I recently purchased a design collection disc from Dakota Collectibles. Upon reviewing the design colors, I find that the color names Dakota specifies (i.e. Dk. Dk. Rust, Blue4, Lt. Green2, etc.) do not correspond with any of the brands of embroidery threads we currently have. I checked Dakota's site, and find no color conversion charts or any other way of reconciling their color names. Can anyone help? Are they using color names from some particular company? Since these are licensed designs, I want to use the exact correct colors.
Did you telephone the Dakota Co? A couple years ago, I had a question about one of their designs and couldn't find the answer online, so I did what people use to do a lot before internet; I picked up the phone and called their 800-number. Emily
Now that the color naming mystery has been solved...
The colors Dakota uses are Madeira Rayon. Our research suggests that while rayon is allegedly better for framing purposes, polyester should be better for a utility quilt as it's supposed to hold up better to washing, wear, etc. The catch is that Madeira's poly threads don't seem to correspond to their rayons, (and they call it poly-neon, whatever that means) so we're going to need to make some kind of conversion anyway. So the next question is, are there opinions on poly embroidery thread brands?
Currently, we have mostly Isocord and a little Metler - all polyester. The LQS is clearing out Hemingworth at 1/2 price (but there are some color substitution problems). They'll be picking up Metler (which I've been told is the same as Isocord, but only comes on those little spools).
Doc, as you said to me just the other day 'I love ya, but.'...
Doc, you are making this quilt into an awful lot of work! Relax and enjoy the process- you have said this CQ is going to be a 'using quilt' and if you do use it then **it will not last forever** no matter what fabrics and threads you use. Something has to wear out first. So what if it's the rayon thread? Rayon thread is beautiful with it's soft sheen and amazing selection of colors and it will please you every time you look at the quilt to have used the exact colors in the pattern.
If you keep obsessing over thread types and colors and which fabrics and fiber content and doing such massive research-- then your quilting is always going to be A Big Fat Deal involving of weeks of research and frustrations of choices and hard work *before* you ever pick up a scissors or needle or turn on your sm- and you may never know the joys of just doing it and having a finished quilt in your proud hands. Sometimes flying by the seat of your pants and inventing and experimenting and changing your mind as you go along can produce an original work that amazes even yourself.... Did I really make this???
So stop with the research and fussing and get busy and jump in with both feet and make that CQ! If you make a mistake then learn from it but don't let the possibility keep you from moving forward. Just jump in and play with your wonderful fabrics and enjoy the process and have FUN! Save your authentic masterpiece work for down the line when you have a few dozen quilts under your belt and you are making one for 'just for show' to hang on the wall and collect dust!
ROTFLMAOWTIME! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! After the other day, I can't believe you WROTE that! 8^D
You've got me pegged - and how! But this is why I design and DW quilts; we balance each other. She can't wait to cut into fabric and get that machine a-hummin'. I get off on designing/planning to the last detail. In any enterprise we undertake, we examine, utilize, and respect each others strengths, talents, and foibles and try to support each other.
I can't remember where in the distant past I heard it, but someone somewhere put it that there are two kinds of stress: bad stress, and good - or joyful - stress. The bad kind is the kind you dread, like doing taxes; the good kind is the kind you enjoy, like the stress of watching a horror movie (for those who are into them) or... oh, I don't know.... QUILTING! With experience things become easier, but when everyone here first started out, it's likely there was some stress/trepidation at getting seams right, flipping the sandwich over periodically to avoid catches, etc. It's stressful, but you don't mind because you're enjoying it. Some stress *can* be fun! (There are actually some biological reasons for this; chemicals similar to adrenalin and endorphins generated in the brain that stimulate pleasure centers, but I digress...)
Getting things right the first time, doing my best, competing with myself, putting 100% into things I do are things that I enjoy. I figured this out about myself in college, and I reveled in it. Once things get rolling I'll have more than my share of "this will have to be good enough" and/or "whoops!" but generally, from my experiences, the more I put into the planning, the smoother and more enjoyable the doing will be and go *for me*.
If you see all this as a personality flaw, I hope you can also see that there are a lot of worse ones I could have. (And in case you've forgotten, it all helps me take & keep my mind off the pain... ;-)
YMMV and all other standard disclaimers apply... :-)
You ended one post with "I'M SO CONFUSED". I wanted to 'give permission' for you to relax and spread your wings. Now you have that option as well as your intensive planning. It's ALL good!
Leslie- trying to be a supportive friend... and ending up confoundedly switch-hitting in the process! ;-)
ROTFLMAOWTIME! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! After the other day, I can't believe you WROTE that! 8^D
You've got me pegged - and how! But this is why I design and DW quilts; we balance each other. She can't wait to cut into fabric and get that machine a-hummin'. I get off on designing/planning to the last detail. In any enterprise we undertake, we examine, utilize, and respect each others strengths, talents, and foibles and try to support each other.
