Organising blended threads?

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cominghome
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Organising blended threads?

Post by cominghome »

Hi, could anyone give me some advice on how to store threads for projects that use blended floss. I have the pattern for "Kissing the face of God" by Morgan Weistling charted by Scarlet Quince. (http://www.scarletquince.com/scale.php?pat=WEI001)It is a beautiful picture and I can't wait to get started but it has an enormous amount of blended threads. I now have the threads but am at a loss on how to organise them. Do I pre-cut and blend then put on my bobbins or do I bobbin into normal DMC no.s? I intended to bobbin individually to symbols but... I don't know. This is the first time I've used blended threads (may be a bit too ambitious a project to start with :thinks: )

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Rach
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rcperryls
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Re: Organising blended threads?

Post by rcperryls »

I haven't used blended threads in a while, but have done a fair amount of charts with them in the past. I would use the cardboard bobbins for these (otherwise I prefer the plastic) and write the numbers of the threads on them and kept them in a seperate bobbin box in numerical order by the first thread number. I usually limited the bobbin to one strand of each thread in the blend as it would vary so much as to how much I would need and I hate wasting thread. I know I'm not explaining this well and someone else will probably be able to give you a clearer idea of what they do. I love the look of blended threads. It gives such a lovely soft feeling to so many designs. The one you are planning on is beautiful. And really it is no different than any other chart, just a matter of figuring out what is the best way for you to organize yourself and if what you start out with doesn't work you can always make adjustments. I hope you will post progress updates as you get started.

Carole
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Busy_B
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Re: Organising blended threads?

Post by Busy_B »

When I have blended, I just keep my threads in DMC order. If I have part of a blended strand left after stitching an area, I use a notecard with holes punched in it. I write the symbol and numbers by the hole and put the left over thread there.
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cominghome
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Re: Organising blended threads?

Post by cominghome »

So by past experience put the blends together then organise? I think that's what you are both saying? It's not easy to explain really is it. lol
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Busy_B
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Re: Organising blended threads?

Post by Busy_B »

Sorry if I was confusion. I organize my threads like I would for a project without any blends. Then, as I start stitching with the blends, if I have thread leftover from what I was stitching with, I attach it to a notecard through a punched hole. I put the symbol and color #s next to the hole so I know which blended color it is. I don't do my blended threads before I start on the project. It is easier for me to just pull the colors I need when I encounter one on the pattern. Sorry if I'm still confusing the issue!

Let me give you an example. The wizard I'm working on now is a Dimension Gold kit with blended colors. I have all of the threads seperated by color--no blended threads. When I have a symbol that is a blended thread, I'll pull those 2 colors out and pull a strand of each to stitch with. I put the rest of the single colors back where they were on my card. If I finish stitching the area and have usable thread left, I put that blended color in a new hole with the #s/names and symbols next to it. I'll use that thread the next time I run across that symbol. If the hole is empty, then I pull from the threads to make another blended thread.
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rcperryls
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Re: Organising blended threads?

Post by rcperryls »

I think I do the same thing as Busy B (who explained it so much better) but I use bobbins instead of cards.

Carole
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pattiebelle
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Re: Organising blended threads?

Post by pattiebelle »

yes, busy-bee explained it very well.

i realized i do it the same way, but couldn't have said it better.

thank you ...

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pattiebelle

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cominghome
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Re: Organising blended threads?

Post by cominghome »

Busy_B wrote:Sorry if I was confusion. I organize my threads like I would for a project without any blends. Then, as I start stitching with the blends, if I have thread leftover from what I was stitching with, I attach it to a notecard through a punched hole. I put the symbol and color #s next to the hole so I know which blended color it is. I don't do my blended threads before I start on the project. It is easier for me to just pull the colors I need when I encounter one on the pattern. Sorry if I'm still confusing the issue!

Let me give you an example. The wizard I'm working on now is a Dimension Gold kit with blended colors. I have all of the threads seperated by color--no blended threads. When I have a symbol that is a blended thread, I'll pull those 2 colors out and pull a strand of each to stitch with. I put the rest of the single colors back where they were on my card. If I finish stitching the area and have usable thread left, I put that blended color in a new hole with the #s/names and symbols next to it. I'll use that thread the next time I run across that symbol. If the hole is empty, then I pull from the threads to make another blended thread.
No that's perfectly clear now. An excellent explanation :applesauce: Thank you. I was considering doing it that way due to what I assume would be an enormous amount of waste floss - not my style at all.

Thanks again.
WIP:
Janlynn Wedding Bells

Planned Projects:
HAED Angel Sisters
Needle case
Scissor case
SQ Kissing the Face of God (eventually)

My blog: http://cominghometocrossstitch.blogspot.com/
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Busy_B
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Re: Organising blended threads?

Post by Busy_B »

Glad I was able to help. My mind wasn't wrapped around how to explain it. Enjoy the new project!
WIPs: There Be Dragons, Feed My Sheep, Canyon Flight HAED, Lotus Flowers HAED, Christmas Cove
Athalie
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Re: Organising blended threads?

Post by Athalie »

I do it the same way as busy bee. I've been doing it that way since blended threads were thought of :lol: (I've been stitching for almost 70 years) and that method has never failed me.
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Mystonique
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Re: Organising blended threads?

Post by Mystonique »

If I'm using many I use a small plastic wheel (which just has holes punched in it and numbers) and I number the blended symbols.

If I'm not using too many I have little tortoishell rings (actually flowers) and I thread the left over blended colour from any bit onto them.
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Lessa54
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Re: Organising blended threads?

Post by Lessa54 »

I do it the same way as Busy Bee. I'm working on an SQ at the moment with something like 100+ colours, all of which are then blended for the relevant symbols. It was bad enough doing the cards with the regular colours, let alone prepping all the blends in advance, so I simply do the blends as and when I come to them and like Busy Bee, put any left over blend onto a new hole in a punch card and write the symbol and colours next to it. That way I can find it again and also when I need more of that blend, I don't have to chase through the symbol list in the pattern to check which numbers of floss it was.
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jacindal
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Re: Organising blended threads?

Post by jacindal »

I organise my blended threads at the time I use them and then any left over I place the needle on my needleminder or in a hole punched with the symbol in some card to use for the next area. this works really well for me. And no wastage of thread!
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