo. http://www.etsy.com/listing/150922057/hand-dyed-8-perle-cotton-10?ref=shop_home_active
The Hand dyed 5 perle cotton 11 grabs my attention most because you can get great depth of color with just one strand! It is because of the different shades of the same color in one skein.
If you win, what do you plan to do with the thread? I want to embroider linen bread bags 🙂
Thanks for the giveaway!
I can’t pick just one because I look for the colors first. The perle cottons are beautiful and I especially love the purples and blues, although I was also drawn to the skeins with yellows – they’re so bright and vibrant. I would love to win these because I’m going to give them to my daughter and ask her to make me something wonderful!
Now here is a chance to try to win my favourite Thread, would be wonderful if I should be so lucky. I use overdyed perle 5 for my Temari and Biscornu. I have a favourite, blues-magenta-purple and green – but would be nice to try different colours. I am thinking of making Biscornu for my stitching friends for Christmas. So, Mary, I would love to win Perle 5 in cotton 10,17,15,&20 and perle 8 in cotton 25. Thankyou to you and Lorraine for the chance. Peggy
I love the perle cotton 5. I love to use it to crochet edgins on baby blankets. I think the overdyed thread would really add to the personalization of a blanket. But I think I’d like to try using it to crochet some flowers to use as brooches this winter.
Thanks for the give away!
Carrie “Plane Nut”
Hi Mary,
I’ve never seen any overdyed threads before – so couldn’t say if they appeal to me, but I love the soft tones of ’20/2 silk 16′. Never used silk threads,but would love the opportunity to try my hand. I would have to have the threads in my hand. Anyway I love threads – even if it is just to look at them, feel them, handle them and then decide to wait before deciding what to use them for.
This thread is so beautiful. If I didn’t already embroider, I would have to start!
I love all the colors! If I had to pick just one though, I would go with Hand dyed 8 perle cotton 17. The colors are very subtle. A pillow with some kind of pond scene on it would use this thread perfectly!
This thread is beautiful! It’s so hard to choose which are my favorites! But I really like the threads that have purples and pinks in with yellows and oranges, like in the sampler 6 or the 20/2 silk 14, because they make me think of the fall foliage that is starting to come up here for my favorite season! I really like all the greens as well; they have a lot of depth to them.
Dye scheme 10 is an eye grabber. Those two shades work off each other nicely and the juxtaposition would make some nice eye-candy in a design. Very vibrant!
The beautiful vibrant colors are what attract me the most – the project ideas just pop when I look at he various offerings! Thank you for the opportunity to possibly win a few skeins!
I love this give-a-way! I like the hand-dyed 8 perle cotton 5. I fell for the coloer scheme. The colors look like fall to me and I am definitely ready for fall! I love pumpkins and I just might embroider some pumpkins for myself. Thanks for the Give-a-way!
Not only did I enjoy your article on overdyed thread but I visited Lorraines website last week. I fell in LOVE with the colors, ordered several colors in different sizes . I also purchased some hand dyed LES ribbon as well.
It would be wonderful to win and add to my selections. I am excited to
try them.
The colors are so beautiful, bright that is so difficult to choose what color could be my favorite. I would like to have all.
I love Lorraine’s colors & the beautiful effects of the over-dying. I would be in heaven stitching my applique or embellishing with these threads 1
Thank you so much for the opportunity! I am most attracted to color more so than what fiber it is. I love them all but especially the earth tones or purples and greens. I have been working on a larger project involving embroidery with an appliqued quilt. So I would love to incorporate them if I win
The colours are stunning! Both the silk and the perle cotton are equally beautiful. They would be great to use in crazy patch embellishment.
India is land of colours.we celebrate a festival called Raksha Bandhan (raksha = protection & bandhan =binding). Sisters tie colourful bands on d wrist of their brothers praying for their safety & protection. These bands are called Rakhis & are essentially a pompom & a braid attached to the pompom.we use
Colourful embroidery skeins to make these & more the colours, merrier the mood.
wow! it’s the colour schemes that attract me – opening up so many possibilities for my needlework. Elizabeth in Saskatoon
I LOVE all threads! I love all colorful threads, especially in the blues, greens, pinks and purples families. It’s very hard to choose my favorite color scheme. I guess I’ll go with the Hand dyed 5 perle cotton 13–purple variations. I picked it because of the colors. If I win I will use the #5 or #8 perle overdyed on temari balls.
Oh, I could find use for any of her threads. They are all beautiful!
#12 Pearl Cotton for quilt embelishing will be my choice of the 5 skeins. Absolutely beautiful color combinations.
All those beautiful colours could have come from the Bulb Fields here in the Netherlands the same striking resemblance..amazing.
Greetings From The Netherlands
I love the sampler packs, they look like eye candy.
I really like the 20/2 silk 5 That contains my favorite colors and the colors I prefer to work with.
Ooooh ! So bright ,n,cheerful ! These are just the thing for a vintage ’70s embroidery I,m planning on doing .
Mary , we DO love your blog ! : )
Thankyou
Daisy Debs in Cornwall England
Beautiful threads! I’m starting a project that would look gorgeous when done, if I were to use these colorful threads. Hopefully my name will be drawn, but if not whoever is the winner will be very happy I’m sure.
The colors of these threads are so intense, it’s like they are jumping out at you. They are truly beautiful.
Thanks Mary
Ohhhhhhhhh myyyyyyyyy godddddddd….positively drooling at these fantastic threads!! So inspirational!!! Reds……oranges…..blues…..purples….greens….a far-reaching palette…..
What to do with them?!! Well, since I live on the north eastern coast of Scotland, i can see our seascapes…..mountains…..hills….farmland…..trees….so much colour in nature, and these threads echo the vivacity, breadth and subtleness of my wee corner of Scotland!
So, what i’d LOVE to try to do with them would be to at least pay a needlework homage to my country.
Thanks for this opportunity!
Fiona in Scotland!
Hello mary,
my name’s mary varma & i’m from india. I love the collection of threads at LES Designs. The colours are fabulous. I cannot point out a favourite because each colour thread is beautiful in its own way. I think i’ll use the thread for a dress i’m making for my daughter, if i win it. Thanks for a very lovely giveaway and advance congragulations to who ever wins this giveaway. Love u mary for such wonderful giveaways.
I looked at the entire selection of threads at LES Design and really liked all of them so I would say they are all favorites of mine. The colours are quite vibrant and I can imagine the gorgeous needlework created using any of Lorraine’s threads.
If I win, I plan to look at samples of needlework (mostly floral designs) and from there, draw up a pattern of my own using the threads.
– Connie (currently in Edmonton, Canada)
The fact that they are over-dyed is what I love. I’d take any of the colors, but I especially like the sampler packs (eg, #8). I’ve been trying to use colors I don’t usually use, like you suggested, so a sampler would be perfect. Having the variety of sizes and colors really pushes the imagination for an appropriate design.
I am in general fascinated by threads which changes colours, it gives surface stitching with one colour a very lovely twist. When I looked at the website the 8 oerle cotton number 33 caught my eye instantly. I love the mix of green, purple and a hint of blue(a colour mix I often feel calm by looking at).
If I win I think I will use some of them for smocking(thinking lovely bishop shirt) and others for swirly surface stitching.
I’m not very sure… but I am more comfortable with the skeins with different shades of one color than a skein with e.g. both blue and red.
I would choose from shades of blue or green, because I plan to stitch something ocean-themed for my son.
I love the greens and blues that Lorraine manages to achieve, especially the hand-dyed 8 perle cotton 34, hand-dyed 12 perle cotton 25, hand-dyed 5 perle cotton 19, and hand-dyed 8 perle cotton 35. Her colours are so vibrant and eye-catching. I would either use them to create a custom piece of embroidered wall art or crochet a new bedspread.
Oh, how to choose? They are all scrumptious! Of course it’s late summer with hints of fall in the air, so I lean towards the oranges and yellows, with some green and blue sky thrown in.
A talented thread designer, for sure.
I like #12 perle-29. Because it is blue. Actually my favorite color is purple, but I have discovered my daughter’s “new” favorite color is blue, it has always been pink! … Who knew! I plan to do two items for her, one a monogram mounted in a trinket box, and the other a sign for her office “Life is too short to drink cheap coffee” with a mug, to hang over her Keurig Brewer. The mug and the wording will, of course, be blue. The brewer was a gift from me when she opened her office, last year, she is a CPA.
I’m in love with the vibrant colors of the #8 pearl cotton. The purples and blues are especially pleasing to my eye, making me think of cottage flowers in bloom. This type of thread makes up into nice little amulet bags: I’d love to see the patterns produced by this overdyed.
I am drawn to the blues and purples. Either a mix of shades of one color, or a mix of the two, or a mix of one of them with some green.
I have some Hardanger projects to do in color, but I never could figure out a color to use. I would hate to do them in a single, flat color.
What brilliant colors! If I had to pick one, it would be Perle Cotton 35 as it combines two colors that have been speaking to me lately: Purple + Orange. Yeah, shocking I know. The topic of color came up recently when a group of us older sewists were together having a Friday Sew-In, and it was suggested that one of the (many!) things that change as we age, is our relationship to color. It may mean a color that has been a person’s favorite their entire life is replaced by another. It may mean that one’s perception changes as far as colors that go well together. So for me, the colors of purple and orange — together — have been catching my eye.
Oh, what yumilicious colours!! I like using overdyed perle to embellish my fabric art. The thicker the thread, the better. I wish she did no.3 perle but I would be oh so happy with my choices in no.5. I feel like the kid in the back row of the class waving her hand in the air thinking “Pick me! Pick me!” 🙂
Such a tough decision! All are beautiful, but I tend to lean more toward the cool colors: the greens, blues and violets. But then again the reds, yellows and oranges are lovely as well. And, oh, the combos! I want them all! And in all sizes!
Thanks again, Mary and LES Designs, for the give-away!
I especially like the vibrancy and saturation of the colors. I would use the #8 perle cotton to add stitched embellishments to my art quilts and quilted garments.
This one http://www.etsy.com/listing/151812817/hand-dyed-12-perle-cotton-16?ref=shop_home_active (size 12 cotton #16) grabs my attention the most! It’s the color mixture, and if I won it I would use it on a stitch sampler I plan to work on!
I love multi colored threads. If I were to win, I would pick all fall colors and embroider a falling leaves project.
Thanks Chris
I am absolutely in love with the first jewel toned skein — #32. It reminds me of the characters from Alice in Wonderland, which happens to be one of the very first things I attempted to hand embroider and is also one of my favorite books 🙂 I wrote my master’s thesis based on it.
-Nicole P. from Jersey
Working with overdyes is magical. I love simply puttig some in a small basket and having them there to look at. They are a visual feast!
Pat W-S
I believe I am having a hard time choosing but am looking at the hand dyed 12 perle cotton 19 – lorraine 17. The colors are yellow and yellow/orange. It is wonderfully bright. Working on a section for a privacy screen and believe these colors would be perfect to bring “sunshine” to this area. I am choosing this mainly because of the amazing color combination and I love working with perle cotton.
Thank you. Diane
Wow!!! As someone who absolutely loves color AND embroidery, these threads are fabulous. I love the fact that they are over-dyes which I use quite a lot (incredible in wool work and crazy quilting) and that they are available in different weights since texture is important, too. Number 31 is probably my favorite – at this moment, anyway. But they are all so vibrant that any one skein would knock one’s socks off!
I save every email that you send. I just love the colors of all these threads. I would choose Hand Died 8 perle cotton 41. I would use part of it to finish a piece I am finishing now called: If you love something give it room to grow.” Just chock full of flowers and little forest animals.
I love your work and your assistance to me
Jean Rettus in Tucson, AZ
I love to use overdyes and these are lovely. I would probably use them in a needlepoint project. my favorite is the seagreen and lavender. reminds me of spring.
These over-dyed threads have been making my heart (and eyes) swoon! The are luscious! Their rich and variegated colors make me want to use them for stitching all kinds of space/astronomy projects. The batches that really made
my hear race are 7, 25, 31, 34, and 37. I love anything with a range of aquas and oranges, and the ones that combine those cool and warm colors are magnificent. Thanks so much for sharing this great shop with us!