I can't remember where in the distant past I heard it, but someone somewhere put it that there are two kinds of stress: bad stress, and good - or joyful - stress. The bad kind is the kind you dread, like doing taxes; the good kind is the kind you enjoy, like the stress of watching a horror movie (for those who are into them) or... oh, I don't know.... QUILTING! With experience things become easier, but when everyone here first started out, it's likely there was some stress/trepidation at getting seams right, flipping the sandwich over periodically to avoid catches, etc. It's stressful, but you don't mind because you're enjoying it. Some stress *can* be fun! (There are actually some biological reasons for this; chemicals similar to adrenalin and endorphins generated in the brain that stimulate pleasure centers, but I digress...)
Getting things right the first time, doing my best, competing with myself, putting 100% into things I do are things that I enjoy. I figured this out about myself in college, and I reveled in it. Once things get rolling I'll have more than my share of "this will have to be good enough" and/or "whoops!" but generally, from my experiences, the more I put into the planning, the smoother and more enjoyable the doing will be and go *for me*.
If you see all this as a personality flaw, I hope you can also see that there are a lot of worse ones I could have. (And in case you've forgotten, it all helps me take & keep my mind off the pain... ;-)
YMMV and all other standard disclaimers apply... :-)
My bad. Sometimes I neglect emoticons when I ought not. I *am* asking for opinions on which brands of thread are better/worse. Things are just more complicated than brand x vs. brand y.
If someone had experience that brand x were terrible, kept breaking in the machine, faded, etc. or that brand y was really good and they wouldn't consider using anything else... that kind of stuff (the usual opinion fests here on RCTQ :-) it might help me figure this mess out. OTOH, if all embroidery threads are pretty much the same, that would help too. We just don't know, so I asked.
Unfortunately, the answer is the same as it is for so many other questions: It depends.
Some sewing/embroidery machines are said to work better with some threads than others. Probably has something to do with subtle differences in the machines' thread paths and the way the thread was created. Similarly, there's a needle/thread interaction that could be a factor.
Good thoughts! I only do free motion machine embroidery (and LOVE it!!!) so I can't speak on threads for an embroidery machine but I've had great luck with Janome brand rayon thread (yep, same as my beloved sm!) and Sulky brand rayon (LOVE rayons!). Sulky metallics have never given me any troubles but I am careful to get my tension right and use the proper needles for any sewing job.
I've heard good things about the polyester trilobar thread (I think it was Kathy A. and where *is* that gal???)- I have Coats and Clark trilobar from Joann's. I am just about to start playing with the trilobars so haven't formed any opinions yet. I can tell you that they look and feel very much like my rayon threads and may be a good substitute for you to use due to the fragile nature of the rayons. I just did a 'pull til it breaks' test on a rayon and a trilobar and the trilobar is substantially stronger.
Not much help, but I *always* have an opinion!
Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.
If someone had experience that brand x were terrible, kept breaking in the machine, faded, etc. or that brand y was really good and they wouldn't consider using anything else... that kind of stuff (the usual opinion fests here on RCTQ :-) it might help me figure this mess out. OTOH, if all embroidery threads are pretty much the same, that would help too. We just don't know, so I asked.
I agree, "it depends". I often use Robison Anton poly for kids clothing or items I know will be laundered often. RA rayon is a next step up, for sheen and more intense color.
For really spectacular results I like Madeira rayon threads best.
This would be important if it was a commercial job and the client had selected the design from an image and expected it to come out as they saw it. And if it was, for example, a corporate logo, then one would be obligated to match the corporation's standardized Pantone colors. (Not easy with thread)
Otherwise, for personal use, there's no reason to be exact, as long as the end product meets its goals. In fact, there are good reasons to change in order to match a color scheme, a background fabric, or artistic freedom.
Herb, I agree completely. The OP wrote: "Since these are licensed designs, I want to use the exact correct colors."
I assume "correct" colors in this case would mean using the exact shades of the exact thread the designer assigned to each fill. After all, professional designers are pros for a reason.
I love tinkering with colors on purchased designs, and also digitize designs myself for which I may select any darned color I want. But I probably would not put "Mickey" in purple shorts, select yellow for "Eeyore", or color Donald's beak green. ;-)
I also like unique. I digitize lots of designs, and for those I select whatever colors I like. When I purchase designs, I am also free to select colors of my own choosing, and use all of the creativity my little heart desires.
However, the OP wrote: "Since these are licensed designs, I want to use the exact correct colors."
If, like the OP, I want to make a licensed design "EXACTLY" right, I would seek to use the colors the *professional designer* selected. YMMV
"BEI Design" wrote... I also like unique. I digitize lots of designs, and for those I select whatever colors I like. When I purchase designs, I am also free to select colors of my own choosing, and use all of the creativity my little heart desires.
However, the OP wrote: "Since these are licensed designs, I want to use the exact correct colors."
If, like the OP, I want to make a licensed design "EXACTLY" right, I would seek to use the colors the *professional designer* selected. YMMV
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