As many of you know, I love to change up the colors in my cross stitch projects, or choose multiple colors for monochromatic projects. I just can’t get enough of color! On this page, I will be posting the colors I am using whenever I make changes to the called-for colors. If you ever have a question about what colors I’m using, this will be the place to find that information. To view larger images, please click on the photos.
Abbreviations to know:
GAST = Gentle Arts Sampler Threads
WDW = Weeks Dye Works
CC = Classic Colorworks
CGT = Cottage Garden Threads
Florigraphica 2 by Jan Hicks Creates
Florigraphica 2 is stitched in a combination Cottage Garden Threads and the other over-dyed cotton flosses. The flowers and “colored” parts of the borders are Cottage Garden Threads. I know those threads are still slightly hard to find in the US, as of the writing of this in Aug. 2023, so I am provided a conversion for those threads to the other more over-dyed threads. Please keep in mind that you will not get the same look as my models if you use a different thread.
Needless to say, I did not find an exact match for any of the CGT threads I’ve used. I have listed the closest colors I could find. I have listed what the major differences may be, but you can also see the differences in the photos. (Note: while I have most of Weeks Dye Works and Gentle Arts threads, I do not have the complete line from Classic Colorworks.)
Hydrangea
CGT Jacaranda = CC Pixie Dust (much lighter than Jacaranda) or WDW Sugar Plum (brighter pink).
CGT Bird Bath = GA Sugarplum
Iris – Coming Fall 2023
Fairy Dust = WDW Peach Cobbler
Coral Cove = CC Candied Yam or WDW Sockeye (both darker)
African Daisy – Market 2024
Viola – WDW Concord or GA Old Purple Paint
Sweet Melon – GA Rhubarb or CC Storm Lake Sunrise
Tulip – May 2024
Canna Lily = GA Pomegranate
Red Carnation = WDW Lancaster Red
Heartfelt Stitch Along by Fat Quarter Shop
It is time for the annual Make a Wish Charity Stitch along and Quilt Along sponsored by Fat Quarter Shop and I am happy to say I’ll be joining in again this year. And again this year, I’ll be changing up the colors a bit. I decided to keep the same basic color palette but to soften it up a bit.
This is a picture of the Heartfelt pattern in the called for colors:
And these are the colors I’ve chosen:
Here’s the colors names added to the key to show what I am substituting for what. The CC at the top of the left column stands for Classic Colorwork.
I am looking forward to stitching this and seeing how these pretty colors play together. I hope you will join me!
Fragments of Time 2020
I have loved the Fragments of Time series by Summer House Stitche Workes every year, and have a collected a couple from the series the past couple of years, but I never actually did them. This year, I decided to get it done. I don’t however, like the color palette that the designer has chosen. As with many other designs, it is too primary for my tastes. So, me being me, I decided to change it, and of course, my threads of choice are Missus Sedas Silks.
I have kept the same basic palette, but instead of the more primary tones, I headed toward the jewel tones, while making the blue and green brighter to give it some pop. You will see that I have listed two colors for the blues. The second one is a lighter blue. I wanted to keep this as an option in case the strong blue doesn’t work in some places. I also have a darker green option for the same reason.
Here is the list. The first column is the called for color, the second column is the Missus Sedas number and the third is the DMC number.
- Blue Jeans #43 or #41 517/518 or 3753
- Barn Door Rouge 814
- Flatfish #9 3861
- Gunmetal #37 930
- Lichen #18 832
- Hunter #16 or #40 16 or 895
Jane Marshall 1857
Jane Marshall 1857 is a reproduction sampler by Hands Across the Sea. As you can see from the title, it is a fundraiser in support of the Rural Fire Service of NSW Australia. It is charted in Soie Surfine, Soie d’Alger and DMC. I decided to use Missus Sedas silks. The colors aren’t an exact match, of course, but they are close, although probably a little brighter than the reproduction. Listed below is my choices. The DMC number is given first, then the number or name of Missus Sedas silk.
321 = 5
152 = 7
727 = 21
519 = 13
3712 = Supernova
3815 = 40
334 = 41
336 = 37
434 = 28
563 = 36
3799 = 19
I am stitching mine on R&R Reproductions 40 ct Liberty Gathering Grey with one strand of silk over two linen threads.
Sing a Sampler Series by Silver Creek Samplers
My original inspiration came from this picture posted by Jennifer Drinka on one of the cross stitch groups on Facebook. Jennifer very kindle gave me permission to share her photo and color conversion.
Jennifer also shared this picture of the floss she used with this description:
“Top row is all the frame colors (and Do, Re, Mi, etc.) in order. All the words in the frames are done in The Gentle Art Sable. The rest should be easy to match up with the project I think.
