Can I Create a Color Scheme from a Skein of Overdyed Thread?

The idea of creating a color scheme from a skein of overdyed thread seems like a daunting prospect. We keep thinking that wee don’t know enough about color or thread to do this. But, in fact, it’s easier than you think because the thread itself will lead you to colors.

1. Get out your overdye and untwist the skein. I know from experience the twists can change the balance of colors and hide accents. You’ll find the process easier with an untwisted sjein.
2. Is the skein shades of one color or does it have several colors? This simple question tells you what you need to know to start your scheme. If the thread has one color, you will need to find accents yourself. If it has multiple colors the accents are in the skein. Today wee’ll look at multu-color skeins. Tomorrow we’ll look at single-color skeins.
3. Write down the main color and the main accent colors.The main accent colors will be the ones that appear most often or that cover the largest area. If you like write in a separate section the minor accents.
4. Using your actual skein, pick DMC threads that match these colors as closely as possible. DMC makes color cards with real thread on them. Get one to do the matching. To do this, place the color in the overdye next to possible matches until you find a match. Do this for all your colors.

   There’s a reason for picking DMC. Most shops will have a DMC color card that’s similar to yours. With this color card you and the shop can speak the same color language even if they do not have your overdye.

5. Match other, non-DMC threads, to the DMC colors.I like to use a variety of threads in my projects. By matching both my overdye and my new solid threads to the DMC colors I can get variety in texture without straying far from the colors I need.
6. Double checxk your final choices against your overdye. Put them all together in a row if some stick out, repeat the process for that color or look for a different thread.

Once you have picked out your threads, they can be used as the basis of a project.