Rachel Hobson
averagejanecrafter at gmail dot com
Well… I like autumn colors: orange, brown… And I like purple shades… And also variations of green… It’s just crazy to pick one you like most. It all depends on the mood you are in, on the weather that is outside and on soooo many things!
I love her color combinations, especially the ones in her sampler packs. I have been making felt brooches with embroidery, beads and needlelace or crocheted edgings. I adore the colors in samplers 11,8,10. I also combine different sizes of threads for contrast and texture, when I create crazy quilts. Her shop is like eye candy for me. Thanks for the opportunity and for sharing her shop with us all.
Donna Walker
WOW! These threads are scrumptious. I particularly like the pistachio colored thread because it is so airy. My thoughts take me to Jacobean Jumble to use these threads. That may not be the right way to go but would be very interesting. Maybe a bit busy and I would probably feel like a dizzy dame if I did the Jumble with these threads. Hope I win; after all we Lorraine’s have to stick together. (only kidding)
s
OMG! The 20/2 Silks in the pink,peach are to die for! I so want to use these for my floral embroidery on my brown velvet for a reticule! It would be gorgeous! Thanks, K.A. Rich
I love all overdyes. These colors were so vibrant they made my monitor pulsate! They would do some really awesome Hardanger, or any other form of embroidery!
I love the Perle cotton #8 in color 31–it reminds me so much of a end of a sunset with the purple blue and pinks. I think this would stitch up beautifully in a geometric design with some solid floss picking up some of the colors–very seductive and mysterious!
What absolutely beautiful colors. I love using over-dyed threads in my Crazy Quilting. The #25 is so beautiful. Lucious fall colors. #39 would work wonderfully for a project I’m doing now and the silk #23 would work up beatifully. Had not been to her website, before, but will certainly go back and probably purchase some of her silks.
Thanks so much for all your giveaways.
Louise
I love givaways! I’ve popped over to the LES shop and must say that the embroidery threads there are all amazing. I think the one that most interests me is the 20/2 silk. The combination of the LES colorways and the silk’s shine are really eye-catching. If I were to win I would design a free-form embroidery pattern that would show off the beauty of the color changes in the hand-painted threads.
The Blue, number 1, the beauty is they come in perle number 8 and 12. Can do landscape thread painting with these, as they are full of hints of different shades.
Thank you for all the inspiration!
What beautiful colors! And so many to choose from!
I was 4 when my mother and grandmother would sit me down with a needle and thread. I learned embroidery and sewing at their knees. Then it was put aside as life got in the way. Now that things have slowed I have picked up my needle again.
Mother and gramma are gone now so I turned to the internet and found your website. Thank you so much!
There are so many threads to choose from now. Though I still like the 17th and 18th century patterns, I enjoy all the new colors available!
THANK YOU for your site!
Barbara
PS I now have my two grand daughters at my knee with a needle and thread!
Wow, the overdyes are just beautiful. I would choose the silk to use on my Cabinet of Curiosties, or the perle cotton would look great on other projects.
Sumptuous colors!!! I’ve never used these threads, and am simply (over)dying to do so! Thanks very much.
The colors grab me first! Although not new to sewing, I am just starting crazy quilting and am learning about all of the different threads, weights, luster, etc., and would love to be able to experiment with these. Gorgeous!
Well, it´s hard to choose. I love them all. But if I absolutely had to, than hand dyed 12 perle cotton 17. I´d use that for creating funky and romantic little crochet and embroided jewelery and tiny cute creatures.
Sorry, I got so excited about the colors and shiny wonderful yummy thread that I didn´t put there my whole name. Marie Havrankova
i like the pink and peachy light green it looks like the spring colors some that you see on the trees when the color is just starting to come alive
Beautiful threads!
The rich colors just entrance me! And to have them hand dyed is a plus. I have a few projects waiting in embroidery as well as my never ending cross stitch stash.
I love the sampler packs in the browns, greens and oranges. I’ve not worked with these kind of threads before so the sampler packs seem to give you a nice selection to experiment with. I love working with wool and also want to learn how to do some crazy quilting. These threads look excellent to use for projects like that. The colors are beautiful too! The earth tones are my favorite.
I love the colours in the Perle cottons – they are all so yummy that I would have problems choosing which ones although I would probably choose the Perle 8 or 12 in landscape colours, blues, greens, yellow greens, browns.
I would use the threads in either my Applique piece or Canvaswork piece for my Diploma with the Royal School of Needlework, I’m sure they would really sparkle within the piece.
I love over dyed threads and can’t wait to try the colorful LES. Sign me up for the giveaway and I’ll look for the threads in our shops. Thanks.
I love the Perle 12 Cotton 12. the fuschias in my garden are in full bloom and these colours would match them perfectly.
I love the variegated threads with purple, for that’s my favorite color and would love to try LES Designs threads. Unfortunately, I’m on a year long challenge to not buy any stash, and have 4 more months to go. It would be Great to win such a wonderful prize. Fingers Crossed.
Karen / SunshineStitches
I love Sampler 7. The rich earth tones are so alive and vivid, without any fluorescence. I would use it to embroider a tallit (Jewish ritual prayer shawl) bag for my husband – the colors also very much remind me of our beloved Israel.
There are many tantalizing threads at LES Designs! It’s hard to decide, but I think I like the “12 perle cotton 29” the most. Its range of blues to white make me think of a Kansas sky in the summer. I’ve never used overdyed threads, so I’m not sure how I’d use them, but right now I am thinking of a long and short stitch sky with a simple landscape below.
Thank you both for teaming up for this opportunity!
i love the purple pearl floss no# 38
i love mauves and purples and this is gorgeous. i plan on embroidering my first project from scrap and would love to use these colors.i plan on making a monogram and perhaps floers like was shown in the last email or from trish burrs flower book
I have never won anything so this would be a wonderful thing for me to win!!! I love the color combinations so they are not just variegated that mix various colors together. I am a very colorful person, which all my friends will atest to, both in my clothes, accessories, and they frequently ask me for color advice. It would be hard to pick 5 as they are all so lovely but I have seen some I truly love. My embroidery guild has been talking about overdye threads so I would probably take them to a meeting and see what project ideas we can come up with for them. Crazy quilting definitely comes to mind.
Thank you!
Kim
Hi Mary! I have been following you for a couple of months now and I have learned so much! I have never used overdyed threads before and they are absolutely stunning. The one that caught my attention on LES’s shop was the #8 perle cotton in the variations of blues and red violets. I am a blue junky but this one was so vibrant. I just started getting back into embroidery over the last few months. The possibilities are endless but if I was to use it I would probably want to do something like embellish a silk tie crazy quilt with with silk threads……
Earla in Las Vegas
I love the lime green with purple and blue. It reminds me of a lagoon 🙂
Oh, what a wonderful giveaway! Thank you for hosting it! 🙂
Eek, I got so excited I hit submit before I was done. I really love the DMC 12 perle cotton in numbers 8 and 23. They would work really nicely in some Halloween stitching I have coming up. But of all the colors, it’s really the rich purple ones that jump out at me. I just don’t have any current projects that call for that.
Thank you for another great giveaway, Mary. And a big thank you to Lorraine too.
It’s almost impossible to choose a favorite, but I really like the colors and thread size in the Hand dyed Sample #1. They are gorgeous and really pop against each other. I also like that there are 2 sizes in that sampler pack. I would use it for the CQ Memory projects I am doing for two widowed friends. I’m new at embroidery and have never used size 12 pearl, and have limited experience with size 5.
Good luck to my fellow contestants, and Mary – thanks again!
I like the Hand dyed 12 perle cotton 34, the combination of the cool teal and warm oranges are really eye catching.
I am fairly new to the embroidery world. I love all the colors , I can hardly wait to finish a few stich so I can see how it looks. It is always a surprise when you hold your project out. The colors blend so great and I love the texture. I have learned so many new stitches I can hardly wait to find a place to use them. I like the 12 DMC perle cotton. it seems to have the texture I am comfortable with.
hand dyed 12 perle cotton 25. Love the colors of this thread. I enjoy doing a lot of crazy quilting, especially the ocean themes and this would be great for the sea weed as it also has some coral in it!
This time of year, I start thinking about stitching Autumn themes. LES Designs number 12 pearl cotton 35 makes me think of a fun Halloween witch in using long stitch on canvas. I can see many stitch patterns to build a patchwork dress and hat. These colors are just great.
I loved these threads the first time I saw them — they are color schemes in a skein! I have almost no perle cotton in size 8 or 12, so I was thrilled to see these in so many thread sizes. A giveaway win would be a welcome stash builder! Thanks for this chance!
I started to bead my creatures again, I am making mermaid wearable pins. I thought of using these magnificent dyed threads. Been shopping on line at Caron’s, including a local shop that did not have what I liked! I’ll take a chance and enter you give-away and see if I am lucky this time, otherwise, I’ll choose….
I love the colors – they are bright and look very smooth, soft and happy! They remind me of ribbon candy that you can only get at Christmas time or at Cracker Barrell those all day suckers! It would be a true treat to use these in a project!
I had never heard of this thread but was blown away when I followed your link to the website. The colors are truly gorgeous and I honestly can’t pick a favorite. But I would probably use it for the satin stitching in a Hardanger piece.
Since I am at the beach on vacation this week, the oceany blues and fiery oranges of sunsets really catch my eye. For a while now, an underwater embroidered scene has been churning in my mind’s eye with fish and coral and anemones and lots of other sea creatures. These threads would be perfect and just the start I need! Beautiful colors!!!
Oh I love the colors! They really catch the eye! Love using overdyed. I would like to have some to use for hardanger.
I would love to try the perle 7 or 8 cotton threads and perhaps a silk or two. I generally love green and pink, but some of those blue-plum combinations are delicious. I am reading the posts with great interest to get ideas for projects that show off the variegated/overdyed colors. What fun this is.
Wonderful color combination in each skein. Lorraine definitely has an eye for this process . I have used overdyes for years but usually, in the past, I have chosen earth tones. But of late I find that I have gone bolder in my choices. I look forward to trying some of these skeins. I design as well as change color selections suggested with charts or patterns to make my pieces a one of a kind
Mitzi M.
Love those overdyed silks! I am especially attracted to the 20/2 #7 turquoise shades with hints of purple. YUMMY! I don’t have an exact project in mind, but don’t worry. I’ll quickly think of something!
I love the overdyed colors at LES Designs, but particularly the silk threads.
Mary,
First let me tell you how much I LOVE Needle n Thread. You have me hooked on embroidery! Next a big thank you for showing us such wonderful artist as Lorraine of LES Designs. I often look on ETSY but somehow missed her??
I absolutely love color of any kind and I had a hard time imagining what I would pick if I would win the drawing. I have your Lattice Jumble Stitch Sampler and I thought these would be perfect threads to use. If I win I would pick Lorraine’s Sampler#6 and the Silk 20/2-2 and #3.
Barbara in Texas
So many choices! All beautiful colors! I have to say, sampler 4 caught my eye first. But I am working on a project for my first soon-to-be-born-grandson, and 12 perle ctton 7 is a wonderful match for my project! I love the colors with teal-greens and greens.
I LOVE LOVE Pearl 12cotton 25! It is definitely the color scheme that draws me to it. It makes me think of being on the beach and looking around at the calming colors of ocean and sand and lord knows I need some tranquility! :)Amy C, Lawrence KS
I like the silk No 12, lovely lovely colours that blend into each other beautifully. I am looking for an overdyed silk thread of this kind for a bumble bee embroidery project. I’ve only recently started using overdyed threads and I love them!
Thank you and Lorraine for this giveaway – you will make someone will be very happy!
Such lovely colors. I would love to have these.
Color #32 of the perle cotton is absolutely the most gorgeous stuff I’ve seen in a while!!! I love the bright blues and purples and the sheen of it – wow! I have several embroidery projects lined up, and this colorway is always welcome in any project of mine! I’d love to try some of the silks too, but I’m not sure of the proper application – where to use them and how – I’d love to learn though! That’s why I follow your blog – to learn! (And for the beautiful eye candy too, of course!)
