Ilke, a reader from the UK, worked the following piece in order to compare different types of flat silk. She has written a comprehensive comparison between five flat (or "semi-flat" - if that's an acceptible term!) silks available on today's market: Eterna, Au Ver a Soie's Soie Ovale, Piper's (which is also the same as Helen Stevens's True Embroideries Sleave Silk), JEC flat silk from the Japanese Embroidery Center, and House of Embroidery's Fine Flat Silk. She also includes Pearsall's Filofloss, which has been discontinued. For her impressions of these different silks, and a close-up look at them stitched, read on...

First, we'll begin with the stitched piece that Ilke uses to demonstrate the various silks she is comparing in this "experiment." I've left the photo rather large so that you can click on it and look at the stitches fairly close.



Now, I'm going to let Ilke tell you all about her experiment. You'll find some very useful and thorough information here - I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

This is a comparison experiment between the flat silks I've got. There are quite a few, but for the moment I will ignore the ones which either come in very few shades (like Erawan Thai silk), or which come in variegated shades only (like Stef Francis), because they aren't suitable if you want to build up a collection with a good range of shades for ordinary charts (as opposed to monochrome designs, blackwork, Assisi designs or charts which are specifically designed for variegated threads).

Five flat silks remain: Eterna Stranded (ES), Au Ver á Soie Soie Ovale (SO), Pipers 90 Floss Silk (P), JEC Flat Silk (JEC), and House of Embroidery Fine Flat Silk (HE) (which is strictly speaking variegated, but has quite a few shades which are only very softly shaded). I've added a sixth silk, Pearsall's Filofloss (PF) – it's a flat silk which came in many different colours, but it has unfortunately been discontinued and replaced with Filoselle, which is a twisted silk.

All six silks are filament (reeled) silk (with the possible exception of HE); this means that the very fine filaments that make up the thread were reeled in one continuous strand from the silk moth's cocoon, and not spun from short pieces and leftover odds and ends. Because filament silks are built up out of continuous filaments, they are stronger and less prone to fuzziness than spun silks. On the other hand, they do tend to snag quite easily, on anything that isn't smooth – the edge of your fabric, rough skin, anything. Fortunately, it is also easily smoothed back into shape again, and can then be used again without looking any the worse for it.

ES and PF are stranded silks, 12 and 6 strands respectively, but because ES strands are so fine, the threads come to roughly the same thickness. ES strands are about 1/2a strand of DMC, PF strands are a little heavier than a strand of DMC.
SO, P, JEC and HE are single-stranded silks. SO is about 2 strands of DMC, JEC a little less than 2 strands, HE about 1 strand, P is about 1/2 a strand. SO and JEC, being thicker than the others, are a little less versatile in playing with different amounts of coverage, although they can be divided by very carefully separating the filaments (up to 16) which make up the threads – this is rather a fiddly job, though.
Each of these flat silks actually seem to give better coverage than their thickness would make you expect, because the silk lies flat and has a higher lustre than stranded cotton.

ES comes in 545 shades, in 5m skeins at $1.05
SO comes in about 50 shades, in 15m reels at $2.20
P comes in 224 shades, in 80m or 150m reels at $1 or £1.65
JEC comes in about 250 shades, in 60m reels at $7 or £4.70
HE comes in about 100 shades, in 30m card bobbins at £2.25 (100m reels are available direct from H of E, but I don't know the price)
PF is no longer available; I don't know how many shades it came in.

The amount of "coverage" you get per skein or reel compared to DMC stranded cotton is approximately as follows:
ES equals about 5m of DMC ($0.21/m)
SO equals about 5m of DMC ($0.44/m)
P equals about 6 1/2 or 12m of DMC (£0.15/m or £0.14/m)
JEC equals about 18m of DMC ($0.39/m or £0.26/m)
HE equals about 5m of DMC (£0.45/m)

Of these, I have read that only JEC is a truly flat silk. In practice there is little difference with P and OS, but ES, HE and PF are indeed a little less flat. In the case of ES and PF this may be because they are stranded, and have a slight twist to combine the strands, even though the strands themselves are flat. P and HE will usually have to be combined to get the required thickness, and so need occasional smoothing with the needle to get it to lie fully flat when stitched.

The project is stitched on burgundy 28ct Lugana over two.

I started with Eterna Stranded (the darker part of the rose). For good coverage, 5 strands are required. The strands lie quite flat without much help, although occasionally it needs a little smoothing with the needle. The silk snags fairly easily, but is as easily smoothed back into shape again. On the whole it is quite easy to work with, and it has a strong lustre. Drawbacks to this silk are that occasionally a skein may have some unevenness in some of the strands which cannot be smoothed out, and sometimes even broken strands; there are also occasional irregularities in the dyeing, leaving white spots. Even when this happens, however, only a very small part of the skein is rendered unusable, and as it is one of the cheapest flat silks around it is no great burden to buy a little more than you need, just in case.

