Online supplies?

[jenlac29]

Hi, I am just beginning in embroidery work. I plan on starting easy with simple designs on flour sack towels. I would like to order qaulity supplies but there are so many sites, I am not sure where to go. Any recommendations on where I can get started?
Thank You!
Jen

[MaryCorbet]

Hi, Jen -

The best flour sack towels to embroider on are sold by American Chair Store. Their 30x30 deluxe flour sack towel is really nice for embroidering on: http://www.americanchairstore.com/30x30 ... towel.html They come in packages of 10, for $21, so if you're only wanting one, you're out of luck as far as that goes (unless you contact them - maybe they'll sell singles, but I don't think they do). On the bright side, they make great kitchen towels, so you can always embroider some and do the dishes with the rest!

For thread, you can't go wrong with DMC floss (6 stranded), which is sold at local needlework shops, or chain stores like JoAnn Fabrics, Michael's, and Hobby Lobby. The thread is colorfast and works great for towels.

The biggest thing, though, is getting a good flour sack towel to work on. I've never found a flour sack towel yet in a hobby store or stitching store that was good quality for embroidery - most of them are just too gauzy or loose. The ACS ones listed above are tightly woven, with a smooth surface, and very nice for stitching on.

Hope that helps!

MC

[Carrie R]

Depending on where you live, if you have a Mills Fleet Farm (farm, outdoor, and home store) in your area, they have flour sack towels that are not too bad of quality. The weave is close and tight, not gauzy or cheese cloth in appearance. Much better than what is at the fabric stores. The towels are large. I have done some hand and machine embroidery on these, and it works. I think they were in a pack of 5 or 6. Sorry, can't remember the cost, but it was reasonable. They were hemmed neatly, too, with even edges and neat corners. The quality is much better that anything at a discount store. The site is here: http://www.fleetfarm.com/search/flour-sack-dish-towels

It's been a little while since I made my purchase, but this looks about right with what I had purchased.

[Anastasia169]

Sublime Stitching also sells towels and interesting transfers that aren't all floral in nature. Some of the designs are downright subversive from an embroidery perspective, but all are fun.
JoAnn also sells towels, Aunt Marthas transfers and the omnipresent DMC floss. The quality is just fine for beginning projects and easier on the budget than the highest quality materials. I tend to try and master a technique before I indulge in the priciest materials.

Online 123Stitch also sells a huge vareity of thread and floss at great prices and they include everything from DMC, Sullivans and Kreinek to Gentle Arts and other hand-dyed cottons and silks and even a line of hand-dyed wool.

Anastasia

[MaryCorbet]

Generally, the flour sack towels at JoAnn's, Michael's, Hobby Lobby, etc., are not the best things in the world to start on. Any flour sack towel that is somewhat gauzy and even slightly "loosely" woven is not ideal (and I'd say not even suitable) for surface embroidery. They may be less expensive, but the outcome and the frustration level for the beginning stitcher just isn't worth it. Spend a couple bucks on a good flour sack towel, and the whole experience of stitching it will be much better. You'll learn more and you'll enjoy it more, because you won't be spending time fighting with a flimsy fabric ground.