How do you organize your blended threads?

NeedleAndFork · Post by **NeedleAndFork** » Sat Jan 18, 2014 7:59 pm

Another post got me thinking about this.. I am about to start on a set of ornaments that have several blended colors.. some of the colors are used in multiple blends, and some of the colors are used in blends and on their own.

My floss is all bobbinated, and the way I normally work is to make a project card (card with holes punched down one side) where I cut lengths of each color in the pattern. With the exception of my HAED, where I cut an approximate 12" lenth, on other patterns I cut a length based on how much the color is used in the piece and whether I'm stitching over 1 or over 2.

I've been thinking about how I will organize for this project with all the blends and just thinking about it makes my head hurt! I figure someone here has to have some tips on the best way to do this! For those of you who work with blends.. what do you do? Do you pick a length for the floss and cut everything to a standard length? How do you organize them as you work? I'd really love some tips as I should be ready to start on that piece in the next few days as soon as the ornament I'm working on now is done and sewn up.

pattiebelle · Post by **pattiebelle** » Sat Jan 18, 2014 8:56 pm

I keep all my threads bobbined separately to start.

Then I get a blank cardboard bobbin and wrap one strand of each color on it and write the color numbers and the symbol on the bobbin. (a strand is about 36")

When I'm ready to use that blend, I pull a length of about 18" (or half a strand) to cut of each color and put them together. I only cut and use at the time I'm ready for that symbol...

I think this can easily be adapted to your stock cards, insead of cardboard bobbins.

I use plastic bobbins for my full skeins, but the cardboard can be written on and tossed after use.

cairee · Post by **cairee** » Sat Jan 18, 2014 10:13 pm

I have a bobbin box with all the colors bobbinated seperate

and I have a bobbin box with all my blends as well as the colors that are used as solids, this box I call my pallet

the blended bobbins have a length of each color wound together,

when I separate to thread my needle I treat the two colors like one length of 12 ply, I pull two strands one at a time, I just make sure Ive grabbed one of each color.

I also use a needle organizor with all the symbols written on it, I use one for each BAP.

Busy_B · Post by **Busy_B** » Sat Jan 18, 2014 11:09 pm

I use the same note card system you do when I'm working with a kit. I do a separate note card for the blended threads. I'll cut the colors used in the blends the same length and put them thru a hole. I'll put the symbol and colors on the note card so I know what the colors are for.

Tarana · Post by **Tarana** » Sun Jan 19, 2014 12:58 am

I am totally impressed by Carrie's organization. Never thought to bobbinate a blend and I have a lot of T. Wentzler projects.

Thanks for sharing!

Allyn · Post by **Allyn** » Sun Jan 19, 2014 5:04 pm

A lot of my projects use blends. My current project is a Scarlet Quince chart. Of the 75 symbols in the chart, all of them but about half a dozen are blends. SQ gives me the length of floss needed for each symbol, so it's easy to pre-cut the floss and sort them to each symbol.

The Teresa Wentzler chart I just finished didn't give me floss lengths per symbol, so I cut 12-inch lengths of the unseparated floss and bagged them for each symbol. If I used all six strands, I'd cut another 12-inch length of each color and stick them in the bag.

Tarana · Post by **Tarana** » Mon Jan 20, 2014 2:24 am

Allyn, I think the bag system is working for you because your bags definitely look bigger than what I could obtain. I have big fingers and the bags just kept tearing.

stitchingmae · Post by **stitchingmae** » Mon Jan 20, 2014 5:17 am

http://www.amazon.com/Action-Bag-Floss- ... +away+bags" target="_blank

Allyn · Post by **Allyn** » Mon Jan 20, 2014 9:17 pm

Tarana wrote:Allyn, I think the bag system is working for you because your bags definitely look bigger than what I could obtain. I have big fingers and the bags just kept tearing.

Maemae is correct. Those in the picture are Floss-Away bags. I also use Yarnology floss bags:
http://shop.hobbylobby.com/products/bag ... er-645911/" target="_blank" target="_blank

The Yarnology bags are a little bigger than the Floss-Away bags and they allow full access at the zip-lock seal. The Floss-Away bags put the ring-hole at the corner of the bag at the end of the zip-lock, so when the bag is on the ring, you can't open the zip-lock all the way. I have large hands for a woman, but I don't have trouble getting my fingers in the bag to get the floss. If your hands are bigger than mine, I can see where you might eventually tear the bag. The Yarnology bags have the ring-hole on a corner on the opposite edge of the bag from the zip-lock opening, so even if the bag is on a ring, you have full access to open the zip-lock and get your fingers in the bag.

You could also try snack bags:
http://www.amazon.com/Ziploc-Snack-Valu ... snack+bags" target="_blank" target="_blank
The bags have an opening the size of a sandwich bag, but they're about as deep as a floss bag. You'd have to punch your own ring-holes, but it's an option if you want to use bags and the floss bags aren't working for you.

You could do the same thing without the bags, just put them on bobbins instead of putting them in bags like Cairee showed. I used to bobbin all my floss. I absolutely hated doing it and when the owner of one of my LNSs told me I shouldn't bobbin my floss, that was all the encouragement I needed to never do it again.

fccs · Post by **fccs** » Mon Jan 20, 2014 11:12 pm

Allyn wrote:
You could also try snack bags:
http://www.amazon.com/Ziploc-Snack-Valu ... snack+bags" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank
The bags have an opening the size of a sandwich bag, but they're about as deep as a floss bag. You'd have to punch your own ring-holes, but it's an option if you want to use bags and the floss bags aren't working for you.

I didn't have any Floss-A-Way bags when I started Halloween Night, so I've been using the Ziploc snack bags. They work nicely...I just toss them all in my little tote bag and then dig through them for the color I need.

NeedleAndFork · Post by **NeedleAndFork** » Tue Jan 21, 2014 12:00 am

I am completely in awe of cairee's method. If I ever do a BAP that has blended threads, I am totally doing that - it would be worth it to buy an extra bobbin box for that.

Turns out the pieces I'm working on right now that I need to finish before I can start the one with the blended threads is taking me a bit longer than I expected, so I've still got a bit longer to decide how exactly I want to do this. I'm not a fan of the flossaway bags.. so I'm leaning towards finding a way to stay organized with the project cards. Maybe a separate card for all the blends and one for all the single colors might work.

skitzzzzz · Post by **skitzzzzz** » Tue Jan 21, 2014 5:06 pm

I do the same as cairee but for the blends I use home made cardboard bobbins so once the project is finished I just throw the cards away
I put 1 strand of each colour onto the blend bobbin

Crossstitchforum - A FREE forum for Cross Stitchers

How do you organize your blended threads?

How do you organize your blended threads?

Re: How do you organize your blended threads?

Re: How do you organize your blended threads?

Re: How do you organize your blended threads?

Re: How do you organize your blended threads?

Re: How do you organize your blended threads?

Re: How do you organize your blended threads?

Re: How do you organize your blended threads?

Re: How do you organize your blended threads?

Re: How do you organize your blended threads?

Re: How do you organize your blended threads?

Re: How do you organize your blended threads?