The second part was stitched with JEC Flat Silk (the lighter part of the rose). In order to experiment with coverage, I stitched the left-hand petals using one thread, and the right-hand ones using a double thread. For good coverage, the double thread is needed; a single thread gives a more lacy effect. The thread lies perfectly flat without any assistance, but it does snag on absolutely everything, so it is essential to make sure that the edges of your fabric are smooth. As with the Eterna silk, however, this snagging has no lasting effect on its smoothness or its lustre, which is very strong with a slight haziness to the shine. In spite of the snagging, I found this a lovely silk to work with simply because it feels so smooth and looks lovely the moment you've laid a stitch; the sheen is very visible even when only one thread is used, but even stronger with a double thread (as there is more surface).

I then used House of Embroidery Fine Flat Silk for the top left-hand leaf. This silk surprised me, as it looks as though it has a very slight twist which might affect its sheen, but it stitches up beautifully with a lovely strong lustre. A double thread gives good coverage, and it is easy to work with, hardly snagging at all. It feels a little more springy than the other silks, and needs good tension and railroading to lie nice and flat.

The next leaf down is done in Pearsall's FiloFloss. Two strands give very good coverage, and apart from some slight snagging it is easy to work with, although it does need "dangling" occasionally to make sure it doesn't tangle, something none of the other silks seems to need a lot. This has a moderate lustre, and when stitched does show a slight twist, although only when compared to other flat silks.

The top right-hand leaf and the stem are stitched in Pipers 90 denier Silk Floss. This is the thinnest of the silks, and needs four threads to get satisfactory coverage; in some cases five or six threads may be needed. Although it is a bit fiddly to cut all the threads to the same length and smooth them together into one thread, once you're stitching with it, it behaves beautifully. It needs a bit of smoothing and/or railroading to lie flat, but it doesn't snag, and it has a good lustre.

Finally the lower right-hand leaf was done in Soie Ovale - the left-hand "leaflet" using a double thread, the other two using a single. On the reel, SO and JEC look very much the same thickness, but when stitched there is a clear difference, with SO giving much better coverage; so much so that the double thread was really a bit too chunky for my taste on this 28ct. This silk is the worst for snagging after the JEC, but it is also one of the flattest, and lies flat without needing much encouragement beyond an occasional smoothing stroke of the needle. It has a strong but subtle lustre with the same slight haziness that JEC has - both are reminiscent of vintage silk in their look.

So which is the best silk? It's very difficult to say because so much of it is a matter of taste, and it will also vary with the project you are choosing your silk for. Personally, I like the strong but soft lustre of the absolutely flat silks Soie Ovale and JEC. The difficulty with both is the snagging, which can get a little frustrating if you've been too impatient to bind your fabric and haven't been looking after your hands so they're all rough :oops:... Simple care for the fabric and the hands should reduce the snagging greatly, though, so no real reason to steer clear of them. Another slight disadvantage is that for finer work, or for more control over the thickness of your thread, you have to separate the actual filaments, which can be done but is a bit fiddly. JEC beats SO here because it is a little thinner and so separating threads should only be necessary for things like miniature embroidery. JEC also wins hands down when you compare the two in range of colour and price.

So what of the next flattest silk, Pipers 90 Silk Floss? I liked this more than I though I would - it is so thin I feared it wouldn't "gel" into a nice plump thread with a smooth surface, but it did; it also snagged very little. Other advantages are that it comes in a wide range of colours, is relatively cheap, and because of its thinness it is easy to combine into whatever thickness of thread you need. The combining is a little fiddly, even when you use a loop start and so have to cut only half the number of required threads, but I think you would quickly get used to it. One disadvantage is that the delivery times can be quite long, and emails don't always seem to get through, although when you actually call them and speak to them they are very helpful indeed.

Then the two "odd ones out" - FiloFloss because it is no longer available, and House of Embroidery because it comes in shaded rather than solid colours. Both are easy to work with, and HE actually had a much flatter look than I expected from the reel. HE is a good choice if you like the effect of subtle colour variation without going for full-blown variegated (although they do those as well). Most of the other silks which come in shaded colours (like some of the Dinky Dyes, Gloriana, Waterlilies, Belle Soie and so on) are not flat silks, and Stef Francis' flat silk tends to be bolder in its colour variations.

And finally the first flat silk I ever tried, Eterna Stranded. This has an awful lot going for it: it is inexpensive (even with a weak pound only Pipers comes close), comes in a staggering range of colours, and divides into thin strands so can easily be combined to any thickness. For snagging, it is average - better-behaved than SO and JEC, worse than P, HE and PF. For flatness and lustre, again average - it does not lie so naturally flat as SO and JEC, but needs less encouragement than P, HE and PF. The irregularities in the silk and the dyeing are a definite disadvantage, but this is compensated for by the price.

