Anyone who stitches Bargello needlepoint knows that buying sufficient quantities of thread from the same dye lot is crucial to stitching success.
Even though a skein or hank may have the same color number, the dye lot could be a slightly different shade; and this may not be visible until after a Bargello motif is stitched.
There’s nothing so frustrating as running out of a particular color of thread in the middle of a Bargello needlepoint project.
Even if you’ve heeded a shop owner or instructor’s advice and purchased 5% to 10% additional thread, sometimes stitching technique can consume more thread than stated in the Bargello pattern.
If this happens to you, consider using these steps to minimize any dye lot variations.
How to Blend Different Thread Dye Lots
1. Purchase additional thread by carefully matching thread strands from what you have left to what you are planning to buy. DO NOT MATCH THE NEW THREAD TO AREAS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN STITCHED.
2. When using tapestry yarn or a single strand to stitch a Bargello project, use the old thread to complete a motif or row, and begin the new thread at the next pattern repeat or the beginning of a new row or motif.
3. If the pattern calls for two or more strands of thread, estimate how much of the old dye lot you have left for blending with the new. The more thread from the old dye lot you have left, the more subtle the blending can be.
4. Keeping to the total number of thread strands required in the needle for adequate canvas coverage, replace one of the strands from the old dye lot with a strand from the new one.
5. Continue to gradually replace the old thread in this manner until all the strands are from the new dye lot.
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