The threads arrived that I want to use for the Pomegranate Corners wool embroidery project! (Ain’t it great when thread arrives in the mail?) Once they got here, I sorted through them, change my mind a gazillion times, and finally make a few color selections.
Here they are:
For this project, I’ll be using Fine D’Aubusson tapestry wool, which I tried for the first time last year, when it was first imported into the US. Fine D’Aubusson is made by Au Ver a Soie, and the approximately 70 colors that are currently available in the US match the color-number system of Soie d’Alger, I believe. So, for example, 916 in Fine D’Aubusson is the same color as 916 in Soie d’Alger. I may be entirely wrong about this – I’ll double check it – but from what I understand, this is the case.
The thread, weight-wise, is finer than DMC medici, and the Fine D’Aubusson (which I would abbreviate into “FDA” but I’m afraid everyone would think it could be ingested…) is not a super-fuzzy wool. The twist is tighter and “cleaner” than Appleton, for example. This makes it an exceptionally good thread for stem stitch, chain stitch, and similar line stitches, especially when wanting fine, clean lines, and it works very well with satin stitch. But the lack of fuzzy softness that we might associate with most embroidery wools makes the thread slightly less forgiving on long and short stitch. That’s not to say it doesn’t work for long and short stitch, and I am planning on using long and short stitch on the leaves in this project.
If you’re interested in stitching along with this, and using the same supplies I use, you can find Fine D’Aubusson available at Hedgehog Handworks, and right now (through January, 2011) they are having a 15% off sale, so it’s good timing. Just so you know, I haven’t worked out the exact stitching in this project, so I’m not 100% certain that I will use every single color and shade that I’ve selected, but for now, this is my “working palette.”
The yellow-golds are the bright and lively colors in the bunch here. They range from a lighter golden yellow to an orangy golden yellow, to a deep brown. I like these colors together!
Initially, I thought about going with yellow-greens, but they I changed my mind and stuck with these more subdued greens. I’ll keep the brighter ones for a different project I have in mind!
Besides the yellows-to-browns and the graduated shades of green, I’m using a selection of reds that range from a bright red to a deep burgundy.
Speaking of original color choices, I was going to go with the yellow-greens and the new blues that are now available in the Fine D’Aubusson, but….. I’m saving those for that other simmering project idea!
Here’s the list of threads by color group and number:
Reds: 916, 2924, 946, 4615
Yellows: 542, 543, 545
Browns: 3816, 1760
Greens: 2131, 2132, 2133, 2118, 2952
Other posts on this project:
Pomegranate Corners – Free Embroidery Pattern
Setting up Pomegranate Corners – fabric selection, transferring the design, and preliminaries
I’ll be setting up a permanent index for this project tomorrow, so you’ll be able to find it under Tips and Techniques after that.
Now…. to get some dedicated stitching time! Maybe this weekend? Here’s hoping!
Enjoy your weekend!