Final verdict:
For special projects I would go for SO (if the colours were available) or JEC, but they are too pricey and labour-intensive for "everyday" use. P is a very good alternative, although being so thin they are a pain to wind on bobbins (voice of experience there ...). I will certainly be expanding my collection of them over time. But if you want to use a flat silk almost in the way you would use your ordinary cottons, ES is probably the best choice because it has the widest colour range, is the least fiddly, and comes at an affordable price. HE are lovely for flat silk projects that need a little colour variation.

Thank you SO MUCH, Ilke, for this informative article! I'm eager to try House of Embroidery's thread - I haven't tried their silk! And I'm really grateful for your insight to the rest of these threads!

Labels: embroidery tips and tricks, needlework pictures, pictures, silk, threads

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Monday, November 02, 2009
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DMC and Coats are both well-known needlework thread producers, world-wide. I marvel at the variety of threads they produce for the various markets around the world. Jeanine up in Canada recently sent me a gift from Italy - two types of thread that are available on the Italian market, but not available here in the US. Check them out...

The threads are DMC Alsatian Twist (or Retors d'Alsace) and Coats Cucirini (Anchor's Italian branch) Ritorto Fiorentino. Both threads are similar to pearl cotton, but they are not the same as pearl cotton.



There are three hanks here - the two green hanks on the left are DMC Alsatian Twist and the white on the right is Coats Ritorto Fiorentino. I put the typical 6-stranded DMC floss next to the hanks, so that you could get a proper sense of the size of the Italian bundles.



Both threads come in two sizes: 8 and 12. They are similar, as I said, to pearl cotton, though there is a difference in look and feel. The Alsatian Twist, for example, feels heavier and limper than pearl cotton, and it has more of a sheen.

Jeanine mentioned that the Alsatian Twist by DMC is a return to an old style of thread DMC stopped making at the turn of the century. They re-released the thread this past May in Italy, and they may release it to other markets as well, though there are no present plans to release it in North America. You can find references to Alsatian Twist in the old advertisements in needlework and pattern magazines from the turn of the last century, and especially in the Therese Dillmont books like this one, Motivi per Ricami (Embroidery Motifs) - a PDF hosted on the Digital Archives. Check out the advertisements in the back of that book (which is full of beautiful embroidery motifs, by the way), and you'll see this thread listed.



The Alsatian Twist is listed on DMC Italy's website, if you want to take a look at it. You can drop the URL in Google for a translation if you want. The thread comes in 77 colors in size 8 and 56 colors in size 12 - all in 20 gram hanks like these above. (They're... HUGE!)



The Coats Ritorto Fiorentino is produced exclusively for the Italian market. It comes in many colors as well, in 40 gram hanks (even HUGER!). You can read more about it on the Coats Italian website.



Now that you're in a very Italian mood, I want to direct you to another resource - a nice Italian website (with a good English translation!) - called TuttoRicamo. You'll be able to click on a flag in the left column, to choose the Italian or the English version. This is an amazing site to browse - full of great resources and inspiration. While you're there, check out the Techniques section, to read about different embroidery techniques, and the How It's Done section for many excellent photo tutorials on different techniques. What a great resource!

Thank you, Jeanine, for the thread - I'm happy to know a little bit about it and the Italian thread market, and I can't wait to try the thread out!

(I think tonight is a spaghetti night...)

Labels: embroidery resources, pictures, regional embroidery techniques, threads

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Friday, October 16, 2009
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A couple weeks ago, I took my Mom to a small cross stitch shop here in Kansas. She was looking for some kind of magnetic something-or-other to mark her filet lace crochet patterns, and I was happy to oblige her with the journey - I'm always in the mood for a needlework shop, after all! While we were there, I came across an interesting "tool" that captured my interest, so I bought it, thinking (if it does what it says) it would be an interesting tool to share with you.

But as it turns out, I am majorly perplexed by this needlework tool. Maybe someone out there can enlighten me on its value!



This is what it is: "thread straightener" rods, for silk or synthetic threads that are kinky, curly, etc.

Now, in concept, I am not opposed to a tool that would easily assist in relaxing the kinks out of silk threads. I, too, have been befuddled and frustrated by silk threads that are so boingy that they are a pain to use.

So I was more than willing to give this little miracle tool set a try.



These are two four-inch plexi-glass or pastic dowels, with a purple rubbery foam cushion hugging the middle of the dowels. The purple stuff feels a lot like the stuff that's used on the outside of drink bottles to insulate them.



According to the directions, you're supposed to wrap the cut ends of each thread around the purple foam center, and gently pull until you feel the thread relax. This is supposed to remove kinks, curls, etc.

For my first attempt, I took out some curly silk that was wound on a small, narrow spool, so it was a bit out the curly-bouncy side. I wrapped only the cut ends (about an inch or an inch and a half) around the purple stuff, one end to each dowel. And I pulled gently.

