Crossstitchforum - A FREE forum for Cross Stitchers

Hi Everyone: I have just started a cross stitch pattern and one of the stitches on the chart is "combined colors", I have never done this before. Can anyone explain to me what this means?

Thanks

Hi Donna,
I'm sure they are referring to using one strand each of two or three different colors. It helps in the shading between colors. Just pull one strand as you would pull two and match it up with it's mate color and stitch like normal.
Alyson

Hi Donna and welcome!

It's just like Alyson says, the chart should tell you which colours to use and how many strands of each. Sometimes it will call them blended colours or even tweeding! The effect is really good for subtle colour changes.

Good luck!

Hello Donna and welcome

I agree with Alyson - one strand each of the different colours together.

What are you working on ? Hope to see you again

Welcome to the forum Donna
I am blending threads on my current project, it can look very effective.
Jilly

Thanks everyone for your help, that is what it is. I am working on a picture called "Cabin Fever". It looks like it will take me forever but I have the rest of my life and if not someone will do it for me.

Thanks all, Donna

Blending colours in one needle is really effective, and stitching with them is the same as with any other double strand in the needle.

I would only suggest you perhaps pay slightly more attention to the way they lie than you might otherwise. I consciously 'railroad' my blended stitches and the result is good (it's tedious, but it does work!).

Do you railroad top and bottom, Serinde? I only do the top when I do it.

Both, I'm afraid. Very effective coverage, though.

Now I've never railroaded because I was afraid of a striped effect. Doesn't it make the different colors stand out more?

I don't think so. If the blending choices have been well made, they disappear and from a distance (not like us, with our magnifying lenses!) the effect is wonderful and blurry.

Very often the blending gradually changes the color scheme, on my Samurai project his robes went from red through to purple as I worked down, without any harsh lines, there is a very bad photo of him in my gallery, but you get the idea
Jilly