Dye Lots for Stitch Along

277 is the color on the right

When embarking on a large project like this that will last 24 months, as an engineer, I have to think about everything that can come up and plan.  A change in dyelots is one thing that can upset some people.  So, with that knowledge, we already knew about a short in one area and decided to look at the stock of the colors in the Soie Paris line.  There are three colors that are very low and will run out in the middle of this casket.  We have already been looking at them and making decisions on dealing with that (there are many choices - dye again, substitute, or refrain from using that color beyond the 1 tube everyone will have in their COC1 kits already).  

In general, with such as large number of small motifs on the piece, a new dyed version won't be noticed as it is only noticed if you change in the middle of a motif.  So in that case, the only color types that would be problems would be the massive amount of blue that we will be stitching on the casket for the sky background.  Greens, not a problem, as there are so many in our palette and the mounds are small so you can avoid changing mid stream.  But sky is a different issue.  

And of course, the one thread that I knew was going to have to be dyed early this year is 277, the medium blue that I use as the dark part of the sky on the project.  And blues are the most difficult to dye - so more likely to have differences, although the specials we did last year (lacet, soutashe, etc) came out really well and so I have great hopes.

But I wanted to bring this up.  You know yourself best and what drives you crazy.  If a small change in the dye lot will 'ruin' your entire casket, wait until the new dye lot and buy it.  I will be happy to exchange any full tubes of 277 you have.  Most of you will say - 'hey thanks for warning me!' and will make sure that they use it on the smallest friezes and wait until the new tubes arrive to work larger areas where they would exhaust a full tube.  There are so many surfaces and reflections off those surfaces that I am sure the difference in a dye lot from one panel to another won't show.  

But I also wanted to give some advice on making lemonade from lemons.  When you do find yourself in a place where a dye lot has changed, it is best to blend the colors instead of finishing rows with one and picking up the other.  Do about 3-4 rows where you skip every other stitch in a brick pattern and fill in with the other dye lot to make the transition.  The overall effect will be to mix them enough to make the hard line between them go away.