Changing colors from what the pattern calls for

When I first started Mirabilia's Mermaids of the Deep Blue Sea, I didn't like how the colors of the mermaids were about the same as Mirabilia's Emerald Mermaid that I had already had finished. Plus, I thought as people are different from each other in looks, so the mermaids should be different. The first step to changing the colors is, pull the colors that the pattern calls for one of the mermaids. I did one mermaid at a time. After you pull the colors of the mermaid, what I do if I don't have a particular color group in mind, is to go to the floss card of DMC which shows all the color families that DMC offers. I picked the color family of 550 for one of the mermaids. Then pull the thread that is just in the body of the mermaid, not the fin colors, and line them up from light to dark. With the color family you choose, line them up light to dark. There were 5 colors in the first mermaid in mine, so I had to come up with 5 colors in another family. If there isn't enough colors in the color family you choose, as I needed one more color to do my change, what I did was look through the DMC floss card and find a color that is close to the color family that you chose and see if it would work. I found 153 would work with the 550 color family. Plus, you have to keep in mind, does this new color that you want to use, work with the colors in the fins of the mermaid? Mine did, so I have the 5 colors that I want to use instead of what the pattern calls for, so I mark the new color on the symbol chart of the pattern and I also write on the pattern where there is space not used by the pattern and write out the symbol and the new color that I chose.

Now for the second mermaid, I use a color wheel for the chosing of the second color. To me, both mermaids had to look good together. I could not use two colors that did not gel together. Like one mermaid is red and the other is blue, to me, that would not do. Take the color wheel and find the color of the 550 DMC color and look at it's compliment. I chose 158 -160 colors. Again, you pull out the colors that the pattern calls for in the body of the mermaid and line them up light to dark. You pull out the color family that you choose and line them up light to dark. If you don't have enough as I did again, I chose 792 to go with the 158, 156,159,161 colors that I chose for the second mermaid. The new colors will need to also go with the colors of the fins in the mermaids.

I chose to use the colors called for to do the fins. You can change those colors also if you would want. But in my opinion, I thought they should stay as they were I did change a color in the one mermaid bottom fin that I have finished. It called for a light, light blue and I thought it looked out of place, so I went to my trusty DMC floss card and found another color that would go good with the colors of the bottom part of the fin.

Another point, don't limit yourself in using what the pattern calls for in fabric. Just because it states it was done on a certain count, certain color of material, doesn't mean it is set in stone that, it is what you must use. I use alot of overdyed fabric for my projects. I think it gives your pattern a boost. The MODBS was done on PTPlus Fathom, to me it looked like the ocean depths. I am going to do Crystal Symphony on PTPlus Glory fabric and do the gown in greys. I am doing the L&L Fairy Grandmother on PTPlus French Lilac. I am going to do Fairy Moon on Sugar Maple's Burnt Papyrus. I have had several people say they like my choice of fabric that they would have never thought of doing that particular project on that color of fabric.

Be daring! Make your project one of a kind, put alittle of "you" in every project that you do.

June 27th,2008 Topic: Beads

This is Plenty Coup. He was a real Indian, I added alot of beads to his indian dress. He was known to wear earrings so I went to Hobby Lobby and got some little rings and made the piece look like he was wearing earrings. I strung some beads on some thread and made it look like the piece was wearing a necklace. Most of the Indian dress was supposed to be thread but most of it was beads. The Indians were known for their beautiful beadwork. I actually did this pattern twice, I sold the first one to my boss at the time, and I liked doing him I did him again, even better this time!!!!

I like using the Mill Hill Beads, but it depends on the pattern. I am working on Enchanted Mermaid and on the pattern looks like fish scales and I found some beads that look like scales and I am anxious to try those beads when I get to that part in the pattern. Another pattern I am working on is the Queen Mermaid and in it along side on the body part I found some heart shaped beads the perfect size for where the beads go and it perfectly matched the green in the mermaid.

I like to use beads when a pattern has roses in it. I think adding beads make the roses stick out alittle more.

Personally I don't use the petite beads, I just don't like them,they tend to blend too much with the thread.

You have to watch that you don't use too many beads. Too many beads tends to weigh down your piece plus it gets the fabric out of sync. I tend to add the beads as I go, but that varies with the pattern.

Adding beads to your piece while you stitch is easy. You pull up your thread like you are going to start making your x, you add your bead and then go down like the first step in making a x, but with the bead you do not make the x.

June 20th,2008 Overdyed Thread

This is a skein of Weeks Dye Works. I also use this alot in my cross stitching.

To the right is DMC flower thread, it is not a overdyed but it gives the pattern a softer look.

More Overdyed Thread

This is a skein of Gentle Arts Overdyed Thread. I use these threads alot when I work on my projects.

Overdyed thread

I love to use overdyed thread on my cross stitch. Every pattern that I do, at least has alittle overdyed floss in it. I can't help myself! I started with the Needle Necessities. I have over 100 different colors of those threads. I think they give the design a nice look. Plus, I hate to do a pattern that calls for blending. Take one strand of one color, and another strand of another color and put them together. When I come across that I go to my trusty overdyed floss and I pick a color that is close to what it calls for or if you are like me that changes just about every pattern I do, I pick a overdyed floss that I like and use that. Overdyed thread is perfect for hair in patterns. There are several color changes when you get to the hair in a pattern. If you use overdyed thread for the hair, you don't have that pain.

