Varigated Thread

I like sukly it blends and is not block colors and has a nice sheen to the thread.

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by bowlds 27 May 2012

Thanks

Good question - I've enjoyed reading all the answers. I haven't tried varigated, but I do have some, so guess I'd better give that a try!

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by bowlds 27 May 2012

I like the way it looks.

I have a reel of varigated thread which is pastel yellow ,pink ,blue & green that I use a lot.The designs that I use it in,are generally vertical satin stitch type fill which turn into vertical stripes giving more colour to that particular block

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by bowlds 27 May 2012

Thank you.

I like to use it on fsl angels and also on redwork. Some of the more detailed redwork comes out great using it.
Meri

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by bowlds 27 May 2012

I doubt if I would have tried it on either of those, but will now, thanks.

What a great question and some really good answers thank you

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by bowlds 27 May 2012

Good answers for sure.

I get mine from Metro. I love the way FSL comes out, I did Christmas ornaments and especially angels and pocket angels with it to hand out at chemo, everyone loves them. I also do them in solids but I love the way the colors change with variegated. Also using greens for leaves and stems. Anything for babies looks great with pastel variegated, I did sayings on baby onsies with it and they turned out very cute.

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by bowlds 27 May 2012

Thanks, nice to see you!

I love the browns to do animal "fur" and greens in different shades for plants and ferns, etc. Makes them look more realistic. Linda

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by bowlds 26 May 2012

I'll have to check my stash. I see Metro threads has varigateds on sale.

The 3-D butterflies work great. (from You Embroidery)

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by bowlds 26 May 2012

Hmmm, I'll have to try that. Have you posted any done that way?

Good question.. thank you for asking it.
Great answers... thank you for sending in your knowledge.
I love variegated threads for the last edging on applique work. I've done some designs, e.g. dress skirts, that have had a striped effect - not what I wanted but still pretty. I did some of Veronika's spring dancing girls appliques in softly mottled fabric with variegated thread edging and they were lovely... they're in a charity quilt somewhere now.

I particularly liked the effect of variegated thread on the applique Loralye did with hightechgrammy's star design. The graduated red to yellow made that star glow.
Flowers, butterflies, edgings and bows all lend themselves to the use of variegated threads.
AlmaG.

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by bowlds 26 May 2012

Thank you for your input, I really appreciate it. Did you see the coaster I made in Projects? Link below.

by almag 27 May 2012

I think it's beautiful. Some colours blend and some change quickly but I like the way the colours in this coaster have come together - they're perfect.
AlmaG.

by bowlds 28 May 2012

I guess my variegated thread is more the "striped" kind. I'll have to try some others I have too.

Oops...

Here's what I made!

I love to use varigated thread to do stippling, it just looks so good with a soft blend

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by bowlds 26 May 2012

I would not have thought of that either. Thanks.

I like it for edges of whatever i am sewing it seems to set it off hugs

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by bowlds 26 May 2012

I like that too.

Here is a trick why buying varigated thread.. look at the top of the spool(cone) If the thread has a nice blend it will sew out fine . If the colors are in bunches where you can pick out each color with a seperation stay away from it. When you sew with this kind of spool it will come out in sections instead of nicely blended. I hope that makes sense...Suzanne

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by parkermom 26 May 2012

Thank you for this tip--I've had trouble with some things looking to much like stripes instead of subtle changes.

by bowlds 26 May 2012

Thank you for the tip!

by gerryb 26 May 2012

Tks from me too!! I wondered why sometimes it was striped & sometimes it looks pretty!

by bowlds 26 May 2012

I guess my coaster is striped!

I like using varigeted thread in small amounts. I used some on the birthday card I made for Sue D. (its on the birthday listing) but it doesnot show up. I have also used it very sucessfully with applique. Have you got any variagated thread and what will you use it for?

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by bowlds 26 May 2012

I have some varigated thread that I have used for trimming etc. I haven't tried it for embroidery but I just made another coaster with it and I think it turned out very splashy! Check it out in projects.

So, if you use it for FSL, what do you use in the bobbin? Plain or varigated also.

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by hightechgrammy 26 May 2012

I use the same on the bottom and the design come out nearly reversible. :-) I have others don't, though.

by bowlds 26 May 2012

I thought that may be busy but I guess you only see one side at a time!

One of my earlier embroidery's is a pair of bows on
pillowcases with pastel variegated thread. They are lovely. I also use variegated woolly nylon on my
serger. I made xmas gifts for the girls who worked for me in school. I used red, white and green thread
and put in on the top on cotton anlets. By stretching the ribbing they turned out with a lettuce edge. This past week I have been making
preemie gowns for charity. I emb. a small design and
serger the seams on the outside in variegated thread
that has the color in the design on plain flannel
gowns. These are given to a local hospital. I like
working with the variouse types of thread and textures. Maureen

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by bowlds 26 May 2012

Thank you, I made lots of lettuce edges for my girls when they were little!

I love using variegated thread on FSL, like book marks and angels. Also it's wonderful for flowers. Hugs..Carol

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by bowlds 26 May 2012

Thanks, I'm going to try that as I love FSL.

This can be tricky..depending upon the thread manufacturer, the length of the thread between the change of the colors can sometimes be long or short...if it is too long, I feel that sometimes you get a "stripy" effect rather than a smooth verigation...I do think that a short color change verigation works better....just my opinion...

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by janetedna 26 May 2012

I find the same. Jan

by bowlds 26 May 2012

Thank you, I didn't realize that.

by hightechgrammy 26 May 2012

That makes sense

I use it for fsl,butterflies and flowers. Sometimes you get stripes.

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by bowlds 26 May 2012

Thanks for the info.

This is a very good question, i have try some designs with varigated thread and the result was not good, there are designs done especially for this kind of thread.

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by bowlds 26 May 2012

I've seen those too. I think some of basketcases ripple designs would look good too.

I like them best on butterfly outline stitches. I love watching the machine stitch them out. It is like watching a creation where each step is a surprise.

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by bowlds 26 May 2012

I need to try a few things!

by rescuer 26 May 2012

I posted a picture of one I did in projects just now... if you want to see what can be done. I hope others post theirs as well. I would love to see some other uses.

by bowlds 26 May 2012

That butterfly looks great! Thanks for posting that.

by rescuer 26 May 2012

Thanks! I am excited to see what you do!

FSL looks good too. FSL Snowflakes also.. I do the wave stitch on the serger with it too. Many uses. Suzanne

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by bowlds 26 May 2012

Oh, I have a wave stitch....I'll try that, thanks.

I love using variegated thread with FSL designs that are all one color - like angels or crosses or butterflies. It looks great that way! Variegated thread also can look nice on satin borders when you have just the right colors. I also did a RW design all in variegated thread that looked nice, except I should have used one that just had dark colors, because the light colors didn't show up well enough on the pink sweatshirt. I'd love to know how others use it! Good question!

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by bowlds 26 May 2012

Seems to me the stitches should travel nicely around the design to get the full effect of the varigation. I'm going to try the fsl thing too, thanks