Mary, thank you for introducing me to these overdyes. They are so lucious, and I love that a finer perle (#12) is available in the range. I would use them in Hardangar and in cross-stitch — a Quaker design would look marvelous in some of the more subtle varieties. I’m especially enamoured of #29 — that very cool blue combo just looks refreshing right now (Ok, it’s over 90 today, so maybe that is skewing my preference?)!
How to chose! All overdyed threads look so luscious. I love blues and purples and greens and a spy a gorgeous silk in blues & greens silk 5 that would be just perfect in a wool felt project that I am working on at the moment.
Thanks for the opportunity
Catherine in New Zealand
Just realised as I hit send that I left the wrong email address – I’d hate that you could not contact me if I won!!! 🙂
Catherine in New Zealand
Hi Mary, I love those threads and would like to try some in my needlepoint. I have used overdyed threads before.
I’d especially like to try the silk.
Dolores Still
Poulsbo, WA
Hardanger was plain but now using overdyes you can get a completely different look.With the combination of colors that you are offering the bright will be great. Also using overdyes for large areas of cross stitch is good when the overdyes have less of a variation of color. The possibilities are endless whe using overdyes and how they change a look.
I am a pink and green person so would love any of the beautiful perle cottons in those shades. I have only recently started embroidery and I don’t have any stash so would love the chance to win. Thank you.
Wow – would be hard to pick colors I’d want but today, right now, in in love with the pearl #37 or the silk 20/2 #9. #37 is reminding me of a crisp fall day with clear blue skies. I love using over dyes cuz they can do all the work and magic for you! Living in FL I miss having an Inian summer or even a real fall.
My favorite has to be Perle cotton 10. The range and vibrance of colors is quite striking. Actually, I enjoyed viewing all of the threads and they’re perle so I can use them for Hardanger. Going to have to do some shopping.
Gary
I love to work with over-dyes! I use the #5,8,12’s in my projects and it is hard to find the colors. The multi-color threads that LES Designs uses are beautiful, very lively! These colors we do very well in the pictures I do, flowers, trees, hills, etc. The edging of blankets and jackets, just perfect! Thank you for sharing this with us.
Debra Puma
Hi Mary, Thanks for another great give-away. I’m a purple-pink person and love shades of violet and magenta up close to each other, fushia flowers, for instance. And lately I’ve been looking at Anna Weatherley’s Morning Glory pattern, one of her plates has one morning glory painted with a dark purplish blue, with some magenta blended in towards the center of the flower — actually I think it’s on the teacup included in her “Treasure Garden,” collection, (I’m kind of dotty for Anna Weatherley, obviously). So, there are several skeins which I love here, but I think the perle 5 cotton 13 is the one that sends me over the moon and is stimulating unreasonable covetous urges — you know what I mean —like when you innocently enter an antique shop to browse — and you’re suddenly overcome with the desire to swoop up that hand carved Louis XV Rococo Boiserie,(a steal at $96,000.) which will just about panel all the walls of your double-wide mobile home, and you’re reaching for the platinum visa only to discover that your husband has taken the credit cards hostage, (again,) in an effort to preserve the integrity of the $401K.
Well, with the same brio, do I look at purple and pink thread and, (some would say fortunately) the only card I have access to is for the Library,(and boy, do I keep those library technicians hopping, fetching all kinds of books on botanical illustration from all over the country). As I search for old master style flowers, I think about wind blown parrot tulips and how I could needlepaint them onto acanthus barely there, pale, pale blue tone-on-tone damask curtain panels, if only I owned those purple-pink threads. If only!!!…Of course, I would include many other flowers and twisting vines too — a monumental project I realize, but just imagine how happy my husband would be if I weren’t lollygagging around antique stores. Which can happen, if I only win this thread! But you know, I wouldn’t mind so much if soie d’alger were substituted, might works better with needlepainting and all…but then I’d need another project for the overdyed threads…it’s always so complicated!
Hope to be busy, busy, busy soon.
Thanks so much,
Sabrina of Lawrence
I love the ones with the blue/green/purple hues.
I would actually use them to make thread crochet jewelry, which I’m really in to making right now. also to make small things for my 8 year old daughters Blythe dolls and fairies. I love to use beautiful embroidery threads to make all sorts of things.
I’m pretty new to embroidery, but I can imagine beautiful birds, forests and sunsets from these gorgeous over-dyed threads. And 5 skeins will make a nice beginners stash!!
I love the brilliance of the colours, compared to Watercolours. Any combo with blues and lavenders and/or turquoise is a favorite of mine. I enjoyed doing B. Richardson’s ornament in the latest Needlepointers and would do another one, using the different weights of thread. Love them and plan to order.
Wow! The LES threads are stunning! Here’s my picks: Perle cotton #12 in colors 5, 8, 9 & 16 and Perle cotton #8 in color 27. Why? Because they’re brilliant! I chose greens and bright pinks/purple/orange because I’d like to use them for some freeform embroidery on Dupioni silk. What attracted me to these threads? Eye popping color combinations that might not be what I’d normally choose. They are beautiful! It’s difficult to limit one’s choice to five!!! Thanks for the draw!
The colors! I would use them in an embroidery garden design by Diana Lampe. I think they will be wonderful for flowers.
Thank you,
Patricia C Texas Hill Country
I appreciate the work involved in the hand dye process. If chosen, I can continue to incorporate silk and cotton threads into an abstract fiber flower project I have yet to create, but have begun to gather materials for.
Hi Mary,
What lovely color combinations! I mostly do surface embroidery, and teach a monthly class at my EGA meeting (before the regular meeting, but in the last couple of years have also started studying Temari (Japanese thread balls) with Ginny Thompson (temarikai.com). We use all weights of pearl cotton and the heavier silks. These would make up into the most spectacular colorful Temari, so I would love to have some to use in stitching Temari.
The silks would be my very favorite…in any shade of pinks…for lovely bullion roses! I now have a new Ebay favorite site to get gorgeous threads from. Thanks Mary for the info and for the drawing.
Kathy
I’m on record as loving overdyed threads — what I like about many of the LES Designs threads is the variety of *orange* — lately I can’t get enough of it, especially the rich, dark, deep oranges that are possible only with overdying! I have never tried size 12 perle cotton, so it would be interesting to experiment with.
Hi Mary
I am very interested in the threads due to them being overdyed. I would like to try them on hardanger (a little out of the ordinary, but I think it could work on the right colour fabric) A size 12 and 8 in the same colour range would look great (and different)
Regards
Chris
Thanks so much for the chance to win some of these beautiful threads. I looked at her site and fell kn love with all of the threads. I especially like the rose and brown DMC 12, so it will one I will choose if I will or order If not 🙂 I mainly use this type of thread for my crazy quilts.
Which ONE do I like best? Oh Mary! You make it so hard. I immediately gravitate towards the flame coloured skeins, especially ones where the colours are more ombre than variegated. Then I see the greens and think how easy it would make doing vegetation- and since I like botanicals, I use a LOT of green. And then I see the silk and all bets are off. Sigh.
I will be practical though. If I win I would choose a selection of DMC 12 ombre and use them on another botanical, something with lots of vines and tendrils.
As always, thanks for the contest!
Currently I am embellishing wool appliqué, so both the 5 and 8 pearle have appeal. Luckily I am working with brighter wools, so all the oranges, purples, blues are good. Love the colors because they are brighter. I have used over dyed pearle, but most aren’t as vibrant. I am just starting a crazy quilt block, so not sure what is best there. Timid to take that first stitch! Love the threads, but Lorraine’s site also an inspiration.
I am absolutely pulled in by Hand dyed 8 perle cotton 32. The colors are magical and mystical and inspire me to think about creating the same feeling in embroidery. Fairies and butterflies, flowers and wisps. I would love to embroider something with this magical feeling that these colors impart. 🙂
Just love the vibrancy and beautiful mix of perle threads. Would look fabulous on my flower embroidery jacobean style
Just love these threads! The blend of colours is gorgeous! There is such a lack of good embroidery threads around here where I live!
Just love these threads! The blend of colours is gorgeous! There is such a lack of good embroidery threads around here where I live!
Lorraine 17 is perfect for the piece I am working on. I am embroidering a picture a friend painted and these are the colours in the piece. Scrummy delicious!!! 🙂
The choices are so difficult just as I think I like one best I change my mind and want the other selection. The variations and vibrant colours would be put to good use on my flowers in jacobean stlye stitch wall hanging. I would be spoilt for choice but know the result would be unique with the random dye selection.
First, in all of my years of needlepoint, I have never seen these threads – they are magnificent. Such luscious colors. These are some of the best color combinations I have ever seen. I would love to try them for an open background.
One color is more beautiful than the next – how could I ever chose just one. And, I love that they are available in so many sizes. That makes it easy to use them in various projects. I would probably use size 8 and 12 Perle the most.
Thank you for a great opportunity to give these “new to me” threads a try!
Joan Stewart
What a wonderful treat it would be to win. I am partial to the jewel tones for their richness in color and the silks because of their sheen. I recently saw a lovely design for an embroidered heart outline that was randomly done in tiny flowers with scattered pearls. I think this would be lovely in over dyed threads.
Carol b
Lorraine’s threads are beautiful. I have long been a fan of overdyes and have been using them for quite some time. I mostly work with size 12 perle cotton & my favorite colorway is 15. The oranges, yellows, & greens remind me of the upcoming fall season, my favorite time of year.
I absolutely love the beautiful green and lavender combination of hand dyed 8 perle cotton 33! Lavender is my favorite color and green goes well with it. Also, I am very fond of embroidered flowers, and this would be a lovely thread to use to make flowers. I have just retired after 42 years of teaching school. I plan to revive my interest in embroidery. In my younger days I enjoyed embroidery very much. If I win, I will use the thread on a dresser scarf that I am anxious to begin. Thank you so much for this opportunity!
I love the colors of the over dyed threads. I have used them in hardanger embroidery and the results are amazing.
I’m like a kid in a candy store. These treads are so beautiful. I can’t wait to get some to start a new project.
Oh for the love of Larry Mary! How can I choose just one type. There’s a really good reason why I’d choose any of the threads LES has to offer & that is the richness of the colors. I particularly love the Hand dyed 12 perle cotton #2. I love the warm colors…they’re beautiful. Thank you both for the chance to win!
How can I pick just one? So, I’ll say the first one that grabbed me was on the first page #36 probably because the dyes transition gradually within the threads. I would use them for our next ANG chapter project, Pinwheels & Whirligigs, Brenda Kocher. Melita G. in Philly.
I love the perle 5 #19. I can’t tell from the web site whether the perle cotton is different than any other, but the collors are lucious. What more could I ask. I do mostly canvas-work, so perle #5 is the most flexible for that.
Sally
I have recently attended a workshop here in Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia, we used overdyed Perle cotton threads in three sizes. We made a beautiful “Bohemian Baubles Necklace”. I am “hooked” on making all these wee pieces now using the overdyed threads and dreaming of all the beautiful jewellery I can make with them. One component was using brass “machine washers”. I use three different sizes of these washers all small. We also made beautiful tassles from the threads. Also embroidering wee felt balls etc., We made every component using these ‘overdyed threads”. I am going to make earrings and whatever takes my fancy as well.
I have looked at your website and what a stunning array of colours.
I would choose the sampler packs with the variety of sizes and a range of colours. Nos. 8 or 10 or 11 catch my eye for a chance to actually try out the colours.
For the past 4 years I have bred silkworms and harvested the cocoons. I intend to work with the silk cocoons combining the gorgeous overdyed threads.
Judi Howard in Surfers Paradise Australia.
These threads are just beautiful they are just what I need to round out my thread stash. Thank you for showing them to us,
Merle
I love the #12 in the orange and blue combo. It reminds me of a beautiful sunrise.
I must confess that I’m a thread junkie! I love thread, and Lorraine’s are gorgeous. And, I love variegated threads, too, so I couldn’t pick just one as my favourite, but, I am planning a purple, crazy quilt project to work on this winter, and I’ve been collecting fabrics, thread, and embellishments in the purple family. All Lorraine’s variegated purple threads caught my eye, and I think a nice chartreuse would go well with my colour scheme to spark things up a bit. Thread #2 and #3 on page 1 would be perfect! as well as thread #8, and #12, and…….