What I felt was the cut ends sinking into the foam center on the dowels. I didn't "feel" the thread relax. ??!! And the thread didn't look any different when I removed the ends from the dowels, except that the ends were a bit staticky.

Then I looked at the instructions again, and I thought that perhaps they really meant that, starting from each cut end of the thread, I was to wrap the thread all the way around the purple foam, into the center of the thread, so that the thread was wound onto the dowels, and then I was supposed to pull gently, pulling the thread off the dowels.



So I tried that, too, and ended up with a staticky mess of curly silk thread. I'm assuming my second interpretation of the directions was entirely incorrect - curly-boingy thread is one thing. Staticky-curly-boingy thread is another matter entirely, and practically impossible to stitch with.

Yes, I'm stumped. This isn't exactly my idea of a useful needlework tool. But perhaps I've got the whole thing figured wrong, and there's some way to make this $5 set of 4-inch plastic sticks useful? Any clues?

A tried and true method for relaxing kinked, curly, or bouncy silk thread: Take the whole bundle (assuming it's coming off a skein) and cut it to your preferred length for stitching. Then put the tea kettle on. Once it starts whistling, hold your bundle of threads in both hands, and pull gently on it while running it through the steam from the kettle. In this way, you've relaxed your whole bundle of threads in one go. Then fix yourself a cup of tea and let your threads dry out. You can also use Thread Heaven on particularly cantankerous threads, to good effect.

Labels: needlework tools, pictures, silk, threads

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Monday, October 05, 2009
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Here's a wee tidbit on the real metal thread called "flatworm" that's used in goldwork. This is going to make a Really Short Post, but I thought the information was interesting, nonetheless...

Flatworm is a real metal thread used for embroidery. It is also called "oval" thread, and is made just like smooth passing thread used in goldwork, but then it is rolled between two rollers to flatten it out.



This is what the wonderful, lustrous stuff looks like! Flatworm! Ahhhhh - a Bee-yoo-tee-ful goldwork thread! I've written about Flatworm before, and I still have a bit of an infatuation with it every time I see it. And yet, I have not done a lick of stitching with it. But it's pretty, isn't it? And it's got a great name!

While none of this information so far is too unique, this is the part I like:

Flatworm really does have a connection to its namesake, the Worm. It has been and is produced for the fly fishing industry. Fly fishing enthusiasts cut up the flatworm for making fishing lures, hoping to trick the little fishies (actually, they probably want to trick the Big fishies) into thinking that the somewhat twisted, flat broad reflective metal thread is a worm.

I never quite felt as akin to fish as I did when I learned this bit of information. In fact, I have never felt akin to fish at all.

But now, I admit that I can relate. If I were a fish, I'd go for a flatworm lure. Wouldn't you?

Info from a goldwork threads manufacturer who contacted me to explain! Thank ye kindly!

Labels: goldwork, supplies, threads

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Friday, August 28, 2009
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Kreinik is an embroidery thread company here in the US that's been around since the 1970's. It's a family run business that has become very well known in the embroidery world - I've never been in a needlework shop or the needlework section of a craft, sewing, or hobby store that didn't have some kind of Kreinik thread available for purchase. While they are probably best known for their different metallic cords and blending filaments (that's just a guess...), they also manufacture some beautiful threads. I want to show you three of their silks and tell you a little bit about them.

Silk Serica, Silk Bella, and Silk Mori by Kreinik are all 100% silk threads for hand embroidery. The first two threads - Silk Serica and Silk Bella - are filament silks, while Silk Mori is a spun silk.

The difference between filament and spun silk is found in the silk fibers that are used for manufacturing the thread, and how the threads are manufactured. Filament silk is spun straight off the cocoon in long lengths. It is a very high sheen thread and quite strong. Spun silk is made from the "left-overs" after the cocoon has been unraveled. The silk is spun much like wool or cotton, in small pieces that, through the spinning process, work into a long strand. Spun silk has a nice lustre to it - it is soft, and generally it is "stranded" - that is, it's put up in a certain number of strands per thread off the skein (like DMC or Anchor cotton, which are stranded cottons).



Silk Serica is a 3-ply filament silk. It works well on 18-ct canvas, for good coverage with tent stitch. It's also a beautiful thread for techniques such as Hardanger, where it makes very nice Kloster blocks.



It can be used in any application in which you would use a silk buttonhole twist, but, from what I can see, the Serica is a looser twisted thread. Because it is looser, you can actually separate the plies (carefully), to use in satin stitching and so forth. When separated, the three ply thread becomes even more "shiny," and any waves that are the result of being twisted can be smoothed out by slightly dampening the thread.

Silk Serica comes in 142 colors that match Silk Mori.



Silk Bella (the second row of spools) is also a 3-ply filament silk, but it is much finer than Silk Serica. Unlike Silk Serica, it can't be separated into individual plies.



