All of these* are silk embroidery thread (16/2), 12 meters, dyed individually in the process of my researching historical dyes.
The silk has a lovely, noticeable sheen. I did my best to make the photos show colours accurately, but they may look different on your own screen. Therefore please be prepared for possible variations. Some of the colours are uneven and complex, especially when overdyed.
Natural colours are not necessarily short-lived, but they do require mindful care:
- Do not expose to direct sunlight for prolonged periods. If the embroidery is intended to be hung, aim for a wall that doesn’t get brightly lit (or aternatively, enjoy them for as long as they last and don’t worry about it).
- Not all, but many of these colours are pH-sensitive, meaning they will be modified by acidity or alkalinity. If used on clothes that need washing, I recommend hand-washing with a very mild soap (soap is slightly alkaline)
An interesting aspect of this is that it means you can modify some of these colours slightly yourself, if you’re feeling adventurous. Contact me for info if you’d like to try.
I include in this assortment some lengths of thread dyed with safflower (Grenadine and Plum Blossom) because they have such extraordinary hues, but safflower is notoriously light-sensitive. At the same time, it’s still used in Japanese textiles. So I have no idea how quickly they will fade. This is why they’re at the same price as the rest despite this dye being much more costly and labour-intensive.
This first batch represents one phase of an experiment. I don’t know if I’ll offer more in future but to that purpose I’m interested in feedback, particularly from tatreez practitioners. Is it the right thickness, is the length convenient? Would you be interested in recreated historical colours (pre-DMC) or in natural versions of the DMC palettes? Thank you!
* Rose dorée alone is a silk- baby camel mix, hence more muted.