I’m considering a thread purchase as my Birthday present to myself. Thanks for the chance to win some, Mary!
Hi, I’ve been reading and following Needle&Thread for a while now but this is my first comment. I really like the look of the LES threads, they all look fun to work with. Usually I’m draw to really bold jewel tone colors, or pale pastels. But this time the thread that caught my eye was the soft golden green, khakie colored ones. They just brought to mind fall fields, and would be perfect for a stitch sampler I am planning. 🙂 I can’t wait to see what everyone likes!
I love the deep hue color combination of Hand Dyed 8 perle cotton 32. Thank you for telling us about LES Designs.
I love every thread she has in her shop!! Absolutely stunning!
If I had to pick a favorite though, it would be the hand-dyed silk #2. The colors are stunning and just drew me right in. Plus I think the colors in this thread would be wonderful with so many projects!
Hugs,
Gina
Hi Mary
What a lovely giveaway! What appeals to me are the colour combinations, my favourite being sampler 3. These would be so suitable to embroider a summer tablecloth- I can just envision a bright flower garden with butterflies flying around…. beautiful!
I am just a fool for overdyed threads – especially ones that correspond in size to #5 or #8 perle cotton. The colors in the ones on the web page are just magnificent – I loooove the bright colors. I’ve never seen these threads in person (no LNS for me!) but sure would love the chance to try them out…
Ellen in Blacksburg, VA
I think I like the sampler #9 the best–so hard to choose just one favorite color. With
the sampler I can visualize the blues being water, the tan and rose colors being sand for an underwater scene. All the colors are beautiful!!!
I have admired Lorraine’s threads for a long time but it’s so hard to pick a favorite. I am drawn to purples with pink the most. I also love the combination greens with a yellow tinge. I would use these in my favorite Crazy Quilt projects.
Its definitely the colours that attract me. So delicious in the photos. Id be happy with any of the ranges. :)But then Im a stash junkie.
Regards
Phillipa in NZ
These are so beautiful! However, it wasn’t really hard for me to make my choice. It would have to be #38 in size 8 perle cotton. I have a Celtic knot work pattern that I have been saving for just the right over-dyed or variegated mix of purples. 🙂
I love the way the threads flow together and I love the colors that are so out there.. Even if they are just laying in my sewing table they make me smile.. Then to see them in something so vibrantly making a work of art so much more.. Thank you for bringing these threads into my world..
Deborah,(Stitch)
I love all the colors together. They look amazing and they standout. These are beautiful threads.
Oh my, those are all so beautiful. I love the saturated colors. I would pick threads dyed in one hue of different shades, in particular the size 12 cotton #19. I’m planning a crazy quilt block called “September Song” which will use the fall colors. That one will be perfect for leaves.
The purples all grab my attention, followed by the blues. I am currently working to design a piece of cross stitch that these colors are perfect for! Sure hope I win as I am always in search of new supplies to play with!
Thanks for the give away. I love her 20/2 silk. I love the vibrant colors. I love working with over-dyed fibers, I would love to try some of these.
I would be (hopefully WILL be) hard pressed to choose just 5 of the gorgeous colors. I love using size 8 pearl cotton and would use it for seam embroidery in my crazy quilting.
I love this thread…doing a fall wool table runner it would be great on
12 perle cotton 17 (fuschia, red violet and yellow) wins my heart – the colors just sing!!!! and Sampler 10…..I have plans for it already. If I had to be practical (but why?) 8 perle cotton 38 would be marvelous for tropical waters….. What a marvelous site!
OOOHHH! Those colors just set me on fire to embroider. What a beautiful give-a-way.
If I were so fortunate to win, I would want 20/2 silk 2 because it is so luscious looking & I’ve never owned any silk thread.
I would have to crazy quilt with it or embroider flowers with it. It would be impossible to go wrong on anything you used it on.
Oh now I am drooling and imagining all sorts – the Perle cotton 12 in hanks 28 and 29 appeal to me – I love those colours in combination, and I could see some stunning hardanger resulting from the use of these….
Thank you for this draw
I am looking at these fibers and thinking Halloween and fall so colors likethe 20/2 hand dyed silk 8,13, 18, the 5 perle 9 & 13, but I could go on forever
Ohhh, love the colors, and she has cottons and silks! For some reason, lately I am attracted most to the oranges. #12 (cotton) reminds me of sunsets and I like this one best. Well then there are the lime greens, purples, reds… I would use them to stitch some small samplers. I like to use the smaller ones for pincushions and little decorative ‘pillows’ to look at while I am sewing. Thanks Mary and LES Designs!
I love this one:
http://www.etsy.com/listing/155117694/hand-dyed-12-perle-cotton-21?ref=shop_home_active
I’ve been looking for a thread to use to attach a school sampler onto my stitch sampler from last year using an Italian buttonhole insertion stitch.
The school sampler is stitched on a light blue and grey overdyed fabric. The 2012 TAST Sampler is on white linen.
This thread would be a good choice.
I also love the bright colors in Sampler Pack 1.
Such gorgeous, gorgeous colors! They grab my attention and fire my imagination. Years ago I got a map of Kansas counties traced on canvas. I’ve imagined stitching it in the colors of the ocean that covered Kansas and the entire Midwest millions of years ago. History nerd whimsey. A selection of LES threads would shift that project from “future maybe” to “start your engines!”.
Gorgeous threads! Vibrant color. I’d embroider gardens with these luscious fibers.
I actually looked at these threads when you mentioned them one day last week!
OMG, the colors are to die for…my favorites are the ones with turquoise tones. I would love to try out a sampler pack with pearle cotton and silks. I am a zentangler, so my project would be a tangle type design like your fish or your lattice sampler.
The reason I would choose the turguoise tones is that it remonds me of the ocean. I would love to do a tangle using this color palette.
Of all the threads that LES Designs produces, which one grabs your attention most and why? I like the lime and hot pink best because it is delicious looking. Makes my mouth water. Is it the color scheme that attracts you, the type of thread, the fact that it’s over dyed? It is definitely the color that attracted me. If you win, what do you plan to do with the thread? I have some little dress patterns that I would like to work on in this thread.
I love using overdyed threads as they make me step outside my colour range. overdyed threads send my needlepoint into new directions.
i was overwhelmed with the colour choices but first love was number 33 and 35 although sampler pack 11 was lovely.
I love Lorraine’s intense pinks and purples, even though I am usually a “blues” person. I would love to use her perle 8 and 12 threads for needlelace. The silks are very tempting and would be great for borders around pulled thread fillings.
thank you both for this great opportunity.
I love the colors! I’m really loving the greens and blues! I’ve only used dmc floss, so I love the chance to use some perle! Thanks Mary and Lorraine!
These colors are gorgeous! What fun it would be to do some thread play with these. I love the one that looks like a rainbow. Almost makes your mouth water the colors are so yummy.
Hi Mary & Lorraine, thanks for the chance to win some magnificent threads. I had a hard time choosing my favourite but I finally came up with Hand Dyed Perle 12 cotton 31. The colours attracted me immediately, I think they’re stunning & have a great range. I do like Perle 12 & Perle 8 threads, I like the line they produce without looking like they’re overcrowding & I like that I can use only one thread to get my desired effect. I’m not an accomplished embroiderer, but I do love it & get great satisfaction from what I achieve. Thanks again…cheers.
The colors are beautiful I went to the website and saw all the different threads and am thinking of a tapestry something with a Caribbean feel. Would love to win some skeins. Lorraine ur threads rock!
Such stunning colours. Recently I’ve been playing with canvas work using Perle 5 and 8 which complimented silk velvet also applied. During school holidays friends and I held a Children’s class where we used a variety of stitches & also used Perle 5 & 8 in bright but not over dyed colours. Using hession & colourful zips bags and pencil cases were created. What fun it was and great to see children inspired & wanting more to work with. Over dyed colours bring all sorts of delightful projects to mind. Thanks for serving the cause of embroidery. Jen
All the colours are lovely, but my favourite is the #8 perle 40. Really lovely purples and autumn greens! So glad to discover this shop.
It’s like being in a candy store – I could eat it all.
My favourite is the hand dyed 20/2 silk #7. It contains all my favourite colours in one place and in beautiful silk
I yearn to play with it
Gillian from Geelong
These thread colors look fantastic. I am
partial to blue/greens and autumn mixes,
also multiple color schemes. I would like to
use them to embellish a crazy quilt project.
Pat from Lebanon
Well, of course I love ALL of it! 🙂
My favorite right now though is the gold/red violet/violet. So rich and warm.
I love the threads – the colors& quality rocks! Great article!
What I love the most is the brilliant and vibrant colors of the over dyed yarns. These yarns bring alive whatever a project might be. Since I am low income senior, it would be a thrill to have this wonderful yarn to dive into and not have to put it off to some future time. My current stitching is experimenting with little steps to find a product I can sell. A little girl playing with her Dad and younger brother in a nearby park wore a hand embroidered baseball cap with ribbon trim: femininity and practicality combined. I would love to conquer the cap and then to move on to other children’s togs. Love the idea of girls having practical possibilities with feminine looks in their clothing choices.
Thank you for your time and your consideration.
Thanks for the wonderful giveaway! I’ve never tried overdyed pearl cotton, but I love to use PC #8 for blackwork patterns! All of the LES threads are beautiful, but PC #8 in colourway 31 caught my eye because the deep pinks, purples and blues look just like a a summer sunset at twilight 😉 I’ve been wanting to do a blackwork fill sampler for some time, and I think these lovely threads would add lots of interest to the straight lines of the patterns!
I like hand dyed sampler 12 and 7. These two groups would match the project that I am presently working on. I have a pre-printed piece of material that looks like crewel work that I am hand emblishing to make it look like it is hand done. It is to be a table cloth for my dining room table when finished. These two sampler packet would work just great!
Oh my! They are all gorgeous, but I was drawn to the oranges and turquoises – I can see autumn trees and seascapes.
I love, love, love the hand dyed 8 perle cotton. I normally prefer the yellows and oranges, but the violets in this thread are just yummy! I would use this thread in a charted needlepoint design, pulling out the blues and pinks as accents, in a variety of values. Just yummy!
~Joyce P. in Palatine, IL
I’ve never used overdyed embroidery thread, but the colors are just gorgeous! It makes me want to try it. The blues are my all-time favorite color. It makes me think of the sky and the ocean. I’d like to use it for a sampler so I can see how the colors play out.
I would say it’s the one I just bought – Hand dyed 12 perle cotton 17. It has a lot of orange and gold in it which are normally not my favorite colors but something about it just grabbed me. Her colors are all great. I’ve never used handdyes before so I’m going to have to have a good look through my books to find the right design for this (and if I happen to win more). I’m thinking that the skein I just bought would be great in some kind of floral design.
I love the earthy birch brown, purple and gold colors. i would have to put these in a simple pottery bowl and admire them for awhile. eventually they would find their way into some special project-maybe embroidery on a pillowcase with tatted edging. Love, love, love the colors!
Kathy L from Iowa
Love the colors – would make a beautiful flower project for granddaughter’s room!!
What a choice, they are all so beautiful, but I am from Western Australia and the vivid colours from our Kimberly region are showcased in the “Sampler 10” threads, no matter what time of day or evening you will see these colours in the sky down to the vivid burnt red of the ground. I have hand sewn some silk fabrics in the pale Kimberly colours and now need the bright colours of these threads to embroider the drawn pictures of the “Boab” trees and surrounding landscape including the beach area, to enhance the overall effect.
That is what I will do with these lovely threads.
wow-beautiful eye candy. I loved all of her gorgeous vibrant colors. If I should be so lucky to win, I would choose from the silk threads-as I am collecting threads for my crazy quilt project. thank you for the giveaway Kathy in the ozarks
Thanks for the contest! I would pick Hand Dyed Sampler #12 because of the greens and gold. It would be perfect for any of my samplers. I really like over dyed (and silks) to stitch with in my samplers because it just gives that WOW factor! If I win, I will be using it in one of my many (and I do mean MANY) sampler patterns!!