This fine thread is perfect for any application where tiny detailing is desired. It works well on high count fabrics for stitching over one thread, in counted work. It's great for blackwork, and can be used well in needle lace and pulled thread techniques.

Silk Bella comes in 46 colors.



This little picture is a sample given in the Kreinik brochure. The Kloster blocks (those are the heavier white stitching) are worked in Silk Serica. The woven bars and the tiny filler stitch in the center are worked in Silk Bella. The leaves on the outside are worked in Silk Mori.



Silk Mori (the pull skeins in the last row) is a typical stranded silk, used in the same applications you'd use stranded cotton. It's a six-strand spun silk, and, because it is silk, it has a higher lustre than cotton, and that lustre will last indefinitely. (Mercerized cotton tends to lose its sheen over the years...) Silk Mori comes in 142 colors, like Silk Serica.



Another little sample here from the Kreinik brochure helps demonstrate the differences in these three silks.

The color selection for these silks is really nice, and I'm eager to stitch with them. I've stitched with Silk Mori, but haven't personally done any embroidery with the Silk Serica or the Silk Bella. I hope to soon! You can find color charts for these silks available on Kreinik's website.

To help you get a better idea of the threads, I'll write up a comparison between them and other similar threads, so you can see these threads in relation to more familiar needlework threads. In the meantime, though, if you're looking for some beautiful silks to try out, you might want to give these a look! I love the feel of them, and I think they're going to be very nice for stitching.

Have you used any of these Kreinik silks? Any tips? Any information? Let us know!

Labels: embroidery resources, needlework websites, pictures, silk, threads

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Monday, August 24, 2009
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We can never have toooooooooo much to do, can we?! Especially when it comes to needlework, we can't, anyway! It's not quite like cleaning bathrooms and grading papers and things like that, is it? (Oh, no!! It's not!!) So, with that in mind, and knowing that the time is tick-tick-ticking away and summer will be gone in just over a week, I'm frantically preparing in advance the projects that I want to work on in the next few months. I don't want to be hindered by the preparation work when I finally have time to start stitching!

With all that in mind, one project that I definitely want to do (and to complete fairly quickly) is embroidering my curtains for my room. They're not really curtains - they're cotton voile sheers, and I want to do some simple embroidery on them. The stitching I'm thinking about will be light. Heavy embroidery wouldn't quite fit cotton sheers, would it?

I want to go simple, but at the same time, I want them to be fun. They can't be "too fun," though, because the room isn't really "fun." It's cool and calm.

These are the colors I've picked out for embroidering the white sheers - and probably these will be reduced to about four colors, and maybe only three:



That's the range. The room itself, once the paint job is done, is a darker periwinkle, with white trim. The new carpet will be... I don't know yet... All the furniture is white, the bed linens are white... you get the idea.

But the curtains (we're back to the curtains again) will be embroidered!

I figure by the end of September, life will be in good order again - the house finished, the school year underway and in a regular routine, and fall weather upon us - a perfect time for open windows and breezy curtains. Think I can finish this project by then? Hmmm....

Have you ever embroidered on sheer cotton voile? Have you ever embroidered your own curtains? Any ideas?

Labels: Embroidery for the Home, pictures, threads

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Friday, August 14, 2009
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Here's a little give-away that spans a few historical styles of needlework. It's not a huge, multi-item give-away, but in itself, it's rather meaty. We've got 17th century embroidery, 18th - 19th century Quaker-style sampler needlework, and finally, surface embroidery from the 19th / early 20th century - all in one give-away!. Hey, what more could you want??! (Rhetorical question!)

I thought it would be fun to group together some embroidery items by era and style and give them away to someone interested in all kinds of embroidery! And, if you're only interested in one thing represented here, I suppose the rest would make good gifts to other needleworking friends.



It's an odd mix of needlework-related goods, actually...



First, representing the 17th century, I've selected four blank cards from the Plimoth Plantation Jacket notecards. These are nice cards, printed on quality paper, and featuring up-close photos of motifs embroidered on the Plimoth Jacket. The four cards each feature a different motif, so you'll probably have a hard time deciding which to keep and which to give away! They'd make great birthday cards, thank you notes, or what-have-you for anyone interested in textiles. You can view the designs on all the cards on Thistle Threads. 10% of each purchase of the box of cards goes to the support of the Jacket Project.



Representing the late 18th and early 19th centuries, in the style of Quaker samplers, here's the Ackworth school memory book. This is a nifty little book where you can record your stitching. It has a zipper pocket in it, and various sleeves and pages for affixing stitch samples and so forth, as well as areas for writing commentary, some card threadwinders to cut out and use, some postcards that can be cut out and sent through the mail, and even little stitch diagrams for Quaker motifs. Neat little book! You can see inside the memory book on Needleprint, which is the publisher of the book. I happened upon a special on these not a year ago, so I picked a couple up, thinking they'd make good gifts.



