Making Color Choice Easier

Over the years here on Needle ‘n Thread, we have discussed Much about color in embroidery.

The question of color choice in needlework projects always looms high on the List of Most Frequently Asked Questions, Problems, Difficulties, Quandaries, and So Forth that arrive in my inbox.

When I asked earlier this year about your particular needlework challenges or difficulties you’d like help with, color choice was an oft-repeated request.

Today, I’m going to share a seemingly simple tip. It is, in fact, my #1 tip when it comes to solving color choice issues. I know this tip isn’t really as simple as it sounds. There are so many reasons why it can’t always happen, but when it can happen, it can make your color-choosing-life so much easier.

Now, when we’re talking about choosing colors in this instance, we’re assuming that you’re designing your own piece or that you’re stitching something that doesn’t come with a pre-determined color guide of some sort.

For me, the #1 Thing that has helped me choose colors is having access to Real Thread Color Cards.

I know that not every line of thread offers real thread color cards. And I know that having a real thread color card does not automatically produce some kind of Absolutely Perfect Color Selection for This Particular Project.

But what it does do is allow you to see what ranges of shades in color families are available to help you realize your project.

If you approach a project by coloring it (with whatever medium you prefer) on paper first, you can use real thread color cards to help you narrow down the colors and shades that will get you close to your on-paper vision.

And while you might not be able to find real thread color cards for every type of thread, you can certainly find them for widely available threads like DMC stranded cotton.

By matching up colors on DMC stranded cotton, it is much easier to translate from the DMC stranded cotton to other lines of threads, even if there are no color conversion charts, because you have a tangible, commonly available color to try to match with.

Using that tangible, widely-available color, you can pass that number on to a shop owner or a manufacturer, to help you narrow down a close match. If you have the luxury of a nearby locally owned needlework shop, you can carry the skein of DMC thread or the real thread color card with you, to find a close match in color or shade.

I’ve found that it’s worth investing in real thread color cards when they are available for your favorite threads. If they aren’t available, make your own! You don’t have to have the whole line of threads to make color cards. Just start with what you have and grow your reference collection.

You can read more about real thread color cards here, especially if you don’t know what I mean by real thread color cards.

This article is about making your own color cards for reference.

Yes, There’s More To It

There is much more to the whole concept of color choice. We’ve talked about it a lot here on Needle ‘n Thread. You can access many previous articles on color choice by browsing through the “color” topic tag.

If you’re looking for scientific accuracy in choosing the Absolutely Perfect Colors and color combinations, you aren’t necessarily going to find that information. While I’ve written here and there about color theory, in my experience, most color choices for projects boil down to personal preference. You have to like the colors you choose to work with, or you’re just not going to like your project! Work with colors you love.

And, as with most aspects of every art and craft, experience and practice will help you overcome your inhibitions about choosing your own colors.

If you’re looking for more bookish information, I like the book Color Confident Stitching – you can read my review of it here, to see what it’s all about.

We will certainly talk more about the topic of color in the future, and as we work to develop projects throughout the year, I’ll share my color choice processes and the why’s and wherefore’s behind my choices for those projects.