Michele Barton
I love over dyed thread io give texture to thread painting. Where variegated thread gives stripes, over dyed gives random textural color. The colors are just luscious. I particularly like the autumn skeins and greens.
I did as you suggested and went over to Lorraine’s Shop. Oh My how wonderful! All of those lucious colors just made me drool. But they also gave me lots of inspiration. I could see a sky before a storm with all the blues and greys. A beautiful sunrise and sunset. A jar of peppermint candy. I can see so many things I wouldn’t know where to start, but it would be soooo much fun to stitch with.
Hi Mary, thanks for the giveaway. I am in my “purple phase” and love the overdyed 12 perle in shades of purple/mauve. THe silks are also gorgeous. I would use it in a piece that needs some flowers in a field. Just waiting for the right threads … any / all of the colours would be perfect, wouldn’t they?
Definetly the colors. They are just gorgeous. It would be difficult to choose.
I meant to comment on the dyed thread article. I love hand-dyed thread by whatever name or method. I’m a wild embroidered who will do a towel or pillowcase or simple cushion planned on the fly with threads out of my stash. Multi-color threads add appeal and pizzazz to these traditional projects that both keep the hands busy and the brain free and make gifts that bring beauty and utility.
The thing that appeals about these particular threads are the sampler packs with their mix of complimentary colors and weights. I love the jewel tones true, but I also love the range of weights. These would be great on my next pillowcase set.
Anastasia in the Wilds of Utah
I am intrigued with the range of colors put on one skein! Greens! But whatever I could try would be lovely!
Anne
All the colors heavenly, but living at the seashore, I would have to pick #19. The colors remind me of the ocean on a sunny day, during a storm or reflecting a clear summer sky.
The colours are so lovely! They inspire me to embroider some children’s artwork into embroidery artwork!! Thanks for all your great tips!
I love the variegated colours. They look yummy..
I have selected a design to work with trellis stitch in my next project. If I win (fingers crossed) sure will use these beautiful threads in my project
Love them all! If I have to pick a favorite, then #8 pearle 34 because I love blue and this is a beautiful blue thread!
The thread that grabs my attention the most is the 20/2 silk. Specifically, the hank in shades of yellow: goldenrod, apricot, and bright gold. The pink-and-peach skein strikes my fancy, too.
I like the golden silk in particular because, first, it’s silk: feels and looks luscious. Second, it’s the color of California poppies, our state flower. It’s a brazen, happy shade.
If I win, I plan to use this hank to embroider poppies on a fresh sheet of beige linen.
I am so excited about this give away – I want the hand dyed sampler pack 3. It is colours that I love to work with and I have 2 black work projects that I have waiting in the wings – I need the fabric and fibres and I have been toying with the idea of doing them with overdyed because the effect is really cool. I really hope I win this one.
Heather
The thread that really catches my eye is this one: http://www.etsy.com/listing/158861336/hand-dyed-8-perle-cotton-32?ref=shop_home_active
I love the jewel-tone colors in it! I would make a Hardanger project with a dark colored background fabric.
All are beautiful!! It was hard to choose with all that color.#12 Perle #28 would look good for embroidery flowers project[s]
Oh my the blues in pearl cotton just seem to take me away! Beautiful vibrant colors and shades! I would most likely use them for a blue and white kit I have called Winter Wonderland. They are just beautiful! Thanks so much for a wonderful giveaway!
Oh gosh! I love these thread and have bought from the site before, and I highly recommend it. I guess of all the colors, the ones that grab me are the shades of green, which I can easily see giving life to the foliage I want to stitch on my garden themed crazy quilt I want to do next. But literally every thread is so mouthwatering!
I love the perle coton #12 – colours 35 and 10 in particular as they would be really cool for a Halloween project. The colours are very inspiring.
Hi Mary, Thanks for the give-away. I went to
the website and the colors are all absolutely
gorgeous. The fall colors pull at my heartstrings. I am going to make my very first crazy quilt and I would love some of these beautiful threads to stitch onto my very first crazy quilt. Thanks for all you do and your beautiful work that you share. Theresa
Thanks so much for offering this great giveaway! I love the blues in colour #1 and would prefer perle cotton #8. I’ve been working on improving my hardanger skills and I think these blues would make a beautiful piece of hardanger.
OMG!What beautiful threads. I love the over-dyes. The colors are so vivid and intense. How to pick my favorite? The coolness of the blue/greens and greens/purples are wonderful. The hotness of the pinks/yellows are to die for (pun intended). I am starting a new project designed by the Madison, WI EGA chapter that is to develop one’s creativity by choosing threads, colors, and stitches. This thread would work beautifully in this project.
What a rainbow of colors! The perle cottons would be great for my hardanger projects – time to deviate from the solid colors, I think.
A beautiful 20 meter/21.67 yard skein of hand dyed #8 DMC perle cotton thread in variations of red violet, lavenders and deep blue.
this one just jumped out at me…….
I have no idea how I would use them as I am a beginner at Embroidery! Whatever I used them for …maybe to embellish an art quilt piece…..it would be lovely!
Thanks for a fantastic giveaway…..Hope I win!
Wonderful colors. I especially like the greens, blues and purples. My niece’s wedding is in October and she is using purple and orange colors so those would be lovely too. I would like to make a quilt with old denim, I have plenty of that. Also like to sew on clothing maybe a jean jacket. Plenty more ideas with such beautiful threads. Thanks for telling us about this site.
Kathryn
These are just beautiful colors!! Love them! Pinks, purples and blue – I would try to do something for my daughter – she would love those colors!!
Colors are amazing. Such beautiful combinations. I’d like to have them all!
I love LES hand dyed #12 perle cotton. My newest passion is wool work applique and these threads lend themselves beautifully to this type stitching. The sampler packs are especially fun. I have a Halloween project I’m “itching” to start with some vibrant oranges and purples!!
Beautiful thread.
Hand dyed 20/2 silk 8 is the skein I would choose. I like that it is silk, that it is overdyed, and that it purplish. I am working on a crazy quilt with a purple theme that I would use it on. I had already checked out Lorraine’s site and “favorited” it, so I plan to be back whether I win or not.
The Hand Dyed Sampler 10 caught my attention first although they are all beautiful. I never get tired of seeing others talents. I have a piece of embroidery for Christmas that I would love to use this on. Thanks for the chance. Really sweet of you to do this give away.
I was thrilled to see the range of colours. I have been taking an embroidery class and have only recently used overdyed thread. I have been looking for a source to purchase more so imagine my delight to discover that Lorraine lives in Sechelt – the same province I live in! I would have difficulty choosing a favourite colour but I am partial to blues, greens and purples. I think I will treat myself to one of her sampler packages!
The colours are so luscious! I love the hand dyed 8 perle cotton 34 & also the the hand dyed sampler 4. Not exactly sure what I would do with the threads, but the shades of blue make me think of waves of water or bowls of blueberries. Thank you for the chance to win!
Thank you for the fun contest Mary!
I took a look at the site and the dye 8 of perle 8 really struck me. The contrast and unusual combination of green and pink are glorious. Would be fun to use in canvas work as well as embroidery.
Thanks
Wow! I am definitely drawn to these lush, rich blends. They are all scrumptious! My fav would the silk, the #3 which blends the tangerine, a butter yellow and a magenta and reminds me of my garden, and I think I would be tempted to make some sort of garden flower pincushion or sewing accessory, a la Diana Lampe.
Hard to stitch with my fingers crossed…
I can’t imagine having to pick just one skein – those vibrant colors are all so beautiful!
Oh my goodness what dazzling colors, I especially love the greens/blues mixes, it is enough to get my embroidery hoop out of the craft cabinet and get busy!
I can’t say any color grabbed my attention. They are all lovely. I do like the silk ones alittle bit better. I do like the over dyed look.
Mary in Oregon
What a treat to browse the LES Design site. Each skein is a little work of art in and of itself. So I had to buy some……who knows where they will end up….maybe in a folk art wool quilt! Can’t pick just one color….love them all!
Lorraine’s threads are gorgeous. There is not a single skein shown that I don’t love. Her color sense is wonderful, and you can tell she loves color. The blends are lovely & vibrant, and the perle remains nice & glossy. I love that she usually only has about 3 skeins in a colorway – that makes it very special. Overdyeds in the lighter weights of perle (#8 & #12) are very difficult to find. That she tries to make it colorfast is a huge bonus!!
If I had it, I would USE it, of course, and brag on it freely in the several needlework forums to which I belong. I can think of several canvases which would make nice homes for these threads. It’s hard to choose a single favorite when they are all so lovely, so I’ll pick 2. Color #7 in perle 5 is probably my top pick because it incorporates my favorite colors; it’s like cherry-vanilla ice cream or a strawberry sundae – yummy! The other that sticks my fancy is #25 in 12 perle because it’s so cheerful & tropical, like a wild parrot.
The over dyed thread that LES produces is lovely! I really like the perle cotton size 12 in the pinks, purples and blues.
If I win, this thread is just what is needed to complete a project.
Thank you!
The colors are so vibrant .they make you feel cheerful any time. I would like to knit or crochet a shrug for my daughter.
the color i liked most is hand dyed 5 perle cotton 7.They look cheerful and bright.I would like to knit or crochet a shrug for my daughter.
I love, love, love colour 31 … it’s autumn in a skein! First I would make some braids, almost certainly a bracelet. Then I would see what comes to mind.
She has such a lovely range! It would be wonderful to win this give away. I might buy some anyway.
Hi, when I saw your e-mail I got his bright idea to make my daughter a scrapbook from her wedding which was Saturday 10 August 2013 – last week! Her wedding colours were all the colours of the rainbow as she had a fairy wedding and the beautiful colours in this threads gave me the idea – I will use colourful threads to accentuate the photos by doing the matting of the photos with them – then I will have colour and texture on the page. I would use the Hand Dyed Sampler 10 as it has all the colours of the rainbow! Thanks to you for the inspiration!
Hand-dyed Sampler 4 immediately caught my eye. In South Africa we are limited to a variegated brand name and when I see these enchanting threads, I envision a stunning completed piece of needlework that will enhance my home! To have just one skein will be awesome, to have five will be a dream come true.
I would get some 12 DMC’s to use on a project. I really like the #s 31, 32, and 35. They would look good on a Halloween piece. Before you spotlighted Lorraine I thought Dragonflylotus Designs was the only one who hand crafted yarn, it’s great to find more who do!
And of course I don’t mean yarn, I mean thread. This is what I get for staying up so late.
I love the shades in shade number 28, I am “color challenged” so having all those beautiful colors together in one thread, gorgeous! I did a class on drawn thread with a wonderful teacher in Cape Town and would love to play with these threads and practise what I have been taught!
First of all, the colors of the LES Design threads are heart stopping! Whether due to the overdying process or the quality of the undyed thread,it is phenominal. I love color,and would use these threads in a project from my favorite embroidery magazine,Inspirations. Thank you Mary for your wonderful web site! Karen from the beautiful Northwest.
WOW!!! What a gorgeous array of threads! And what a difficult decision to single out just one favorite! I think I must say #16; it’s just so ….. organic. If I win, I would plan to use the thread mainly for samplers, I think. But then again it would be lovely for so many things; that’s harder than choosing one favorite!
So many of the threads appeal to me! I have to say that Hand dyed 20/2 silk 5 in the lovely blues and greens is one of my top choices. Imagining the feel of the silk and the feast for the eyes has made me a bit covetous!
I “collect” size eight and size five pearl cotton for temari embroidery. Lorraine’s colors are wonderful, but I especially like her blues and greens ones. They just pop to me. I was going to place an order before this giveaway, and as soon as I can, I still will. Overdyed threads give a bit of randomness to the sometimes stiff, formal geometry of temari.
This thread is gorgeous! The colors look like jewels. I think this thread calls for something involving flowers and butterflies.
Ooo la la! This is what I would call thread heaven! I normally find myself gravitating to reds and golds but having just looked at Lorraines overdyed threads I have found myself drawn to the green, gold and fawn hues. I can see needlelace leaves in perle 12 or silk falling from an old dark barked embroidered tree. Love!
