Adding A Bit Of 'Dazzle' To My Day

My friends are beginning to tease me just a bit about my thread obsession. I've always had it, but with all of the hand work I have been doing lately I am finding new ways to use some of the amazing new threads that have recently come to market. These little dazzlers are Sue Spargo's line of 8w "Dazzle" threads by Wonderfil Threads. 'Dazzle' is a rayon thread plied with two thin strands of holographic thread. The result is a thread that adds a subtle sparkle that is not overwhelmingly sparkly. A 12wt version of Dazzle is also available through Wonderfil, I might have preferred that thread size, but it is only available in larger spools - so I opted for the 8wt on the smaller, 50 yard, spools. When I need a thinner thread I have successful "un-plied" the thread as needed to suit my needs. It works well enough.

The "Dazzle" colors are rich and vibrant and the thread is surprisingly strong . Rayon threads have never been a personal favorite. In the past I have found many rayon thread to be too shiny for my taste and prone to fraying. As I learn more about how I like to use thread - and what works with what - rayon has become a bit more attractive as an accent. It pairs well with the matte cotton colors that I like to use. Now that I realize how I can twine colors together I am glad to have discovered this luscious line of thread. I have so much thread knowledge to explore!

Just feast your eyes on these smooth, shiny, sparklers.

Saturated color + a dose of glimmer +strength = a lot of fun.

The image below is over exposed, but I wanted a close up of the ply. It was pouring rain so an outside photo was not a possibility! You can how nicely spaced the holographic twining is.

Below: I paired a wonderful, Wonderfil, Rich brown

Dazzle thread with a matte Sulky dark brown cotton in 12wt.

Just enough sparkle to accent the line rather than overpower it.

The photo below shows my other recent obsession. Solid colored fabrics and stripes. I find it fascinating as I observe how my my tastes and projects tend to morph as I age. My eyes, which have almost always favored the warm side of the color wheel, have been drawn like a magpie to to blues and cooler colored fabrics. I still have a strong aversion to many pastel colors. Most likely a hang-over bias that began in high school when so many of my classmates chose pastel colored dress for formal dances...while I chose deep, saturated colors like like burgundy, deep pink silk moIre and black silk. Maybe there is still a rebel left in me?!

Anyway, as I divest more and more of older stash of patterned fabrics I began to realize that I wanted to concentrate on using solids, textured fabrics (hand wovens, yarn-feed and the like) and stripes (of all things!). It is not easy to build new stash because of where I live, but, as luck would have it, Island Quilter, has two monthly fabric clubs that suited my needs perfectly. How lucky is that?! Island Quilter has always been known as "the online place to shop for all things Kaffe Fassett", and they still do that, but when they were forced to close their brick and mortar store they upped their online presence and now offer more fabric clubs. I find their prices are awfully good.

For me, these clubs are quite a splurge. Each month I get five 1/2 yard cuts in solids and five 1/2 yard cuts of stripes (mostly Kaffe Fassett). It will happily build my palette of possibilities as I whittle down my stashes of fabrics that no longer 'bring me as much joy " as they once did. I find it exhilarating to give away fabric to my sewing-mates who have always so generously shared with me. I wish I was wealthy - I would live to be able buy presents to surprise my friends with...it would be so much fun! So - the photo below is "not quite color correct" look at what this month's post brought me way.

 

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