Following on from yesterday’s discussion of my favourite threads, I’d like to have a bit of a whinge. For me, the holy grail of thread is a good red. Whenever I see a new (new to me) range of threads, I look to see their reds. Quite often, they are very lacking.
While the range of pinks, blues and greens is often excellent, very often the reds leave a lot to be desired. When I found Cosmo Seasons threads earlier this year, I was not surprised to find that their selection of reds is rather lacking. Their greens, blues, pinks and even browns are great, but red… where is it?
Now, I understand why this probably is: red is hard to make colourfast.
But I want good reds! Red is probably my favourite colour, and I like to use it in my stitching (except in whitework – obviously!). I’m not a fan of fire-engine or orangey reds. I’m more your blood red, a bit dark, a bit brownish red type girl. Reds that are heading towards maroon, or cherry reds, with a bit of pink in them.
(Mind you, I hate pink – partly legacy of wearing a pink school uniform, but then I never liked pink before that either!)
In the DMC range, my favourite red is probably found in the 814, 815, 816 area. Yum! Years ago I designed some little ornaments which used DMC 75, which was a really nice red/maroon variegated thread. But almost as soon as I had liked this thread, they discontinued it! And so instead I had to swap to DMC 115, which isn’t *quite* as nice!
Are you stuck on red like me? What is your favourite red thread? (And is it colourfast?!)
White Threads is the blog of Yvette Stanton, the author, designer, publisher behind Vetty Creations' quality needlework books and embroidery products.
That explains a lot! My fav red is *exactly* the same as yours too! Luckily, you can get lots of nailpolishes in that dark red range of colours (usually called “Vampy” or somesuch).
I was lucky – my school uniform was maroon and grey! I’d have died if it were pink! I don’t like pink, unless maybe it’s paired with black.
I think the range of purples (at least in DMC) is totally underdone as well.
(Sorry, no useful answers, just chat)
I’m with you and Elmsley Rose. I also like DMC 321, 304, 666, 349, 915, 326 and Anchor 20, 46 and 1005. Valdani does a good red called Christmas Red and Madeira does a range of strong reds that they say are colourfast: I have 0508 26, 0509 27, 0510 41, 0511 21, and 0512 26.
Cottage Garden Threads do gorgeous variegated threads: Carnation is a divine red that goes from brighter to more sombre reds; Canna Lily goes from deep red to purply maroon, Raisin goes deep red to purply brown, Running Postman from red to brown, Kangaroo Paw goes from red to bronze, Waratah from deep red to purply grey. The threads are fabulousand are ‘as colourfast as we can make them’, which I understand means that the strongest colours (and reds are one)might leave a shadow on white. I haven’t tested that yet as I’ve used them mostly on navy linen, where they look stunning, but I shall because I love them. They’re not cheap but they’re made here, which I like.
Threadworx also does some good variegated reds: 51090, 51089 (I have perle but I think they do stranded too ) and 10051, which I have in stranded. Don’t know how colourfast they are though, which is rather limiting.
And Stef Francis has fabulous variegated colours, reds and purples in stranded and perle of various weights (check out her website), but doesn’t claim that they’re colourfast and I haven’t tested them. Again, I’ve used them on dark linen but not pale.
A colourfast test would be a good thing to do, wouldn’t it. I don’t have time at the moment (on deadline for a book) or I’d offer. But would be very interested in other people’s experiences.
Warmest regards,
Suzy B (in Melbourne.0
Wow Suzy – so much to explore there! It sounds like I really need to get my hands on some Cottage Garden Threads. “As colourfast as we can make them” is a wonderful way to describe something – it means they *have* tried! 🙂
Megan, was checking out my DMC colour card this afternoon to see some of the other suggestions for reds and yes, their selection of purples is very small. Not that that worries me, as I am NOT a purple person! 🙂
Just a question I was asking myself recently!!
I am making a couple of Quaker medallion samplers (monochrome), and had trouble choosing the “right” red. My fabric for the first one is antique white linen, and I decided on DMC 498. I’m not as rapt as I thought I’d be though. Its over one on 28 linen (one strand DMC) and I think the white fabric looks a bit starkly bright even though its “antique” white. I’ve tested DMC 115 on small pieces but the brown shades in this dont appeal to me that much.
I wish I had a needlework shop locally that had Gloriana silks so I could see them. I think their Cranberry would suit me! I also have some DinkyDyes silks but I just looked and no reds! Closest is one called Raspberry ripple (sorry it IS variegated pink but lives up to its name!).
I havent stitched with the silks yet…so I dont know the colourfastness. Probably not good to wash if they are overdyed?
cheers
Julie in Australia
Hi Julie, What a dilemma! There is a lot of brown in 115, which is why I liked 75 much better. But they did discontinue that years ago. 🙁 Let me have a look through my Dinky Dyes silks… Back again… Hmm… once again, I couldn’t find the holy grail. Pilbara is a very brick red, Mingenew has a lot of dark brown (a bit like DMC115), Desert Pea is a very lightish orangey red, Warratah (sic) is a lightish waratah sort of red, Bottlebrush is a lightish pinkish sort of red, Red Centre is a darkish coral sort of colour. No strong blood red. 🙁 Can’t help you with the Gloriana silks, sorry. Good luck with your quest!
Added later: No, I wouldn’t wash silks or any overdyed thread, especially red. And don’t let your steam iron spurt on it when you’re ironing it either. Ask me how I know that that can do terrible things!
Red is a very difficult colour. I was fortunate that my school uniform was navy and cherry red (no tie, either – add a pair of heels and it didn’t look like uniform at all!) but I agree that pink is a dispiriting sort of colour.
The Anchor colour ranges are sometimes better than DMC, and tend not to have the same greyish cast to them – worth a look, maybe? And the Pearsall’s and Au Ver A Soie silks both have some glorious shades in them.
Stef Francis’s overdyes are usually pretty colourfast. I have washed and steam ironed pieces using them and I don’t think I’ve ever had a problem with any of hers. Some of the other companies aren’t quite so reliable.