Wednesday, June 18th, 2008

This is part of my Mirabilia Mermaids of the Deep Blue Sea. I have changed the colors of the mermaids as you can see. I think it is really easy to do: change the colors from what it is called for and colors that you would like to do. First, you pull the floss colors that the pattern calls for. You line them up from the darkest to the lightest. Then you go to the DMC floss card and pick out the color family you want to use. The purple mermaid is from the 550 family. The blue mermaid is from the 156 family. You match them against the colors that it calls for and you put the new color number by the symbol in the chart. I also like to use overdyed floss for the hair. I don't like to change colors for the hair every stitch or two, so if I like the color of the hair then I look to find a overdyed floss that is close to those colors in the hair, I especially like the Needle Necessities. Or, if I don't like the color of the hair and I think another color would look better, I look through the overdyed floss that I have and choose from there. I also do not like to blend like alot of the patterns call for, like, take 1 strand of one color and one strand from another color and put them together. What I do is go back to my overdyed floss and pick a color that is close to those colors suggested. I also like to add beads to my work. More beads ususally then what is called for. I think it gives the pattern a better look. I like to go to bead stores and look for special beads that I think will look good on a pattern.

Some of my many,many WIP's

I have about 28 projects in the works. I am sure I have more if I went folder by folder in my two file cabinets that I have filled with patterns. I am about to start two more, Celtic Christmas by L&L which I signed up to do a SAL and Crystal Symphony by Mirabilia that my daughter, Shanya picked out saying she liked it. Only one project has a time limit on it and it is the one I am doing for my french friend, Claire Hupin for a charity project for a hospice. All the other projects that I have started is for myself,or anyone else that I would want to give it to, so it doesn't matter how many projects I start.

I especially like the Mirabilia Mermaids. I have the Emerald Mermaid already finished and hanging over my entertainment center in my front room, see the image up to the left.

I have 3 of the Mirabilia's just about all at the same point of work done on them.

Mirabilia Mermaid of the Deep Blue Sea which I changed the color of both mermaids. It called for the same color as the Emerald Mermaid but I thought it would look nice if they were both individualized so I changed one to purple in color and the other a dark blue in color.

The Queen Mermaid, I changed a color in the body of the mermaid, I made the purse like object that she is holding all in beads. I found some bigger heart shaped beads to match the color of the mermaid. I changed the color of the sheath on her also.

On Enchanted Mermaid, I changed the color of her hair, I found some beads that look like fish scales and I am going to use them when I get alittle further down on the fin.

I also have started Mermaid of Atlantis, which I am doing her on Monster Mash by Picture This Plus fabrics. I just love their fabrics, plus they are only about a 2 1/2 hr drive from where I live!

I have changed the color of hair on her.I didn't like how they had the hair color plus the stool like object in the picture the same color.

On the Angel of the New Dawn pattern, I didn't like the greens that it called for in her gown. They were the pucky lime greens and so I changed them to the 430 browns. I have her pic in the Mirabilia message board and have several good remarks on the color changes. I plan to use the colors called for in the garland that is around the angel.

Scent of Old Roses I did not like at first. I almost didn't do her, I was about to rip all the floss off of the fabric but a wise friend told me to,sit back, don't work on her for awhile and then go back and I did just that and now I like her. Didn't like at first the colors that was presented. I did change the perfume bottle that she is holding to beads. I have beads strung on a thread from her arms.

Mirabilia's Mermaids

Monday- June 9th,2008

Woke up to another dreary morning. I am getting so sick of these electrical storms. With the grey skies, I can't seem to get my engine going. I have so much to do. This friday, June 13th, my oldest daughter, Sara is graduating! She finally got her GED. I am so proud of her. I always knew she would get it one day, I think I was the only one in the family that did think that. But it doesn't matter, for I was RIGHT! LOL! Chris, Meegan and Marlee are coming up this Thursday to be there and visit with both sides of family. I can't wait! They live in Plano, Texas so I don't get to see them very often. Marlee will turn one year on July 6th! Can't believe it! But I didn't believe it when Chris and Meegan surprised us two Christmases ago, that they were expecting! They had been married for 9 yrs already and no inkling of ever having kids. I had told me friend just two days before that I didn't think Chris and Meegan were ever going to have kids. Well, you know the old saying, NEVER say NEVER!!
Chris and Meegan bought a new washer and dryer the ones that stack up one on the other,so they are bringing their washer and dryer for us! Can't wait! No more taking our wash over to my brothers to do. But with them coming up, I have to clean this house up real good!
I still have alot of mom's needlework that I brought over since she passed last February. God I miss her so much, she was my best friend. I still find myself crying every day because she is gone. Everything around me reminds me of her. They say, Time heals but I don't think so, not with my mother.
I brought over her Armouir (sp) I like it for I have my containers for my Needle Necessities on the top shelf and my DVD sets on the second shelf. I also have my plastic containers that have my knitting projects in them, I have 4 of them in there. I am a startaholic in both knitting and cross stitching. And proud of it! I can't work anymore, so needlework has kept me sane so what is the harm? There are 3 drawers and one contains my undies, one has my nightgowns and the other has my odds and ends for my needlework.
Then I have mom's old hutch, so I have all my magnetic boards in it that I use with my counted cross stitch, I put the pattern on the magnetic board with magnetic strips to keep my place. I find that is most useful to me, I don't mark off my pattern unless it is a Heaven and Earth design or a Mystic Stitch design. Plus it seems it has been a catch all for my many shawl knitalongs that I have signed up for. Plus it has my container for my needlepaints which I love to use in my cross stitching. Plus alot of other cross stitch items I use. I have a big storage container in my kitchen with 6 shelves that holds my plastic containers for each of my 28 WIP cross stitch projects that I have going on at this time. Plus my extra floss plastic containers.
I am going to work today to get some kind of order in my room. Not a small accompolishment seeing all the stuff I have to get organized LOL