We have a lot of people using our skin tone thread image to replace skin tones in cross stitch patterns. However, we also get a lot of requests for hair colors too. So without further ado, we present the best hair colors for replacement in cross stitch patterns.
Just pick your hair type (blonde, brown, black, grey or red) and pick a color of the main body of hair from the left hand column, and you’ll see the best highlights and shadows.
We’ve also created this second table so you can look up colors slightly different. It’s the same info, just a different format!
Thank you so much for this – I don’t know if you are familiar with Told in A Garden, but there are usually 6 shades for hair in the patterns there — the designer provided instructions to modify skin and hair in her designs but I find it difficult to translate instructions for black hair (darkest 3 shades to 310 and then the next 2 shades 3371 and lightest 3031) and still get some of the detail required to see dimensions in the hair. The pattern I am working with currently calls for 7 shades leading to a blonde/auburn look (one is a brown-gold lowlight) – I think I have settled on something that will work without too much loss of detail- it is a black/brown compromise but I hope you can give some feedback – from darkest to lightest – 310, 3371, 3371/3031 blend,3031, 3031/3781 blend, 3781 with 801 replacing the lowlight (the original calls for 898,433,434,435,436,437 with 729 as the lowlight) – sorry for the long message but wanted to get an expert opinion on whether I am just making life difficult or if this will make a difference. Your blog is an inspiration!
3031 is one of those colors that really shows off. It will definitely feel like brown hair.
What’s the age of the person you’re stitching?
Younger dark hair has noticeably fewer shades, but as you get older, brown starts to come through, before then being replaced with a slight grey hue around 30.
Assuming its a late teen to adult, I would personally go for:
310, 3371, 3371/3021 blend, 3021, 3021/844 blend, 844, 08
This will give you noticeably darker hair that doesn’t come across as brown.
If it’s a child I think your selections will work well.
Thank you for your thoughtful response – it is indeed a child – in fact two – but one (a boy) does not use the “lowlight” – I will try a “test stitch” of both versions – glad to provide a picture of the result if you would find it interesting.
Oh my goodness – thank you!!!
Thank you for your fabulous information! I normally skip through articles, but I read yours word for word and save all of your charts and tips!!!!
Hi there, I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate this overview and the one for skin tone as well. Thank you 🙂 So happy I found your website!
Glad we could help 😀
Hi I always mean to leave you a comment on your posts to say i read them all and I appreciate the information. This post in particular is awesome and i will add it to my bookmarks should I ever decide to do a colour conversion.
please keep the posts going you have an engaged audience!!
Thank you, I appreciate the feedback!