3.7.1 Color Blending and Mixing of Velvet Strips
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Question 1: What is the difference between color blending and color mixing?
Answer 1: Color blending involves arranging silk threads with noticeably different shades in an alternating light and dark sequence within the velvet row to achieve a natural color gradient. Color mixing, on the other hand, involves incorporating a small amount of a secondary color into the predominant darker color of the same velvet row. This infuses the main color with the secondary hue, giving the finished velvet strip a subtle, variegated effect.
Question 2: How to determine if a velvet row needs color blending or mixing?
Answer 2: If the silk thread itself possesses rich gradient colors, then after the velvet row is properly secured, its colors will naturally present a smooth transitional effect, thus requiring no additional color blending or mixing. Even for non-gradient designs, if the arrangement of low-saturation colors appears naturally harmonious in its presentation, color blending or mixing is also unnecessary. However, if there are obvious color breaks or excessively large gaps between colors, color blending is required. Otherwise, the overall visual effect of the velvet strip will appear disjointed.
Color Blending for Velvet Strips
Color Blending with Suzhou Embroidery Thread
Method One
01. As shown in the diagram, prepare two bundles of thread belonging to the same color family but with a slight shade difference. Secure them to the rod, keeping the two colors separate.
02. Pull out one group of threads from the junction area of each color. Since the typical amount for Untwisted Suzhou Embroidery Thread is seven strands per group, a single group can be split into combinations of 3+2+2 strands. Following the arrangement logic of light, dark, light, light, dark, secure them in sequence.
03. Push the silk threads tightly together and arrange them neatly. The color blending for the Untwisted Suzhou Embroidery Thread velvet row is complete.
Tip:
This method is only suitable for threads with not very large color differences. For threads with significant color contrast, refer to Method Two below.
Method Two
01. As shown in the diagram, prepare three bundles of thread from the same color family, ranging from light to dark, and secure them to the rod.
02. Pull out one group of threads from each junction area between colors.
03. Split and recombine the light and dark threads as shown in the diagram, mixing the shades together.
(Diagram annotations:
- Bundle together: 4 strands of Color 1 + 3 strands of Color 2
- Bundle together: 3 strands of Color 1 + 4 strands of Color 2
- Bundle together: 4 strands of Color 2 + 3 strands of Color 3
- Bundle together: 3 strands of Color 2 + 4 strands of Color 3)
04. Push the silk threads tightly together and arrange them neatly. The second method for color blending the Untwisted Suzhou Embroidery Thread velvet row is complete.
Color Blending with Hunan Embroidery Thread
Method One
01. First, understand the structure of Hunan Embroidery Thread: two fine strands are plied together to form one thicker strand. Therefore, Hunan Embroidery Thread needs to be split for use.
02. This green set of Hunan Embroidery Thread has seven colors in total. Although the color gradation in this set is quite comprehensive, the gradient effect is still not perfectly smooth. If made directly into a velvet strip, it would show breaks. Therefore, color blending is still needed. We take one strand from each of the seven colors to form a row, creating a total of seven groups.
03. Split each thicker strand within a group into its two finer component strands, and arrange them one by one.
04. Perform the color blending arrangement in the following order:
Group 1 (half a strand of Color 1),
Group 2 (half a strand of Color 1 + half a strand of Color 2),
Group 3 (half a strand of Color 2 + half a strand of Color 3),
Group 4 (half a strand of Color 3 + half a strand of Color 4),
Group 5 (half a strand of Color 4 + half a strand of Color 5),
Group 6 (half a strand of Color 5 + half a strand of Color 6),
Group 7 (half a strand of Color 6 + half a strand of Color 7),
Group 8 (half a strand of Color 7).
This results in 8 groups. Push the threads together, and the color blending is complete.
Tip: This method, used for gradient color blending, is only suitable for threads with not very large color differences. For threads with significant color contrast, refer to Method Two below.
Method Two
01. As shown in the diagram, prepare four colors of thread (gradient from yellow to purple) and secure them to the rod.
02. From left to right, first handle the color blending between Yellow and Purple 1. Pull out one group from the junction area of Yellow and Purple 1.
03. Split one strand each of Yellow and Purple 1 Hunan Embroidery Thread into: half a strand + one-quarter strand + one-quarter strand. Then mix them together according to this pattern: half a strand of Yellow + one-quarter strand of Purple 1, one-quarter strand of Yellow + one-quarter strand of Purple 1, one-quarter strand of Yellow + half a strand of Purple 1.
04. Use the same method to mix Purple 1 with Purple 2.
05. Use the same method to mix Purple 2 with Purple 3. The color blending for the Hunan Embroidery Thread velvet row with different tones is now complete.