Hi
I really love these threads, they are delicious 😉 It is wonderful to have a mixture of colours on 1 thread. I really like the “hand dyed 12 perle cotton 4″. I am planning to do a cushion cover with a mermaid on it with the quote by Anais Nin on it: I must be a mermaid. I have no fear of depths and a great fear of shallow living”. The colour I have chosen would be perfect for the mermaid tail.
I think the silk N°5 is lovely. I’ve been exploring blue green combinations lately and I like the shades in this mix – the bit of white lightens it all up a bit. I’d make an underwater seascape with it.
Hand Dyed 5 Perle Cotton 20 sends my mind spinning with ideas of Autumn leaves and flames of fire. So much I could do with that one!
My favorite is the #8 perle cotton 29 and it is definately the colors in the thread that attracts me. Such beautiful shades of all my favorites. If I win, I plan to try using this thread to decorate some children’s clothing. Of course I will stitch up a sample to check for colorfastness.
Hand dyed 8 perle cotton 33
This is the one which grabs my attention first, I love them all but I am a pink and purple person and it would best suit my wisteria and hydranger colours. I love textures and mixed colours in everything I do and this is overdying is perfect
My next project is a house, maybe it will be a door stop or a container for my bedroom, perhaps make up etc.
I have recently bought the book Ribbon Embroidery and stumpwork by Di van Niekerk and I wish to do the front of the house with a purple wisteria just like the one which grows up the wall of my daughters house, and on the side, the orange tree growing in a basket, (the oranges are ribbon covered beads), because I live I Spain in the area of Valencia where the oranges grow, and the sheep at the back door from Needle n thread date July 13 because I just like wooly sheep. Then with the sheep the purple and pink hydrangers because I have never tried this technique.
Mollie
I just love the overdyed thread and the way it looks when embroidered. I have come back to embroidery after many years and cannot believe the difference the overdye makes in a finished pattern. They new stitches are incredible, too.
I love the colours, they are so fresh and alive!!
I would choose colours in reds, blues and greens to embroider a table cloth now that I suddenly have extra time to do so.
Hand dyed 8 perle cotton 38 is the one that really makes my heart beat fast! It brings to mind the ocean, blue sky, lupines blooming by the roadside, all things that remind me of the beauty of Maine in the summer. If I won this prize I would embroider a simple outline design that would show off these rich colors. I’ve just ordered some transfer patterns of flowers and butterflies that would be perfect with this thread.
I love the 12 perle 33 the rose and brown combination reminds me of fall. So many of the color combinations are beautiful.
Wow! What a wonderful giveaway. I absolutelylove these over dyed threads. They are so versatile, and make even the most simple stitches look special. Blessings
LOVE the colors!!
Some really fabulous colour combinations such intense colour in both cotton and silk over dyes.
I particularly like the 20/2 silk 2 in pink and yellows. The silk takes the dye so vibrantly but also looks delicate. I like that the colour changes quickly and is most suitable for Stumpwork wrapped snails and magical insects.
Thanks for the info on this site
Pene
I have used Lorraine’s threads and they are beautiful. Lorraine took the time and patience with me to work with the color I needed as well as the correct size.
Deb
The vibrant colours just make me feel that i must get some and get out a design and do it. probably pinks, blues and purples are my favourites
The one with all green variations. I want to someday embroider something like a landscape (i’m a long way off) and this would be so beautiful for a meadow or grass.
Thanks!
Sandy
I love them all but the one that caught my eye first was the blue purple violet one. I would use the thread in a tree skirt that I am stitching with 3 beautiful angels on it . purples and violets being my theme color at Christmas time.Thanks for the opportunity to try these threads.
I have always been drawn to multicoloured yarns of all descriptions from the time my godfather used to send me ‘space dyed’ wool from Australia as a little girl to knit with a cotton reel some fifty odd years ago. When it became available as an embroidery thread I was overjoyed. I particularly love the no 8 perle threads and enjoy the overdyes that have the most contrasting colours although the varying hues of the same colour in one skein of thread are also useful. Should I be the beneficiary of such a special prize I would seek out a project like the surface embroidery kits I recently read about from the French Needle.
What grabs my attention the most – the beautiful bright luscious colors – the blues, purples to the oranges & pinks!!! The greens too!! Thanks so much -Mary & Lorraine!!!
Jean B.
I love the vibrant colors and subtle shadings of overdyed threads. They can catch my eye from a mile away 🙂 I especially adore the rich blues and purples. I always have been particularly fond of those colors.
I have a plain black tunic that I picked up with the plan to embellish it. I found a few skeins of overdyed cotton floss for a bargain from a little shop that was going out of business, and I knew I had my thread for the tunic. In the planning of my project I have been thinking about adding different types of threads for more texture, but wasn’t sure how to do that and maintain the overdyed blue color scheme. A skein of LES designs pearle cotton would be absolutely perfect!
These are all luscious and stimulating colors and color combinations, but I was immediately drawn to Hand Dyed 12 Perle Cotton 31 because it is composed of colors I would immediately put to use. I make small-scale narrative embroideries by layering single strand straight stitches, an application of color similar to paint strokes. Over-dyed threads can really cut my work time and always create serendipitous and inspiring effects. These threads look like FUN!
Hi Mary, I start to answer your question about LES Designs produces but find my self very stuck as I do love so much all these threads and is very hard to favorite only few of them. All the hand dyed cottons are so gorgeous but probably the ones which had been catch my attention was hand dyed Sampler 9 which is make me feel like I am in a nice forest in the height of spring and Hand dyed 5 perle cotton 9 which remember me of ripen peaches in the summer – I can smell them even looking at this thread.I been very fortunate to have in my hands few skeins of greens and I love the feel of the thread -soft and kind of a silky feeling.
What I will do with this treads probably – definitely will be Needle Painting a wall hanging on my own design,love to do embroidery on hand made felt or heavy fabric which will show off the beauty of the treads used.
best regards Renata Tesu
The hand dyed 20/2 silks are my favorites. I love the feel of silk in the hand and the beautiful sheen it gives on a piece. I occasionally do wool applique, for which I love using perles, and these lovely overdyes would fit right in on flowers and other colorful motifs in the larger sizes. I use the smaller perles on many projects, including hardanger and pulled work, and trying some new color combos would be great fun. Thanks for the offer.
Oh, how I love, love, love overdyed threads and tend to gravitate to them for almost every project – especially when I’m designing something on my own. In fact, many times, I substitute “regular” threads with overdyed ones. Thanks so much for your daily inspirational messages!!!
All the threads are lovely, but the pearl cottons size twelve interest me the most because I do embroideries that I sell at craft fairs, and the blended colors would do half the work for me. They’re great and it is nice to have a new resource for my work.
OMG I went over to her site and the colors are so luscious! I want to touch them all! My favorites have to be ones with the bright greens. There’s one that has pink and green that looks so sweet. I have no clue what I would use them for yet. I think I would use them in a sampler, mostly to showcase the colors.
I absolutely love all of the colours. The threads are eye catching. If I win this prize I will make something and frame it on my bedroom wall.
Pretty, pretty threads. After much perusal because who can pick just one, I gravitated to the sampler 4. I like having the co-ordinated set. I like blue. I would use them for small projects, for Hardanger and Schwalm.
I’ve always been partial to variegated threads and the photos on this post make every one of them desirable, even the colors I don’t like! My favorite is the Hand dyed 12 perle cotton 23 (with the oranges). Some of the silks are very nice, too. What would I do with it? First I would spend a lot of time fondling them! Then I might do some thread crochet with it.
I really love overdyed threads, because I think they make a sampler look old, for example. Especially if there is a soft, variable color shift. These threads are in your face and are bold as well as soft looking. The pearl cottons are especially lovely and useful in needlepoint projects. If I win these lovely threads I plan to use them in an illuminated manuscript needlepoint canvas. The design is based on a section from the Cantebury Tales and these threads will add some depth and pop to the scrolls along the side of the main picture.
I love the cherry, raspberry, blackberry tones for exactly that reason – fresh fruit and summer! There is something magical about washing hand-picked berries, then preparing and enjoying a fresh pie! I am fascinated by this artists creativity! Thank you for sharing her with us!
Warm regards,
Ruth Lutz
Very difficult to choose just one. I like the color combinations and irregularity of the over-dyed thread. The texture and color variation is beautiful.
The perle 8 color number 36 blend of violets and blue is one of my favorites.
Thank you, Mary, for another great give away! What fun!
My favorite is the perle or the silk in the turquoise violet palette,or the violet violet red palette or the blue turquoise,or……super hard to decide! I would love this for crewel embroidery, perhaps a small floral picture.
Thank you again! (Thank you for a new source, even if I don’t win!)
Oh my! The colors are calling my name!
http://www.etsy.com/listing/152096020/hand-dyed-202-silk-11?ref=related-5
I’ve been looking for vibrant colors in this variegated thread, and the fact that it is a 20/2 silk thread makes it a whole new experience for me!
I love to CQ and this would add so much texture an d color to my blocks.
Thank you Mary!
After a long deliberations, which was so enjoyable, I have decided 12 cotton shade 12. It twill have to used to embroider a swirly shape. Thank you for introducing us to this website.
Ow how scrupscious! I have a friend who would live this but doesn’t do Internet. I think she would live the vibrant pinks as she does a lot of flower work. I have never seen this before and I bet she hasn’t either
There is a lovely purple mix in size 8 thread that I would love to try out! I have a new CQ project for a black vest that is developing in my mind that I think it could be perfect for. Grovenore
Wow, color overload. I could spend forever browsing through all these beautifully dyed skeins. I love, love, love purples and she has a great selection. I’ve never tried overdyed thread in embroidery but I can’t wait to do so.
Thanks for the lovely giveaway.
I love all the variations and how bold and bright the colors are. I like the perle cotton and it will be awesome to use for everything, love it!!
(smjohns63 at yahoo dot com)
Picking one would be difficult! I like working with the perle cotton of all sizes and use it the most. The colours Les has created are fabulous. I am presently taking a hand and machine design course at the Gail Harker Center and these threads are made for the work!!
Oh! wow! what attracts me most – has to be the delicious colours, they look good enough to eat.It is so useful to be able to get these lovely overdyed threads in different thicknesses. I would use them for an upcoming project in crazy quilting. They would be so effective to embroider a variety of stitches over seams and really experiment with embroidered embellishments.
Such beautiful colors! I have used overdyed yarn but not threads. I tend to like the blue,lavender,violet.Thank you for the lovely give-away.
Karole in Texas
I really like her hand dyed 20/2 silk 10 – it has lovely rich colours that make e want to stitch a field of yellow poppies!
Impossible for me to pick just one Ilike…29 & 34 catch my eye. I love the colors of blue in these ones. Currently I’ m doing a project of Sashiko embroidery. It’s so simple and so fun. However at times I think it needs more color. I would use these colors to liven my project up and add somefun depth to it. Celia
These threads are absolutely beautiful. There are too many colors to pick just one however my eye did catch the teal with some purple in it. I can see embroidery pansies in my future. That would be fun.
WOW what beautiful colors I did not see LES in Quebec. In case I would be lucky I looked at the site and first chose a size PERLE COTTON #8. I just purchase a cream taffeta woven in the monk pattern. I would make beautiful cushion in Swedish Weave embroidery with the Color# 27. What a glorious red/green/gold mix. WOW and WOW Thank you for your offers.
Ooooh!!!! They are all lovely. I’m really attracted to the blues and the purples! Of course, the sunrise ones are lovely. But the ones with the greens and yellows and blues remind me of the Aurora Borealis. And then there are the ones that remind me of Mardi Gras. Ooh, and there’s beautiful cotton and lovely silk. Mmmmmm. Love them all.
But if I were to actually make a plan? Well, I just finished remodeling my kitchen. I need window treatments, and I would love hardanger valences. And yes, I know it might run if it ran, but you know, I kind of like the idea of a bit of wabi-sabi-ness. Dark over-dyed blueness on light blue linen. Oh, I can so see it. Please pick me, Mary. I really want to do this!!!!