And, moving into the late 19th and early 20th centuries, we've got a pre-printed vintage linen (in fairly good shape). These are from the box of linens and threads I wrote about the other day.



And two skeins of M. Heminway & Sons silk. If you've been itching to see this silk up close, here's your opportunity to get your hands on some!



The skeins are in fairly good shape - still braided with tags - but you can see that the pink is having a bad hair day. Still, it's usable, and it's beautiful!

Needlework Giveaway Participation Guidelines

To participate in the giveaway, please leave a comment below this post on the website. If you're reading this in your feedreader or in the e-mail newsletter, just click on the title of the article, and that will take you straight to the website!

In your comment, please leave a name. If you comment annonymously, please make sure you sign a name inside the comment box before you submit it!

In your comment, please answer the following question:

What's your favorite style and / or era of embroidery and why?

I'll draw for a winner on August 14th at the end o' the day, and I'll let you know on the 15th who won. The winner will then need to contact me with a postal address. If for some reason contact isn't made, I'll re-draw for a new winner.

Thanks for participating!

Labels: Book Give-Away, historical needlework, linen, pictures, stash contest, threads

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Monday, August 10, 2009
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A few weeks ago, a reader contacted me to ask if I would be interested in a box of "old" stamped linens. They had been given to her, but she knew she wouldn't use them, so she kindly volunteered to send them to me, or to Good Will. Some linens, she said, still had the original embroidery threads with them. Of course, I jumped at the opportunity, and Freda very kindly sent me the box.

I've had similar things happen before: neighbors cleaning out their garage or their storage area and coming across old craft stuff and not wanting to go through it; people contacting me from afar, after the death of a family member, and asking if I wanted the box of their mom's embroidery supplies, as they weren't interested in them; a lady dumping (yes, dumping) a worn out box full of children's crafting supplies on my front porch.... and the list could go on. In most of these situations (the exception being the dumbed box on the front porch!), it has always been a real pleasure to go through the boxes.

Each box tells a story of sorts - what the person's tastes were; how much they loved their hobby; what things in life were important to them; whether they were very organized and meticulous people, or whether they were more like... uh... me. Going through old needlework supplies, you can learn a lot about people!

You can also learn a lot about the history of needlework, which was the case with Freda's box.



The contents of this box undoubtedly date to the late 1800's - early 1900's, during that era of "Silk Art Embroidery" or "Society Silk." Well, certainly some of the threads date from the mid-1800's up to 1917 (I'd guess closer to 1917).

Inside the box, I found a heap of unworked, stamped linens, featuring tea cloths, doilies, and the like. The majority are printed with "natural" looking floral designs, typical of the "Silk Art Embroidery" style (or "Society Silk"). Very few of them are partially worked, and none are completely worked. I'll show you the linens a bit later.



Tucked inside some of the linens were skeins of silk floss - in different degrees of disarray. Some will need attention to get them back in order; others are neatly braided.



Regardless of their current situation, all the threads are gorgeous! The sheen is incredible - the silk is just beautiful! I am looking forward to the challenge of separating and straightening out the different colors and weights of silk!

When I removed the linens from the box, I discovered more silk! Someone had already tried to organize this bunch, using small plastic bags.



The majority of the silk was manufactured by M. Heminway & Sons:



Merrit Heminway was the first manufacturer to spool silk in the US. From the mid-1800's through 1917, his company (formerly Bishop & Heminway) was called M. Heminway & Sons Silk Company. In 1917, the company was sold to Hammond Knowlton & Co, and the name was changed to H.K.H. Company. So somewhere between the establishment of of M. Heminway & Sons Silk Company and the selling of it to H.K.H., these threads were made. An expert who's studied the subject in-depth could probably look at the label and be a bit more precise as to the age of the thread, but there's no doubt that the era is certainly the "Silk Art" or "Society Silk" era of embroidery.

The popularity of this style of embroidery, which is essentially needlepainting flowers and other natural florals on linen and other ground fabrics using fine silks, lasted from the around the 1880's through about 1915 - 1920. According to Donna Cardwell in her book Silk Art Embroidery: A Woman's History of Ornament and Empowerment, the term "society silk" comes from the organization (The Society of Decorative Art) that taught the skills of this type of needlework all over the country and in Canada. Silk Art Embroidery has an interesting history and is worth reading about. Don't be too put off by the title of the book above - I was afraid it was going to be entirely a "social history" book, but it isn't. It contains interesting history and lots of technique information.

While it is evident from this box of goodies that the stitcher was definitely stitching household linens, I can't help wondering if they were for her or if they were being made to sell as a source of income? Was she just dabbling in the new embroidery rage? Or was she seriously trying to learn the technique in order to supplement income? These things, I will probably never know - but it's fun to wonder!

