Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve spent every free moment pondering and planning developing kits for some of my patterns. It’s Paul who encouraged me to jump into this endeavor and I confess that I’ve become a bit felt obsessed.
I found a wholesale source for wool blend felt. They have 143 colors from which to choose! I linger over colors like “purple sage”, “ocean kelp” and “lilac fields” – colors not a one of my patterns uses. It’s like being a kid in a candy store. How to narrow it down to a reasonable number of choices that fit my startup budget?
Browsing through my six years’ worth of patterns I pulled 20 or so that I might make into kits. Many of my earlier patterns needed a facelift. I’m more experienced at creating the patterns now and have better software with which to do it. I’ve fine-tuned and updated each of the patterns. Then I started matching color swatches to patterns and created a spreadsheet listing all of the colors each bird or critter would use. That’s a big list so I started taking a closer look at my choices. Did I really need two darker browns? Is there really that big of a difference between “light brown” and “teddy bear brown”? Does one really need seven shades of grey? (No pun intended.) Through these internal negotiations and editing that spreadsheet a dozen times, I finally settled on my 20 must have colors.
Many have asked what colors they should purchase if starting to create some of my patterns. Here is my scientific selection for my first wholesale order. I hope this list helps you to keep your felt purchases on track. (I’m still dreaming about what to do with that “ocean kelp”.)
Pretty sure your supplier is the same one I’ve gotten most of my felt from. Great colors, wonderful quality, truly amazing value. Looking forward to your kits!
Thanks for the colors…Would you be so kind as to share the wholesale supplier?
I’m working with National Nonwovens.
Those look like birds to me! Beautiful colors! Now the birds I already made look “off”. Not to mention my embroidery skills are lacking.
I’m so excited to hear that!! I am looking forward to supporting you 🙂 your felt patterns have brought me so much joy to make
Thank you for this! I found an online store Prairie Woolens that sells 6″x6″ “charmers”…and I’ve been completely overwhelmed on which colors to splurge on.
This will help!
I just know that there has to be a couple birds out there that use ‘Ocean Kelp’–gotta look at some bird books to find them, I guess!!!
enjoy–di
Thank you!
This is exciting news!
*runs off to make sure my Downeast Thunder Farm pattern collection is up-to-date*
:O)