I have lots of thoughts and ideas to share on this subject so today will be Part One of Creating with Color.
*Opinion by Brother Expert Consultant
*Opinion by Brother Expert Consultant
Are you inspired by the colors in creation? This big blue sky sprinkled with fall colored leaves is a color mix tailor made to mimic with machine embroidery threads! Inspired by this photo, I just finished a simple fall project that will debut for you on the blog.brothersews.com site early in October. I can only give you a hint for today. I must withhold the nitty gritty details until the projects are officially released.
It involves two coordinating quick projects you can use to dress up your table for fall. Now that is a pretty big hint I know! These are quick projects partly because the featured design is a little mini motif. It seems that mini motifs are harder to find than great big embroidery designs. Aside from being quick to stitch, little minis prove to be very versatile. You can copy and paste them to create a larger motif, use them as add-ons to other designs, or use them on their own as the perfect accent for small pieces. Stay tuned, I promise to let you know the minute these projects go live so you can get a head start on decorating for fall festivities. Indeed, Autumn is awesome for color inspiration!
Below you see another color combo with a mix of colors common in earthy, natural surroundings.
This is the Chic Suede Wrap from Wrapped in Embroidery. The color of the designs on the front borders and the back yoke all started with inspiration from the silky scarf.
Selecting just three colors from the print; a deep apricot, pale olive, and deep olive, I then found an off white suede that would stand out on the olive wrap fabric. By the way, both of these fabrics are dress weight suede with a luxurious look and soft drape. Faux suede is truly one of my favorite fabrics to use as a base for embroidery.
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This is an example of a method I employ often. Choose a base fabric color, and then find an accessory or coordinating wardrobe accent and build from there. In this case I knew I wanted olive but had no plans for other colors until the silky scarf came into play.
Lets talk more about creating with color. In some ways I consider myself more or less "color challenged." Whether it's combining fabrics for a quilt or choosing a totally new color palette for an embroidery design, I have struggled with choosing color combinations outside of my wardrobe basics. As a long time a dedicated garment enthusiast I am used to matching to the point of extreme perfectionism. Thread, zippers, button, trims, etc., all have prominent attention on a garment so unless you are attempting to create contrast they must match and match well. My make sure it matches habit sometimes stifles me. There is a time and place for tone on tone embroidery or subtle stitches (that's coming in part two), but many times embroidery is a stand out feature whether it is on a garment, quilt, craft time or object for home decor. Colors that pop out and have vibrancy are attention getters when it comes to embroidery but choosing "outside the box" color palettes is harder for me than matching.
This example is from a previous post on blog.brothersews.com. Click on the image below to view the original embroidered towel project.
The original colors of the design are quite different from the final outcome.
 Original |  Modified |
Again, I looked to the fabric for color cues. Fabric prints are designed by artists trained in the science of color or at least individuals who have a sense of color beauty far beyond my own. I found the towels first, and then hunted for complimentary printed fabrics. The resulting combination made for a matched set with lots of eye-catching style!
Next time we'll talk more about tone-on-tone combinations and going with colors that speak to you, either subtly or by shouting :-) I promise you that all of this is very unscientific and non-artsy as I have no background in science or arts a profession, just many days of playing in my sewing spaced making the most of what the modern world of sewing and machine embroidery have to offer!
Are you inspired by the outdoors or possibly by browsing the aisles at your favorite fabric store? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.
Next time we'll talk more about tone-on-tone combinations and going with colors that speak to you, either subtly or by shouting :-) I promise you that all of this is very unscientific and non-artsy as I have no background in science or arts a profession, just many days of playing in my sewing spaced making the most of what the modern world of sewing and machine embroidery have to offer!
Are you inspired by the outdoors or possibly by browsing the aisles at your favorite fabric store? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.
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