One misconception is that changing the colors of a design violates a designer’s copyright. I don’t think that any designer has a “color change” clause in their copyright terms. If you like the colors the designer used, don’t fret if you don’t have the exact same color in the thread brand used or the brand you prefer. Colors do not have to be exact-a color shade lighter or darker, or even a different tone will not be noticeable when the design is finished.
Learn to adjust colors for different fabric colors! All colors take on a different look each time they are stitched on a different color background. If you have the background color change feature in your embroidery digitizing software, use it to help you determine when you will need to make a color switch to help the design show up better. If you don’t have this feature in your software, keep various colors of felt or fabric on hand to test stitch your designs before putting them on a project. There’s nothing worse than having a disappointing finished project.
Try stitching some designs in one color instead of the numerous colors a designer used. There are many designs that would lend themselves to an outstanding tone-on-tone design by just using your imagination! Tone-on-tone motifs make any design more “classy” on any garment or project. Remember, “think outside the box”, or you are missing out on the enjoyment & ability to expand your creativity to optimize the use of your embroidery designs!