Incidentally, this type of thread was not used solely for "Silk Art Embroidery." This was the silk embroidery floss available in the US at that time, and you can see it on a multitude of ecclesiastical work from that time period, as well. I've always wanted to see the threads they used in ecclesiastical work from the early 1900's, up close. When looking at different pieces, it's evident that the pieces were stitched with lightly twisted filament silk. And finally, here's a whole box of it!

I'll be sorting through this as I have time, and I'll also be showing you the linens, in case you're curious!

Thanks, Freda, for thinking of me!

Labels: historical needlework, needlework pictures, pictures, silk, threads, vintage embroidery

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Wednesday, August 05, 2009
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The folks behind the Plimoth Plantation 17th century jacket project have been busy! They've brought another new metal thread onto the market, one which was used in 17th century raised embroidery, but eventually fell out of use and disappeared from the market. We've heard the story before - remember that these are the same folks behind the Gilt Sylke Twist now once again available to the embroiderer after a couple centuries of absense! Silk Purl is the new thread, and here's a look at it...

Silk Purl is made up of a fine copper wire wrapped with filament silk, then turned into a tight coil. If you're familiar with goldwork embroidery threads (real metal threads for embroidery), you can compare Silk Purl with regular purls used in goldwork. (You can see some gold purls being worked in my beetle wing goldwork project from a while ago, if you want!) The difference between regular gold or gilt purls and Silk Purl is that Silk Purl is covered in silk, which means it's colored and shiny like silk and the coil is a little fatter than the coil you'd see on a regular gold or gilt purl.



Silk Purl is a really incredible thread! I realize that trends and tastes change as the years pass, but it's so hard to imagine that a thread this interesting could just fade from existence and not be resurrected again for some centuries!

I love the look and the feel of the Silk Purl. It feels hard (due to the wire) but smooth (thanks to the silk!), a little boingy, and bumpy.



Just like with regular purls used in goldwork, if you stretch the Silk Purl, you'll get an elongated spring-looking length of wire that will not close back on itself.



If you unwrap the spring, you can see the colored wire that forms the core of the metal thread, and the silk, of course, which becomes very limp and silk-like. It's nice silk and it feels great to the touch!



Silk Purl is hollow in the center, so small pieces cut from the length of the Silk Purl can be sewn on just like bugle beads. According to Tricia Wilson Nguyen, the lady behind the research that resurrected these historic threads, Silk Purl was sewn on in a number of ways: couched in long wavy lines (sometimes with the Silk Purl slightly stretched - think human of animal hair in 17th century embroidery); sewn on in loops; or sewn on in a kind of chipwork method to fill an area, as is done with check purl. Tricia included some great photos of historical examples of Silk Purl in use in her last newsletter from Thistle Threads. If you haven't signed up for her newsletter, you should. Though they don't come out often, when they do, they're full of interesting tidbits on historical embroidery.



To give you an idea of the size of Silk Purl, I lined a piece up with a regular piece of 6-stranded DMC cotton, which is what you see here in the foreground of the photo.



Although in size, Silk Purl is more solidly round and stands up off the fabric, you can see that it isn't too far in size from a regular piece of DMC (with all 6 strands still in tact).



Silk Purl comes in colors to that match Gilt Sylke Twist, with about 8 colors available right now. It is uncertain whether the thread will continue to be manufactured, and the colors presently being manufactured are short in quantity, so if you see a color you like over at Thistle Threads, don't delay in ordering it - you never know when it may be gone again for good.

I ordered a sample pack of the colors, to see what Silk Purl was all about. I think it's a really neat thread, and that those interested in stumpwork or any dimensional embroidery techniques, or goldwork, would find the thread inspiring. I've been mulling over all kinds of possible uses ever since the package arrived in the mail, and I've added it to my list of things to play with in the near future! I'm looking forward to it!

Labels: embroidery resources, goldwork, historical needlework, pictures, silk, threads

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Tuesday, July 28, 2009
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How do you organize your embroidery threads for your needlework projects? If you're like me, you're always looking for a way to organize your embroidery threads better. Here, I'll show you a method I like to use when I'm working on a project that requires many colors of thread. It isn't anything new - you see versions of this all over the place - but here's my "home made" version, and I'm even letting you have a printable copy of my template, so you can make your own thread organizers, too!

Here on Needle 'n Thread, I've mentioned different ways to go about organizing your threads, from using key tabs to braiding your skeins of coton a broder. Way back, in the deep, dark beginning of the website, I wrote an article on thread organization & storage, exploring some of the more popular forms including bags and rings and such, and then followed it up with another article that included the file-a-floss system and EZ Bobs. So this isn't really a new topic here, but it is another angle...

Thread keeps, thread rings, thread cards - they all have the same thing in common: holes that you put your embroidery threads into, looping them so that it is easy to remove one strand of floss at a time.



