A common theme in embroidery designs are flowers, and other elements such as sky and grass. Despite the fact that we see these elements in nature every day, most of us have trouble choosing the right thread colours for these elements. Below are some hints that should help you master this technique.
Look at the grass
I live in a very dry part of Australia, and call it a miracle that we have any grass at all – however even in the middle of winter grass is rarely a bright green, it is generally more a mix of brown and green. Looking at my Mettler thread chart – I would choose a mix of 5934 and 5833 as the perfect grass colours (yes I did go out to my backyard and check this)
Check out the sky
I assume that our perception of colour comes from when we were in school and we only had primary colours to work from – but to me, the sky is a mix of the palest blue (except for those perfect days) – I like colour 3650 as sky blue, and 3840 as perfect blue.
Leaves
Trees and leaves become more complicated, as there are more types of trees and leaves than I could ever count. I try and go for each end of the spectrum, with the middle covered as well, and figure I can mix and match. For a glossy deep green, like you would find on a rose leaf, I like 5555, for a pale mustardy green 0442, and for a medium green 5934. Note that all these greens have a base of brown – blending perfectly with nature.
The Ocean
Instinct has us reaching for the perfect sea green (named after??), however if you want a realistic sea colour, you will want a mix of 4032, 4332, and 4071 for the frothy top swells.
Julie Hall
Julie Hall Designs is the home of machine embroidery designs and projects for the home user. For information visit www.juliehalldesigns.com.