If you are buying thread, especially ordering it online, there is no better resource than an actual sample card.

Unless you are fortunate enough to have an embroidery, quilting, or fabric store close by, you probably need to order embroidery thread online. There are plenty of color charts available online that you can download and print. The problem? The colors are far from accurate.

Web and screen images are RGB (red, green, blue) format. Print images are CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black). The same color chart will look differently on screen (RGB) than it does printed on paper (CMYK), simply because of the process.

Even the same on-screen chart can look different on different computer monitors. The variety of color printers further adds to the many different color versions of the same printed chart. That makes matching exact thread colors to fabric or embroidery a guessing game unless you have color cards of actual thread samples.

Exquisite thread has a card featuring samples of every color in the brand.

Madeira has a color card box with thread samples for Classic Rayon, Polyneon, Burmilana/BurmilanaCO, Supertwist #30 , and Frosted Matt. Some are available separately also.

Actual thread sample color cards are one of the best investments you can make. Unless you are buying thread colors recommended by the embroidery design manufacturer, having an actual thread sample card is the only way to know what you are actually getting.

Debbie SewBlest