Friday 19 November 2010

Can you tell the difference?

Following the previous post, I experimented on the same designed pin cushion bases.  For those of you who didn't read the previous post, one of the instructors from my embroidery course suggested that I might want to consider inserting a smidgen of emerald green in the stripes when I brought  it (the right one in the photo) to the course Here are the results of my experiment:
This is the original one, in solid dark olive and gold, I put the small patch on the photo so that you can see the olive green thread I used.  I like it as it is, maybe a bit too subdued, but I like the colour combination and it looks good, if I may say so myself.
Then,  I used the celadon for the last round of the center square for the second one.  My instructor suggested emerald green and his suggestion in colour choice is always spot-on, however, I thought emerald is a touch too strong a colour, especially when the design requires the thread has to appear not only the square part but all the strips parts, too. 

I regret that I didn't take step by step photo, but it was really an interesting process.  As you can see (or you may not see),  the strips (and squares) are formed from the centre.  After two rounds of dark olive green, the celadon come, and the whole green part appeared as if it was solid emerald green.  Then three rounds of gold and I realized that the whole ring was in the colour of peacock feathers.  It was like a WOW moment.  Then two rounds of dark olive green and it was totally changed again, with dark olive lying side by side with amethyst and it made amethyst deeper, richer.  Another WOW. I wanted to stop there but I had to add another gold, not only for the sake of experiment, but for the completion of the design as it required another round of stitches.  The celadon is subtle but it makes the design more interesting for sure.
The third one, with emerald green.  I am sorry that the photo is a bit blurry.  I was quite happy with the second one with celadon, but I wanted to see what it would be like with emerald green in it.  I was right to think that emerald green would be too strong for this design and that he hadn't understood how the design was formed and emerald green had to appear all the way in the stripes and square.  He is a embroiderer and I think he wanted to add a bit of emerald green here and there, and not like this, although this is the brightest one and I suppose it's not too bad.

I would like to make another one with celadon and without the last round of gold.  It requires a little tweaking of the design, unless I want to replace the gold with the third round of olive green, and I do not.  Perhaps adding a little more gold may be the answer, I have to think about it.

6 comments:

  1. I'm partial to emerald green anyway, but I think it really brings out the purple. It just comes down to what you're after. The emerald one is my favorite.

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  2. Rebecca from Perth20 November 2010 at 01:02

    I like the first one best, the emerald seems to draw my eye away from the purple flowers. It would look lovely with a tiny bit of emerald but on the square part or the lines. I really love the teal one you made in this design in your etsy store. Don't you love experiments? Wonderful post, thank you for sharing.

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  3. What fun Chloe Patricia! I always like brighter colors, so I like the emerald one too. Adding the celadon made a much bigger change than I would have expected though. Thank you for sharing.
    Jane

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  4. I like the celedon one best - it makes the flowers glow. The emerald is very pretty but detracts from the flowers, I think
    Paula

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  5. I think what amazes me most is that you have the patience to make such an intricate pattern not just once, but three times! They are all lovely. It's surprising what a big difference there is with just a small change.

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  6. You are right. I love the celedon. Amazing how one little change totally changes the balance.

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