Have I mentioned how much color plays a part in what I’m stitching? Just kidding, I know I write about it a lot!
Today I want to show you how two different projects and the colors I was using affected my stitching. Both are from the “Mostly” series, and are in the two final color ways (first was grayscale with red accents, second was beiges and browns).
Since color brings out a visceral response in people, I thought to offset the neutrals and grayscale color choices I’d offer a bold palette and a pastel palette. All of the projects will be available in all four color ways, but I needed at least one model stitched in each palette.
So I tackled the bold palette in Mostly Jessicas.
Normally I love turquoise, and purple, orange not so much but at least it isn’t yellow! But I had the hardest time finding motivation to stitch with these colors all together. They all go together, they’re effective together, I just couldn’t bring myself to stitch with them. But I pressed on and got the model finished. I like the Jessicas, all the shapes and different sizes, just had trouble getting past the colors.
Then I tackled Mostly Walnetos in a pastel color way.
Wow, what a difference in the stitching experience! Start to finish, it took me about a week. I couldn’t wait to see what the colors were going to do. Soft blue, pink, lilac and even yellow – they all work together and just pop off of the antique blue canvas! I loved every minute of it.
So, my conclusion is if you find a project you like, but the colors aren’t singing to you, change them! If there’s one you don’t like, but you like the rest of them, change the one. One of my first encounters with Jean Hilton’s designs, I loved all of the colors but wanted to change out the peach to a pink (getting away from the yellow tones again). And Jean Hilton herself encouraged stitchers to change things they didn’t like. The whole story of the encounter I’ll share another time, because it’s funny and has stayed with me for close to 20 years!
The point is, stitch with colors you love, and you’ll be more pleased with the stitching experience and the end result.