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My great aunt gave me a table cloth to make for my mother two years ago. She was no longer able to stitch, and I'm the only other person in the family who does. She has since passed away, and I must confess that table cloths are really not my thing! However, mom really likes it, and I'm thinking about doing it for her for Christmas to get it out of my stash. So, I have two questions:

1. How many strands would you use? I think I started with 4, and it seems to be OK.

2. Suggestions on color choices would be very welcome! My great aunt always did table cloths and bed spreads in all one color. I think this would drive me batty, so I'd like to use a mixture of colors. Mom's dining room has an oriental rug - the main colors in it are red and black, but there are also bits of yellow, blue and green. She also has a set of Indian pictures that I made in high school - the two big ones have blue mats, and the small one has a red mat.
I was trying some things out to see what mom would like, and what would go with her dining room. Here's a pic of one corner of the table cloth:


Getting to the point of my question...thus far we've agreed on DMC 321 for the red, and DMC 911 for the green. I'm going to take the yellow out, and do a blend of a lighter and darker yellow so it will show up better. I started the little swirl decoration in light blue green as Mom wanted something to match the swirl on her dinner plates, but we didn't think that was working very well. Mom had suggested that the swirl be done in green (the same as the leaves), and one of the flowers in a darker blue, but she was having trouble visualizing it. I think it might be better to do the swirl in a darker blue to match her pictures, and keep the flowers in red and yellow. I also think perhaps the flowers would show up better if I did the solid flower (currently in red) in a blend of lighter and darker yellows, and the open flowers in red. I'm thinking about black centers for the flowers to match the rug (although the room is wood paneled, so a dark brown is also a possibility).

Thoughts anyone...please?

It's been mega years since I have worked anything stamped. I believe I always used 3 strands but 4 should also work and give it a bit more coverage. As far as colors go I'm afraid I'm no help as I am a rebel when it comes to color and I tend to try not to match too closely. Some of my best works in my opinion with color choices (quilting) are those that are a bit off and give it an unexpected edge. I would use a dark brown rather than a black with the colors you've chosen. For me too matched makes it boring. Now, of course, that is my personal opinion. The end result should please you while you're working on it and then your mom when she owns it.

This will be interesting to watch. It looks to me like the swirls are part of the stem and leaves so I'd do them in the leaf green. And what about using variegated threads for the solid flowers? And there seems to be no reason why the three open flowers need to be the same colour..... you can keep them all the same or vary them.

I also think you can switch the colours of the flowers around in each area - I'm guessing that this design is repeated several times. Use the same green for the leaves for continuity and keep the same colours for the flowers, but in different positions if you see what I mean.

Colours that tone with the room rather than match it would look good. You are going for an overall effect.

Enjoy.

Hi,

As it sounds like your mum's dining room has a lot of colours in it, I think a mixed colour tablecloth would work well. I agree the swirl needs to be darker than you currently have. I was wondering whether since the swirl seems to be quite attached to the leaves, maybe you should do that in green as your mum suggests and put the flowers in a mix of colours - sort of like a mad mixed bouquet all growing on the same plant.

I've never tried anything like a table cloth so will watch this with interest.

I agree with Granny about the brown instead of black, I think black would look too harsh. Unlike Granny though, I usually match things/colours -- to such an extent that I have been known to match the thread and the fabric so closely that the resulting stitching was only visible as a change of texture rather than a change of colour ! So I would definitely go for a combination of the rug colours. A little shading would look good but (bearing in mind this is just my opinion) I think the strength of these rather simple tablecloth designs lies in their, well, simplicity -- I wouldn't over-complicate it with too many colours.
How about choosing a blue-green for both the leaves and the swirls (which seem to form part of the foliage anyway), yellow (a bit darker perhaps than the one you've used here) and the current red for the flowers, with dark brown for the centres?

Thanks everyone! I also think that brown will go better with the red, yellow, and green. The room is wood paneled, so it should be fine. The more I think about it, the less I like the blue...to many primary colors. I agree with Mabel that simplicity is the strength of the stamped designs. Last night I was thinking about doing the swirl in a darker green than the leaves. This would give a bit of shading without adding another color. Not sure about this yet; will need to ruminate more and do a floss toss. I looked at variegated threads, but I didn't think that the light colors in the variegated yellow and red threads would show up against the white background.

I would have used richer colours and tried to match these to when the table cloth would normally be used. For example really dark red and burnt orange for winter and a bit lighter for other seasons.

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. I'm not sure if she plans to use this seasonally or not. If she does, I'm guessing it will be a spring or summer thing given the design. This is the corner design, with mom approved colors (a darker yellow, and blue to match the living room chairs). I've switched to three strands of floss, as four was too bulky and the strands were not laying evenly.


If anyone has suggestions for how to do the stems of the leaves, I would appreciate it. I tried stem stitch, however it looked too bulky. I might try stem stitch with fewer strands tomorrow - I'm looking for something that will give a smooth, clean line to match the simplicity in the design.

I suggest you do the stem stitch with two strands.

Stem stitch with two may work, or chain stitch for a broader stem, or plain backstitch if you want to keep it thin!

I'm afraid I can't see the picture of your latest colour combination

It's been awhile, but here's an update on the dreaded table cloth project. The colors are a bit washed out in the photo, and are brighter in real life. I'm finished half of the center circle, and two corners. I can't believe I'm doing a project that only has 5 colors! However, I am determined to get this out of my stash, so it must be finished by Christmas! No work time this weekend, as I was at my parents for Yanksgiving. While I was there I took pictures of the things I've given mom over the years (or things that mom inherited when Gram died)...so my gallery has not been updated as well.



Since I couldn't work on the table cloth or the picture for my brother this weekend, I started a small Christmas gift project - I'm about half way done. It's on blue blizzard opalescent.

I see a snowman emerging!!!!!!!

Rose wrote: I see a snowman emerging!!!!!!!

What a surprise that you would be the first one to see the snowman! It is a snowman, with the caption "Being perfect is harder than it looks". Except that I didn't like the colors that came with the kit, so I'm changing most of them.

Nice work on the table cloth,and your snow man colour changes are nice and colourful.

Great progress on the table clots, and the colours you've chosen work so well (I'm thinking them a bit brighter than the photo, as you said). Love the fabric for the snowman -- and the snowman himself too!

Great progress on the tablecloth, it looks lovely. The snowman is on beautiful fabric and looks really fun

Lovely snowman, must make you feel festive to be stitching him! And the table cloth is looking good... I was just thinking it's the kind of pattern that would go well both for Christmas but with enough yellows in it to work for spring/summer/the rest of the year too

Louise

I like your tablecloth, I bet your Mum will be so pleased with it
Lovely snowman, and what beautiful fabric

I really like the table cloth!!! Great job on both!!!

Great progress on the tablecloth and your snowman is lovely