Need help choosing colors!!!!!

Here's my trick - Lay the colors listed below next to each other during daylight hours. There's probably a couple of common themes amongst them.

If it's a blue, pull your DMC blues out. Lay them with the NN threads and see which ones are closest in color. Pick that shade, and then use the DMC web site to find the lighter/darker colors DMC has listed as being part of the color group (ie. the cornflower blues, navy blues, etc.).

Do this for a couple of the colors >I am going to be stitching the Serendipity Sampler (SAL) by Papillon

See that is my problem. I don't know what colors to choose, whether I should go with opposite colors that are in the strands (by the way most of them are multicolored, not single colors different hues) or the same colors. I think that I might just take them to my LNS and try to choose colors that way. They can help better than I can! LOL

I sent this letter out to all my groups in hopes that someone could help me. You were the only one with at least a suggestion on what to try.

Well color is a personal thing, and many people choose it at a gut level, which is very difficult to transmit to another person. My personal taste in what would look good with the colors you listed, is not necessarily something you would like, and my selection of colors would be influenced by the fabric, which appears to be unknown. One selection of colors against a particular background might give a subtle effect, and be quite bold against another. Both might be quite lovely. Also, not everyone has the colors or threads you mentioned to hand which makes it hard to make recommendations. So I would guess that is why you didn't get many responses.

I suggest you try googling color theory if you want to learn more about color. Dry stuff, but it gives you a bit of reference. Working with different color combinations is where you really learn about it and what you like. Dora

I just saw this thread - and I think this is an excellent idea. They will help you and may have an idea or two you may not have thought of!

That would be the reason I didn't respond. That being said, I am currently stitching a design from JCS on a towel. The design in the mag was done on a white towel, with the flowers done in dusty violets and the ribbon in yellows. Well, I wanted something more bluish and the yellows wouldn't have worked on my towel since it's a creme-colored towel.

I took the specified colors (333, 340, 341, 3746, 3747) and laid them out, then looked through all my floss and found some that were more blue (158, 159, 160, 161, 3747). They're along the same hue (I think that's the right term) but had the bluish tinge I wanted. I complete change the yellow ribbon (which wouldn't have shown up on the creme-color) and instead used mauve-y pinks (153, 154, 3834, 3835,

I;m certainly no color expert. It takes some time and experimentation, but when you lay them out (and don't forget to lay them against the fabric you're planning on using--it can make a *huge* difference!), you'll easily be able to see if they'll work together. Your brain knows what it does and doesn't like! :)

Play around and have fun!

Joan

Sorry i haven`t seen the original letter.. When you have trouble with choosing colors there is also a nice trick of rolling them on a paper strip and making a zerox of them ,,, it is amazing what the b/w zerox of colors can teach you about how they will affect their `neighbour` thread in weaving or embroidery.

If your trouble is deciding which color to choose for a certain work ,, cut little parts of any color you have and lay them in different ways on the cloth. If you dont have threads , use colored pencils and bits od paper cut off journals . success mirjam

Ps i am Very fond of multicolord and varigated colors when working with them, and if you want a nice transition ..... if you use Only multycolored , when changing one for another take a second thread that has AT LEAST ONE COLOR in Common with first thread.

when mix>See that is my problem. I don't know what colors to choose, whether I

Suzanne N. Fernandes said

Do you mean complimentary colors in the technical sense