I’m a sucker for variegated thread and yarn. I’d say around half my yarn stash is variegated in various forms, from the subtle tones of one colour to a whole matching palette. Since I mostly crochet pretty simple things, I like the variations to make it more interesting to work and look at. So, when faced with a cross stitch project that was to be worked in 1 colour OR a variegated thread I jumped hard on the chance to play with variegation in embroidery. You should also know that “variegated” is one word I can never spell correctly on the first go, so this constant repetition of the word is making my brain ache. Next post will be about cats. I can spell that.
Anyways. Moving swiftly onward. I’ve been working the piece with the usual method – making one whole cross before moving to the next one. Overall this has given it a nice graduation, but being me I wanted to see what else I could do with it. Since the main piece is for a swap, I couldn’t very well start fecking about with it, so I picked up some more thread and had a play.
This sample is stitched in the generally common method (as far as my research could tell me). Instead of doing all the bottom legs of the cross, then going back along the row, each stitch is fully worked before moving on. This seems to eat a lot more thread, but it does give a nice graduation of colour. It also seems to take longer, but I might have been imagining that, who knows? Sometimes I think I’m a princess, so it’s safe to say I could be making crap up.
This one is done in the usual cross stitch method, all the bottom legs are worked, then all the top legs going back along the row. I tried to fudge making a larger sample by looping my thread over the hoop before returning, but it’s still given me a nice toning. You can see best along the bottom the effect of two tones of thread.
Finally, I shook things up mad style (I’m a rebel baby) by separating two strands of the thread, then turning one around so the graduations didn’t match up. You can see where the tones start to match each other on the bottom row of stitches. You can also see, if you’re looking close, a long black dog hair. I have a border collie in the house.
So why use variegated thread? Well, it’s a quick and easy way to create interest in borders or alphabets, and a good way to add some depth to large areas of background, or embroidered water, sky, trees… Depending on how you use it, you can give a chopped up colour effect like the bottom sample here, or you can make a smooth graduation like the top. It also makes each piece your own, as no two variegates will varie their gates in the same way.
As for the piece I’m working in variegate right now, it’s from a pattern from the 1890s or something like that. Since it’s all “one” colour, I decided to make it more fun for myself (and maybe the person I send it to) with fancy pants thread.
That’s the border, I took a bunch of photos of the border because it came out so well (I’m easily amused). I’m about half way through the center, so I’ll post that when it’s done and you can be super impressed with my skillz.