If you don’t have a shop nearby, picking thread colors can be very frustrating, as I know well. The colors you find on Internet and printed color cards just are not accurate enough. You never really know if the picture is a perfect match for the thread. In turn, you wonder if the thread you buy will really match your canvas.
Color cards with thread on them solve this problem. With small amounts of the thread in place, they are what professionals use to find color matches. in fact I have bins of them in my office.
Mary Corbet has an in-depth post helping us understand what’s on a color card and helping is understand how we can use them.
There is a use for them she doesn’t mention. The card can help you find matching threads of other kinds. I call it talking DMC. Here’s how:
- Both you and the shop have DMC color cards.
- You identify the thread you want to use & you know the shop carries it.
- You use the DMC card to find the matching color in floss for your canvas.
- Call the shop and ask for __________ (thread) to match that DMC color. Make sure they have enough time to match the color.
- The shop uses the DMC color to find the matching thread.
Because both you and the shop are using a common color reference, you can be pretty sure the thread you get will be the color you want. This does not always work because most threads have fewer colors than DMC. But it gives you a starting point for comparison.
About Janet M Perry
Janet Perry is the Internet's leading authority on needlepoint. She designs, teaches and writes, getting raves from her fans for her innovative techniques, extensive knowledge and generous teaching style. A leading writer of stitch guides, she blogs here and lives on an island in the northeast corner of the SF Bay with her family
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