Stitch The Sketch #20: Mixing Thread Colors

I understand why still life is so called but there can be a lot of life in the still when you know the narrative behind the piece.

Jars and vessels often inspire me to create art. Jars and vessels represent the containers or the “holders” of something very important to our lives – water. As essential as water is to life, in many societies, it’s something that the people can not take for granted.

When I draw jars and beautiful vessels, I remember the people in these societies.  I remember the children without access to potable water. I remember the parents who go to extra lengths to provide their families with decent water for their living needs.

As is always the case, there’s another side to the story. It’s a less serious side to my fascination with jars. My second attraction to jars is more of a vain one. It’s because their curves remind me of those of some really “full-figured” ladies. 🙂

For this episode, I recreated the piece I created in episode 6.  This time I created it in multicolor unlike I did in episode 6. In the process, I discovered that the color of your background fabric plays an important role when you’re mixing thread colors on that fabric. I share this discovery in the tips section after this video which shows my process.

 Tips Techniques and Tools: Mixing Thread Colors

1. Factor in the color of your background fabric when mixing thread colors. This is because the color of your background fabric will act as though it were one of the thread colors you seek to mix.
2. To ensure you don’t make a lot of mistakes with mixing thread colors, get an overview by trying out your color scheme first. You could use colored pencils or markers on paper before you start working on fabric.
3. Correct mistakes in your stitching by going over with a different color thread to tone down the effect of the mistake. Alternatively, use a darker stitch in an adjacent area to emphasize that area and draw attention away from your mistake.

So here are three great tips that should be useful next time you’re mixing thread colors.

Question: Have you ever used your background fabric as a palette for mixing thread colors? Share your comments below. I can’t wait to hear from you.

Warmest Regards,

 

 

Watch and read about the entire Stitch The Sketch series.