I love to use the #12 perle cotton for my hand embroidery. I have recently used it for some monthly blocks, using a different verigated color for each month. The colors are absolutely beautiful and it is a joy to watch the design unfold as I work.
I couldn’t pick one!I have choosen :
Hand dyed 8 perle cotton 27
Hand dyed 8 perle cotton 32
and dyed 12 perle cotton 10
all the colors just pop put at me, they are very beautiful, I am interested in teaching myself how to tat, and I am curious to know if this thread would be suitable for tatting, I currently knit and crochet a lot!
My favorite is Hand dyed 12 perle cotton 25, because I LOVE green vibrant colors. I would embroider a carnival picture with it.
I love the green, orange, brown. I makes me think of trees just starting to turn in the autumn, all rich and colorful. Wow, I tried looking at them all and my eyes just kept going back to that one. I usually go for anything jewel color or purple, but, those autumn colors with the green, BEAUTIFUL…
G Daniece Clark
#5 DMC perle is the most delicious shade of green. It is so vibrant and happens to be my favorite color. I would love to use it on a tea towel with embroidered apples for my kitchen or perhaps some little café curtains to match!
Hard to pick a favorite with so many wonderful colors. However the Hand Dyed 5 Perle Cotton 12 immediately reminded me of orchids, or iris’s. The purples, and chartreuses with a bit of pink is to die for! I use threads such as these for both embroidery and thread crochet. These are all gorgeous!
Thanks for the give-away! I like the over-dyed silk 20/2 silk. It will be perfect for an embroidery project I have in mind.
I love everything with purple, but especially the purple and green. Mostly because I love anything that is purple and green.
I have a floral design perfect for overdyes that has been percolating for awhile now.
Oh my, so many beautiful colors to choose from! My first inclination would be toward the overdye silks with blue hues in them. They would look gorgeous used in a crazy quilt or a cross stitch or embellishing a wool project or embroidered flowers or…..so many possibilities!!!
Mary and Lorraine, thanks you for having this giveway! While I can see myself spending a fair amount of money, I feel like my favorite is the 20/2 silk 2 on page 4. The colors will be just right to make quite a few lovely roses!
Love the colors
WOW this threads are so beautiful. I would just love to spread them all out and roll on them. LOL I did that with may fabrics when I first started quilting because the color were so overwhelming that I just wanted to soak them all in. Thanks for sharing
Lovely thread – I would use this with my wool applique.
Let me try again, Hand dyed 12 perle cotton 28, purples and pinks for my wool applique quilt.
I would love to win some overdyed #5; It is used to make temari, and I have had a couple of projects lately that call for an overdyed thread. I was not familiar with this dyer.
Jane
I love all colors. The variety of beautiful threads and could make gorgeous flowers. Don’t know what I would pick, they are all exquisite. I am going to have to get some of my projects out and see which one to use the threads on. Thank you for the wonderful giveaway!
I am teaching my granddaughters (ages 9,10,12) to embroider, and I think the #8 perle cotton would be perfect for a pretty project. They always love to use the variegated floss, and this would mean they don’t have to strand it. Plus, the colors are gorgeous. It would be a hard decision (like a kid in a candy store) which ones to choose if I win!
I just love overdyed threads. the colours just slide into one another and the flowers and leaves that you embroider are more spectacular. I love the purple/pinks and also the greens. Leaves have so many variants in colour that over dyed threads work great. I would enjoy working with some of these threads so here is hoping that a prize might come down to this part of the world. Happy stitching
I love the pinky- melony- reds with silk. I just pieced a block that is awaiting embellishment. It is screaming for this thread.
Sharyn
Thank you, Mary, another enticing treat. I have only ever in my Hardanger projects, used white. What a tempting array of 5/8/12 pearl colours to suggest a rainbow runner for a coffee table or any display top.
I like her 12 wt. hand dyed perle cotton 30. The thread is great for hand quilting, the overdyed color is beautiful, and this particular color combination reminds me of the ocean! I would use this to hand quilt a blue/purple/green batik quilt that I’m making. Thanks for this delightful giveaway!
I love working with variegated threads and those colours look awesome. Love the colours in the first picture.
Thanks,
Anne
I love hand-dyed/overdyed threads and the LES threads are beautiful. I would choose the #12 Perle for it’s versatility in different types of embroidery. All the colors are gorgeous and I want each one! Thanks for the opportunity to enjoy these fabulous threads.
I truly love the “Hand dyed 12 perle cotton 15”. Can’t you see it as a diagonal stitch on a fine canvas? I can imagine the shifting of the colours–a fall themed piece.
Think of how these threads would look in hardanger.
And you asked us to choose one favouriteNNN
While I have never used these threads, I think I love the color schemes the most. Many of the overdyed fibers that I find and use are fairly subdued and some you can barely see the gradient changes. These fibers are much more brilliant and the color changes evident. I am VERY fond of silk thread but could see my way to using the finer perle weights also. There are some samplers that lend themselves very well to using an overdyed throughout the design. The effect is stunning. That is probably what I would do with the threads if I win. I must say I am impressed! The blues and purples, in particular, are wonderful. I bookmarked the site!
I love how they are overdyed and would make a cross stitch friendship bracelet with it. Beautiful1!
Oh my! The colors at LES are so spot-on! They would be perfect to embroider leaves and flowers, the bark on a tree – so many options. I like how the skeins have variations on one or two colors, but then there is a new color leaping in there – just like real life. I think I may like 6-strand, but perle cotton is wonderful for hardinger work. Thank you for offering this thread.
Barbara in Kennett Square
Lorraines threads are gorgeous. I could not resist ordered some of her silks and #8 cottons. I have projects that I could use these wonderful colours in. I do contemporary canvas needlework and these will work perfectly in them. Also have another project that I can use these into. Her colours really drew me to the threads. I could not by pass buying some of these. And I will keep going to her site and purchasing more as different colours come out. Thanks for the give away.
Dear Mary,
I love that the threads are overdyed, and I like the 12 DMC Perle Cotton best because it’s a fine thread and has the largest colour range. The colours remind me of the Australia outback. Just beautiful. If I win, I’ll try a mini landscape. Thank you!
The one thread that I kept going back to over and over was here http://creativedaily.blogspot.com/2013/07/vacation.html (top left)
It looks like one that was made up of many shades of violet from the palest of lavenders to a vibrant burgundy. I’m thinking she used maybe white, light blue,a shade or two of lavender and rose threads and overdyed with another shade of lavender. I’m not really sure what she used but the color was so intriguing.
I had been trying to figure out what kind of project I could do to practice all the stitches I’m learning and now I know what I want to do,
I’m anxious to try some of this thread and intend to use it for treatments on a crazy quilt so I can play with different stitches and combinations of stitches and see the various shades of the colors as I stitch.
Thanks for the opportunity to maybe win some before I can afford to buy some.
Hello, it is so hard to pick a favorite but I think hand-dyed-8-perle-cotton is it- so many colors. I would like to stitch a monogram with it that would create a color pattern as I went along. I am also working on a large embroidery/mixed fabric art pine tree, to serve as a permanent advent calendar for each of my daughters. What fun to let the greens carry me along in the forming of the tree.
It’s lovely to see the homes, near and far, of my embroidering sisters listed!
Connie in Santa Rosa, CA
Wow, thanks for this link, the threads are beautiful. My fav is Sampler 4 – the blues in different sizes. I usually use size 8 or 10 for crocheting jewelry but I want to do a tapestry crochet beach scene and these would be beautiful.
I have been eyeing off these threads ever since you first mentioned them but so far not been able to decide. But then on the weekend I saw a photo of a tree trunk. It was Eucalyptus deglupta and I have no doubt that it had been painted, but the colours were fabulous and Lorraine’s perle 8 #40 would be just right. I love embroidering representations of tree bark, ie on linen not the bark itself, LOL, so this would be a fabulous prize to win. And just in case it is my turn, please give me few days to respond as we have to leave first thing tomorrow to visit my very ill mother.
Thanks, I knew you would understand.
Ahh…there’s *one* skein of #8/2 silk in the shop right now and I think I’ll see it in my dreams. I’m on a “crown sinnet wrap bracelet with beads” kick right now, but I think I’d just pet this skein for a while.
Lori from Mountain View
Mary, this is my second post on this topic. After letting this topic marinate, I realized that I have some threads of Lorraine’s, a #5 in oranges with some green highlights and a #8 in yellow with orange highlights. I bought these at my Local Embroidery Store, The Stitcher’s Muse. I bought them for stash to challenge my standard colour choice.
I just love the super saturated color she can achieve while maintaining subtle color changes, which isn’t easy to do in cotton!!
The color ranges are breathtaking. I don’t have access to any stores or shops that carry anything close to these. I have pictured dozens of projects in my head for these beautiful threads
I am drawn to the orange and green combos lately. I have some crazy quilt ideas in mind.
My dear Mary and all
I have been dragging the chain of late an not kept up with a lot of your titbits.
I last saw Ms Happel’s book review and was going to say something about her book. I have never tried Schwalm. Don’t know why …too busy with other things!
Luzine’s latest book could not be more simple to follow.
One who is a book collector I have other Schwalm books (one of those gunna things) but this one is a corker.
The book is written as if Luzine is looking over your shoulder and pre guesses the next question you are going ask.
If a begginer or master it is well worth having and reading. For the begginer it is the best first book on Schwalm to have. Luzine leaves no stone unturned. The Master could do well to copy the whay she explains the technique.
When I got the book which is printed on good paper and held together with comb binding. I like that as it can lay open as you sew along, I read it from cover to cover.
She has thought of everything really. To crown it off you get a piece of linen and a pattern to use, so you can practice and make a little keepsake.
I am definately with you Mary on this one. Great work Luzine on this subject.
……
As for the variegated over dyed Threads. I’d have them all they are beautiful. But Mary if my name is drawn out put it back and choose another. I have no use for the threads. It or they are not my thing. As lovely as they are and I might crochet hand towel ends or face washers, but that is a waste. I am sure there are many who would have more use for them than I.
I think it is wonderful that LES Design is so generous to do a giveaway.
Maybe another time.
Cheers
Martha May
AUSTRALIA
I am so much drawn to this wonderful colours, and I love stitching with these – even if I do only small things – like stitch books for reference. I almost always am attracted to the threads when green is in it – be it blue-green, yellow-green or other – I love the slow changie of colour in the thread.
It’s all about the colors! When I use them in flower embroideries they come alive, all the colours of nature. I would embroider some brooches for the Australian summer
I do a lot of stitching and love overdyed threads. These threads are just beautiful, so vibrant. In looking over choices, although I love blues, I really liked the bright yellows, as I am looking for just the right colors to use in a sunflower piece I am starting.
I recently purchased threads from LES designs and they are absolutely beautiful. I really likethe cotton threads as they are so very soft. The transition from one color to another is subtle. I purchased the size 12 and 8. You could not have too much of her threads. I would love some of the orange and green threads.
The 12 pearle cotton #32 is a burst of spring!!! Yellow, orange sunshine with a sprinkle of green grass. Her spectacular color combination grabbed me and I can envision making sunflowers.
I have never used or purchased Hand-Dyed thread but have always wanted to. I am currently sewing me a Mexican blouse/dress and I think the hand-dyed threads would be perfect for the bright, colorful embroidery on the bodice. I would choose this (Hand-Dyed 5 Perle Cotton 10 – three colorway –
purples, dark pink, etc.) if I won though I was a little indecisive on the size (either 5 or 8). The colors were hard to choose also – so many beautiful colors. Thanks so much for the giveaway opportunity.
The silk oooohhh. Just love this thread. You can here the seagulls and the waves crashing into the beach. You guessed it. The colors are of the sea! and nothing stitches up smoother than silk. I am an art quilter and will be using these threads to hand stitch on my quilts. I would love to have some in my stash!
