Embroidery machines create designs, or pictures, on fabric using thread. While embroidery designs come with a list of suggested thread colors, most people find that it is often necessary to deviate from the suggestions offered by the designer. Embroidery thread conversion may be required because of preference or necessity. Either way, conversion can be easily accomplished by using a conversion chart or hand-choosing colors based on the colors that are available. In other cases, embroidery software can be used to change the colors in a design.
Many people who enjoy machine embroidery are loyal to a specific brand of embroidery thread. The problem arises when an embroidery design comes with thread suggestions for a brand of thread that is not otherwise available. This is where embroidery thread conversion charts are useful, as they convert color suggestions directly from one brand to another. Even though specific thread brands may be recommended in a design, it is okay to use a different brand of thread without affecting the outcome of the sewn design, as long as the same types of thread are used.
Sometimes specific color names or numbers are included with embroidery designs. In other cases, this information is also presented with a colored rectangle that represents the color of thread that is necessary for that portion of the design. This makes it easier for embroiderers to choose thread by hand without using embroidery thread conversion software or charts. Choosing embroidery thread based on color is as simple as matching the recommended example with any color that is available for use. This type of embroidery thread conversion also offers the user an opportunity to be creative with the outcome of a design.
Another situation in which embroidery thread conversion may be necessary is when designs are converted from one embroidery format to another. In short, the color suggestions that come with the embroidery design may not be the same as those that are displayed on the embroidery machine if the machine uses a different format than the one in which the design was originally created. When this occurs, the easiest thing for users to do is to choose a color that best matches the rest of the colors used in the design. The most important thing to remember is that the color suggestions are flexible and that the process of picking colors can be simplified by using embroidery thread conversion.