Frame colors – WDW Cayenne, GAST Pumpkin Pie, WDW Lichen, GAST Pine, GAST Mediterranean Sea, WDW Merlin, WDW Purple Haze
Not pictured are what I used for the words top and bottom (DMC 550) and random Mo’s sale flosses I used for the little accent medallions, flowers, etc. I did all those at the end and just chose whatever color struck my fancy one at the time. I didn’t think to write any of it down, though!”
So, this was my starting point. If I didn’t have the color she used for a particular frame, I substituted something similar that I do have. Here is what I came up with,
Red – WDW Cayenne = Needle Necessities 153 (this is an old red from my stash)
Orange – GAST Pumpkin = WDW Chrysanthemum
Yellow – WDW Lichen = GAST Daffodil
Green – GAST Pine
Blue – GAST Mediterranean Sea = GAST Blue Jay
Indigo – WDW Merlin – (haven’t found a good deep blue substitute for this one yet.)
Violet – WDW Purple Haze = WDW Mulberry
GAST Sable for the words inside the block and DMC 550 for the verse at the top and the bottom.
Like Jennifer, I’m using whatever is convenient for the other parts of each design. If you have any questions about anything, please don’t hesitate to ask.
Indigo Lane by With Thy Needle and Thread
Colors used:
GAST Baby Spinach = endive
VMST Sampler Greenery = Cornhusk
3033 = WDW Light Khaki
GAST Crystal Lake = Summer Shower
VMST Sampler Greenery = Cornhusk
GAST Midnight = Deep Sea
The rest – I used what’s called for
Winter Wonderland by Kaniki’s Prims and Whims
Colors used:
Espresso Bean – VMST Midnight Brown/3371
Dark Chocolate – VMST Primitive Cocoa
Pecan Pie – 3031
Wood Trail – VMST Rustic Greens
Heirloom Gold – VMST Eagle’s Nest
Wheat Fields – VMST Nut Shells
Lambswool
Parchment – VMST Taupe Lace
Piney Woods
Buckeye Scarlett – NN Cranberry
Country Redwood – VMST Pressed Rose Petals
Chalk
Uniform Blue – VMST Prim Blues
Dungarees – GAST Blueberry
Hoity Toity by Long Dog Samplers
I’ve recently gotten a couple requests for the DMC conversion of my VMST floss that I’m using in Hoity Toity. While I was at it, I decided to add the conversion for all of the other GAST I am using. Although the GAST is the called for colors, and the DMC conversion is also given in the chart, I found that I “disagreed” with the DMC colors as given in the chart. So here are my choices.
Raven = VMST Midnight Hour – DMC 939
Tea Rose = VMST glorious pinks – DMC 3354/3733
Gingersnap = VMST Shades of Coral – DMC 3778
Apricot Blush – DMC 3713
Tropical Ocean – DMC 503/932
Lexington Green – DMC 523
Harvest Basket – DMC 3828/420
Banker’s Grey – DMC 04
Holly Berry – VMST holland tulips – DMC 3833/3832
Corn husk – DMC 372/370
Briar Rose – DMC 3687/3803
Grecian Gold – DMC 729
Uniform Blue – VMST Old Salem Spelle – DMC 317
Bluebell – VMST Summer Winds – DMC 159???
Liberty – DMC 160/793
Copper – DMC 21/356
Quilter’s Cottage by Lori Holt of Quilter’s Cottage
My color conversion:
817 = Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe Threads (VMST) Black Cherry
3705 = VMST Southern Belle
760 = VMST Holland Tulips
435 = Gentle Arts Sampler Threads (GAST) Cottage Blue
743 = VMST Yellow Green
703 = VMST Southern Mint
702 = Mystery Variegated Green from my stash
964 = Cottage Garden Threads (CGT) Earl Grey for window panes/VMST Southern Belle for other areas
825 = VMST Easter Special 2018
535 = VMST Slate
169 = CGT Earl Grey
Ecru = WDW Whitewash
Tree Trunks = VMST Primitive Stone
Green on Green by Rosewood Manor
I’ve just started this one, but I have had requests for the silk colors and fabric color. I will update the photos when I have finished this one.
Fabric is Burnt Bronze by Under the Sea Fabrics. I believe this may have been a Fabric of the Month at some point and is no longer available on their website. The floss is silk from Silks4U in colors SK-128 (Gold), SK-108 (Blues), and SK-053 (Cream). These are their small skeins.
Linen and Threads Mystery Stitch Along 2017
I’m still working on this one (as of April 2019), but I have a chosen color set that I’m using throughout the sampler. I have gotten many requests for my color list, so here it is (all DMC):
Greens: 3051, 3052, 471
Blues: 931, 932
Purples: 3740, 3041
Reds: 815, 224, 315
Golds: 680, 676, 434