Here is the link to my favorite :
http://www.etsy.com/listing/152099559/hand-dyed-202-silk-5?ref=shop_home_active
Karin from Georgia
I would love to have the Charteruse and Deep Purple colorway of the #12 cotton perle! Actually, I love them all, but purples are my favorite. I sew, knit, embroider and needlepoint. I can see this colorway worked into a contemporary design hand embroidered onto the lapel & cuffs of a black jacket with charteruse and purple accents. Thanks so much for this wonderful blog/newsletter. I look for it every day! I wish I could come for a class. Are you coming to Ohio soon? 🙂 Thanks also for this opportunity. I LOVE contests!
I would love to try out these threads – they look luscious!
The colors, as they appear on the website, appear so clear, clean and bright. I can think of a dozen places to use them. I would probably use the 8 perle the most, but the 12 perle is unique – I usually see that more in white and ecru. Lovely! For several years I’ve been collecting various threads in the turquoise/blue/pink/rose range. Haven’t decided what to do with them, but when the inspiration appears they’re ready. There are several color paths here that would fit in perfectly.
Thank you for this opportunity – Mary and Lorraine!
Sooooo difficult to choose, but my favorite is the one called “Hand dyed 8 perle cotton 1”, in variations of turquoise blues with hints of blue violet. I love these colors and shades, they are absolutely beautiful! I used to be a ‘blue’ person, but now I find myself gravitating to shades of lavender and periwinkle.
All of these overdyed thread are fabulous!
Tomi Jane in Minnesota
Which one! Well (drum roll) LES hand dyed 12 perle cotton 23… I’ve been working on needlepoint canvas with DMC #8 perle, but have never used #12. The warm colors speak volumes don’t they?
I have never ever tried an over-dyed thread, so I am intrigued to see what depth they will bring to silhouette shapes and letterforms.
Many many many Thanks to you Mary Corbet – I am new to your newsletter and am truly grateful for the resources you bring to light!
I love overdyed threads. They have a vibrancy that gives depth to the stitchery. I would love to add LES threads to my colletion and see what I can do with them.
I love the Hand dyed 8 perle cotton 7, it would be great for the tablecloth I’m sketching out at the moment. I really like that this blends some of my favourite colours subtly.
Thank you for the give-aways Mary, I hope all stitcher’s out there have an awesome day of fun and creativity =)
Thank you Mary & Lorraine for another great giveaway! Holy Cow those colors are eye-popping!! For me, the most useful range of LES products is the Perle #8 cotton. The size & colors fit: two Sue Spargo embellishment projects that I’ve been working on, my Kamal Kadai sampler, several crazy quilt projects & a tropical needlepoint canvas. It’s been a busy summer & there is never enough fabulous thread to go around! #8 perle is also good for kumihimo, although I’ve never tried it with overdyes. Hmmm. While visiting Lorraine’s site, I wondered where the threads were dyed & found Sechelt, Canada out in BC. It looks like her incredible colors are a product of big sky, big sea & big vistas!
Geez – hard assignment! I started out with eight colors and then the really hard part started. They are all so beautiful and depending on the project would work up stunningly. But I finally whittled it down to the Hand Dyed 8 cotton 37, with hues of blue, green, and orange. I have had the color combo in my mind for the better part of a year after seeing a skirt made with these colors. It reminds me of the time of day just as the sun crests the mountains and the colors of the landscape pop and look so brilliant.
When you 1st showed the pictures, I sat and stared, my heart racing just a little. Those colors caused a visceral response! I don’t have a clue yet what I’d do with them, something joyful and just a little outrageous! I’ve got my fingers crossed. If my luck holds on this one, I’d do the best wheelchair happy dance I’ve ever done, and that’s pretty flippin’ good! Fingers still crossed…..
I adore the gold, red violet and violet cotton, the combination of colors just sparks my creativity!
After ten years of making quilts, I have started adding embroidery to each one in some manner. Since quilts do not come with embroidery suggestions this has been quite a challenge. I love the idea of multi-colored thread and LES threads are absolutely gorgeous. I would love to incorporate them into my quilt designs.
I love all over-dyed threads. The LES Design thread that grabbed my eye first was the hand dyed 8 perle cotton 5. I enjoy using the perle #8 and I just can’t get enough of the yellows, oranges and greens right now. This thread would be perfect to use on the Project/Quilt-Scrapbook/Binder with a crazy quilt cover I’m rolling around in my head and collecting supplies for now. Thank you and Lorraine for the opportunity to win the give-a-way.
All of the colors are beautiful. To narrow it down, I think the 20/2 silk 3 and the 8 perle cotton 10 are delectable, but– the more I look at the different colors, the more I find to enjoy. I can imagine using this thread to create beautiful landscapes (if my skill is equal to the task).
Amo ver as cores vibrantes da LES Designs, e gostaria muito de poder usá-las fazendo uma bela toalha de mesa mostrando as cores das florestas do Brasil.
Hello,
I have to say that these fibers are amazing. I had never seen them before. I really like the different pearl cottons in the same colorways, but the silks are just fabulous. So I think I would go for some silk and use them in a stitch sampler pattern I have. Thank you. Teresa Lynn
Micheline de Québec, Canada
What me fascine in these fibres It is obviously the pretty colours sharp. If I am able to gain, I would use them in embroidery hardanger, bargello and to perhaps carry out a lace scarf with the spindle by using silk in tons hot. Sorry for my tranlate.
thank you very much for your good advise Mary.
G’day Mary, and thank you, Les Designs too.
The cotton #36 is a sunset on the water, #16 is the same scene, but after the sun has dipped, muted, quieter, calmer. I choose it. It doesn’t suit my mood just now but the tones have a gentle calming effect which is often realised just after sundown, and I desire that.
I would use it for Crazy Quilting and also for the ‘deeper’ elements of an underwater embroidery that’s in the UFO box. Those muted tones should help push embroidered shells, seaweed, coral etc further into the depths.
Cheers, Kath from Oz
Well, I love, love, love, overdyed embroidery threads. Every time you use the floss or perle cotton you get a different look. Like I said, I love it. This, new to me, source is exciting. I really like perle cotton so that is what catches my eye on the web site. I would like very much to have one of the samplers.
8 perle cotton in lime green and purple. it really catches my eye and is two of my favorite colors. Not sure exactly what i’d do with it at this point, but i’m sure i can come up with plenty of projects for this beautiful color
I like the #12 perle cotton by LES. For me, the finer the thread, the better. The colors are lovely, and I would love to have some to ‘play’ with. It would be hard to select just 5, but fun also. I love overdyed threads — it adds so much to some needlework pictures.
HI Marymentor:
Oh Jeez I’ve been waiting for this. A chance to really “get my fingers” into some silk work. Everything I could afford to work with so far has been cotton and, that reference completes my two types of thread/yarn I’m wishing for. (1) as I said, I desperately need lots of browns and greens in cotton to complete a stand of trees in the pastoral I’ve been working on, literally, for years ! I learned from you to put things aside until my muses motivate me. Is that called lazy ? 🙂 I hope not ! And as for the silks (Wish No. 2) again my budget has prevented me from working with a medium that shines, shines, shines ! Thanks for this one Mary. What would I do without you ?
This is my first introduction to LES Designs, so I spent some time at Lorraine’s site. All of the colors are beautiful–who could pick just one? What appeals to me the most is that she repeatedly rinses the threads after dying. I love what overdying does to the colors (my favorite is the hand-dyed 20/2 silk 9). I’ve just discovered using silk thread this year (for making Chan Luu-type bracelets) and the sewing thread is fabulous. Would love to try the silk overdyed threads in my embroidery sampler.
I have been looking for threads to decorate the yokes of clothing I sew for myself. These threads would not only enhance the tops, but eliminate the need for a necklace. I like the 12 perle cotton 32 as it combines three of my favorite colors and would be laundered more easily. I also liked the idea of colorfast colors for use with clothing.
I would be over joyed to be the recipient of so many beautiful threads, owning over dyed threads such as these would bring me great pleasure and make my work more beautiful. Those tantalizing colors would enable me to work on some projects that are just waiting for me to complete them. What fun it would be to have a gift with all the wonderful colors, truly beautiful. Thank you, Edith
I love over dyed threads. By far, they make up the greatest amount of my stash. The more colors in the thread, the better! Sometimes, in counted needlepoint projects, the designers suggest that you “control” the thread. I rarely, if ever do this, and instead let the color flow as it wants to!
I’m not trying to enter twice, I’m just trying to answer the question. I just got sooo excited about over dyed threads that I commented without fully reading the instructions. I love overdyed pearl cotton the best, since it easier to manage, and not have to worry about having left over stands, when doing things like stripping floss. What attracts me most is always the color! The more the better! Especially those colors that happen briefly, right on the margins
The easiest choice would be what thread. Since I am just starting to use silk, a 20/2 is where I’d start. The hard part? What color(s)? Such choices!! I’m a sucker for blue-purple, or lately, blue-green. And I’d love to see how it would work in a Hardanger piece. Thanks, Mary, for another great giveaway!
Hi Mary, a lovely giveaway, and thank you Lorraine. When looking at the photographs here, the one colour that stood out for me is in the second photo and 3rd from the left, a mix of blues, yellows & lime greens (I can’t find that colour on the website) but on Lorraine’s website, the colour that makes me happy is the one with the caption “Hand dyed Sampler #32”.
Marian, Dunedin, NZ
All the color combinations are so beautiful! If I were to win, I would love to stitch a garden of flowers. Since I mostly needlepoint, I would chose the 5 perle cotton in blues, pinks and lavenders.
The over dyed embroidery thread is yummy. The intense colors really grab the eye and would be a perfect addition to the thread collection I am used on a Sue Spargo BOM.
Hi Mary,
Wow – what beautiful colors. I would do a pillow for my office based on the Catherine di Medici stitch. Maybe a table runner in Huck stitching for the den. It would be fun to go through my books and magazines to search for a pattern to showcase the thread. Even if I don’t win, I will be ordering threads from Lorraine.
Thank you Mary for the give away and letting us know what else is out there in the needlework world!
Susan
Susan
I love the rich, bright colors! I especially like the blues and purples. I do crazy quilting and these threads would be awesome for that!
#25 because it reminds me of a color scheme I have been working in lately and #35 because I love the desert and it reminds me of those colors at twilight.
We can never have enough color in our thread stash.Texture is always an integral issue when I plan out my next project.I would have great difficulty picking out colors yet Autumn is my favorite color family to base most on, as it covers all the gorgeous shades.The offer of choosing the shades is so perfect.the image of trees in full Fall splendor makes my fingers itch to start NOW!!!Thank you for the chance to win,Judy-in-Frenchtown.
Favorite: 8 perle cotton 32, however I really like a lot of them! I love the saturated color, and the color combinations. I’m working on altering a bunch of clothes to make a unique wardrobe, so I would use my winnings to embellish my outfits!
I am doing quite a few landscapes at this time of life and I love all the greens and earthy toned samples. The virant flower garden colors are nice but not as useful to me right now, perhaps, lol. #8, #2 and #18 are very appealing for grassland purposes. Thanks for the opportunity to win.
I love pretty much all of these multi-coloured threads, but the one that stands out the most for me is the ‘Hand dyed 8 perle cotton 32’: the vibrant purples are just gorgeous.
I have absolutely no idea what to use it for just yet but I’m sure something would come up if I were to win 🙂
Liefs, Audrey (HGK)
Her threads are beautiful!! What fabulous array of colors to choose from. I am drawn to her 20/2 silk #9…fall & cooler weather comes to mind! ha! Just in the past year have I been introduced to silk threads and loved the way they stitch and look. I would love to try hers out!! Thanks for the opportunity.
Wow! I think the thing that catches my attention is colors of the thread. It is beautiful! I also think it being overdyed makes it more vibrant. I would love to make a large hardanger picture or table runner and?or a needlebook.( I really love making needlebooks)
OOOOh Yummmm, these threads look delicious and I want them, I have been to LOrraine’s shop and simply drooled over the colours of the threads, I know I can put them to good use, but as for choosing which colours I prefer that is hard I want them all, so please chose me Mary.
Flora Coulson
I love the primary brights. I would use them for individual lavender sachets to give to the bridesmaids for my niece’s wedding in October. I had not decided on a color yet, and do not know the wedding colors yet, very secret, but that is what I will use them on.
Thank you.
Connie