This is going to make a huge difference in choosing floss.
This has all of the DMC floss, perle cotton, etc. colors and it’s real floss – not printed pictures.
The overdyed floss is great but . . it’s 5 yards, it’s $2.50 plus, many of the popular colors are hard to find.
The DMC is 60 cents a skein at 123Stitch and it’s 8.7 yards. That makes DMC the winner for about 90% of the stitching I do. I prefer the overdyes for large areas of stitching – houses, clouds, clothes, big flowers – not that I’ve done any of those things yet but the overdyes results in a tone on tone appearance instead of totally solid.
On A Good Marriage, I think four of the colors were overdyes and I bought them but with stitching those letters and nothing big, it really didn’t show at all. I just spent about six times as much as I needed to spend for nothing.
Many, but not all, patterns give DMC conversions but where the patterns are sold, they often list the overdyes and don’t usually list the DMC colors so I have to wait til the pattern arrives, then place another order for the floss. With the DMC color chart, I can look at the overdyes online, and pick my own DMC colors. If there’s a blue overdye and I can’t decide which one to get, I can order three or four different blue DMC colors and still spend way less than what I would spend for the higher priced floss.
I found the DMC Color Card at Fat Quarter Shop.
Therese says
There are also lots of conversion charts online that will give you DMC options for Weeks, Gentle Arts etc. so you may not need to wait before making your substitution choices.
Judy Laquidara says
There are and I’ve used those but I would enjoy choosing my own colors, especially when my fabric is a bit different from the called for fabric. Now that I have the color chart, I’ll be able to look at the overdyed colors online and use my fabric and the color card to choose the colors.
Liz says
Sometimes I think that it is the planning process that is most creative and enjoyable.
I like looking at a block or a pattern and figuring out the math to change the size or whatever. The actual sewing is not as much fun. When I was going to quilt retreats with classes, I finally realized that I liked learning a new technique, but then I would make a wall hanging size top and not a full quilt.
I know that there are people who have to have the exact fabric, yarn, or floss as it is shown on a sample. Others just like to experiment with options or put their own spin on their creative handwork.
Judy Laquidara says
I think you’re exactly right. I love the planning and sometimes, the stitching and finishing . . not so much.
Darlene says
I’ve grown to enjoy using a ‘blended needle’. Using DMC floss take a strand of one color and a strand of another color and thread your needle. Fun!
Judy Laquidara says
With 36 and 40 count, I usually use one strand so that wouldn’t work but I did try the blending on lower count linen and it worked well but just something else to figure out.
carolyn says
DMC is up to 60 cents a skein? When I worked in a craft store in college it was 25 cents! Inflation! Glad I stocked up then! lolol