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Using the Thread Exchange

We use Madeira rayon thread in the stitched samples that you see on the website. But there are many different brands of thread available and you maybe you use a different one. The Thread Exchange is a tool that finds color equivalents between popular brands. Here's how it works:

Each color change sheet has a link to the Thread Exchange. It's circled below:

A screenshot of the Embroidery Library color change sheet with the "thread exchange" button circled

 


If you scroll to the bottom of the color change sheet for any given design, you can expand the thread exchange and select your preferred thread brand. Then click the "Search For Threads" button to populate the thred numbers for those brands.

a screenshot of the thread exchange with pre-populated alternate thread brands


Not all shades of thread have matches or equivalents between thread companies, so you'll likely see that not all Madeira colors have equivalents in your preferred brand. Also, we have a fairly strict eye when we're determining matches, and that means that only the closest matches are on the Thread Exchange.

If you don't find many matches with the Thread Exchange, don't be discouraged. The color change sheet lists the color name, and also shows color swatches so you can see a sample of the color used for each color change. Many list the part of the design that is colored with that step, too.

Choose colors from your thread stash that you think will work best with the design. Try new color combinations, and have fun exploring the creative world of color!

If you have questions about the above, let us know! Send an email to [email protected].