I have only used DMC embroidery floss and have often seen overdyed thread mentioned here. Would someone please explain what an overdyed thread is and how, why and when it is used. Also how to clean.
Thank you LyndaT (from BC)
Overdye is exactly what it sounds like, other colors dyed over the original color, so there's a variegated effect.
You might use it for, say, tree canopy where you want a mottled effect without having to use 12 shades of green and all that confetti-counting. Or you may use it to add interest to something that was originally all one color (I found some blue/pink for the border of a boy/girl twins birth sampler where neither color individually was appropriate).
How you use it depends on the effect you want. Some people cross each stitch before moving to the next one, to keep the shading intact. Some like the out-and-back method which gives more of a tweedy effect. My usual technique is to stitch //// with two strands till I run out, then do the \\\\ (working in the same direction) with two more strands, so that I get even longer runs of each color before it changes. Set aside the third set of two strands. If I run out (since I'm only using 2/3 of the floss), then I'll use the set-aside strands in the finish-each-stitch method.
Some are washable, many are not. Check the individual tags.
I'll also warn you (don't ask me how I know!) that if you are going to iron the finished product, be sure the Steam function of your iron is turned off before you get it anywhere near the stitchery. (I couldn't get all the blue out of the fabric, so I intentionally mottled the rest, as well as the white matboard.)
One thing to remember about overdyes is that the shade varies from lot to lot. So you need to buy enough to finish the project ab initio.
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