Thread keeps can be nice little accessories. They come in all kinds of shapes and materials, from simple wood strips, to bright pink plastic horse-heads (via DMC), to beautiful wood palettes, to mother-of-pearl acorns and hearts. This particular one above is from Kelmscott Designs. It costs around $9.00, and holds six colors of thread.



Thread rings are simply rings that you loop your thread onto. The rings can be attached to needlebooks, as I did when I finished this felt needlebook project. You can buy mother-of-pearl rings (also made by Kelmscott Designs), or you can even buy plastic rings made for curtain tie-backs for cheap, and get the same (thought not as attractive!) results.

Thread cards are a little less permanent than the above options. They are generally made out of heavy cardstock with punch-out-able holes and a place to record color numbers. You'll find them in the needlework section of many craft and sewing stores.

I like thread cards for projects that require using a lot of colors. While I have some thread rings and a few thread keeps and thread winders of different types, none of them are quite sufficient when working on a project involving a lot of thread.

So, I made up a version of a thread card to use with my upcoming Long and Short Stitch Shading Lessons, and then I turned it into a generic pattern for thread cards that can be used with any project. Here's how they work:



These are the cards for the Long and Short stitch lessons. I printed them on my computer on card stock.



I printed and cut two of each sized strip, stacking them on top of each other while cutting. Then I glued (using strip adhesive) the strips together, to reinforce them. If you can find slightly heavier cardstock that will go through your printer, you can skip this step! I only had light card stock on hand.



You can see that I already had the color numbers printed on my sheet before I printed them out. I also happened to have a 1/2" circle punch, so I used that to punch the holes. You can use a regular hole-punch and just not make the holes as big.



Cut your threads into working lengths (I always work with 18" - 20" lengths of threads) and fold the bundle in half.



Feed the fold of the thread through the front of the hole in the card, and make a loop behind the tails that remain on the front of the card, then pull the tails through the loop....



... and tighten it by pulling on the tails.



Repeat the process with all the threads for your project, writing the color number of the threads above each hole.

Now, your threads are ready to use! You can pull one strand at a time from the front of the little loop, without having to separate each bunch. Just slip the eye of your needle under one strand at the front of that little loop, and pull the strand out. Very easy!

If you want to print and use generic thread cards, here's a PDF that you can print out:

Thread Cards for Organization (PDF)

The thread cards include a place to write the project name and a space above each hole for writing the color number of the thread. There are three cards per sheet, with seven holes in each card.

How do you organize your threads for a project? Do you use thread cards or keeps, or some other system? Do tell!

Labels: embroidery tips and tricks, organization, pictures, threads

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Friday, July 24, 2009
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Lately, I've gotten quite a few e-mails asking questions about coton a broder, so I figured I'd address them all in one post, and hopefully those who e-mailed and asked are regular readers and will find the answer here! (Two e-mails bounced back and wouldn't deliver!) So... here are some questions about this embroidery thread, and, to the best of my knowledge, the answers to those questions.

#1: Does coton a broder come in colors?

Yes, it does. Technically, though, I've only seen #25 coton a broder available in a very limited range of colors.

However, if it is #16 and listed as coton a broder, chances are, it is "floche" that you want, if you want it in a range of colors. Floche, by both DMC and Anchor, comes in a wide range of beautiful colors, and can be used for the same applications as coton a broder. The only real difference between the two types of thread is that the thread that DMC calls "coton a broder" here in America is a 4-ply softly twisted thread, while floche is a 5-ply softly twisted thread. But they are completely compatible, more or less the same thing, so if you're looking for a #16 in various colors, what you need to look for is floche rather than what we call "coton a broder," which is more of a whitework and cutwork thread.

This is floche:



#2: What's the difference between Danish Flower Thread and coton a broder?

In America, coton a broder is actually a mercerized thread, which means it has a sheen to it. Danish Flower Thread is non-mercerized, or matte, and has no sheen. However, it seems that, in other countries (South Africa, Australia, New Zealand), coton a broder is actually a matte thread, the term used interchangeably with flower thread. However (again!), in America, what we buy as flower thread is definitely more tightly twisted than coton a broder or floche. You can see the individual twists in flower thread more distinctly than you can in floche or coton a broder. Look:



The top thread is mercerized (it has a sheen) and has a looser twist. It is floche. The bottom thread is not mercerized (it is matte) and the twist is a little tighter. It is flower thread.

#3: Where can I find coton a broder, for cutwork or for colored embroidery?

If you're looking for cutwork thread, coton a broder in white, you can find various sizes available through Lacis. Look under "materials," then "Needlework, DMC, etc." in their online catalog. They have sizes 16, 20, 25, 30, and 40.

You can also find floche in colors on the same page of the Lacis online catalog. However, I like to order my floche from Hedgehog Handworks, where you can order it in large hanks or smaller skeins, and where you can also order Danish Flower Thread, if you're looking for matte thread.

If you're looking for Danish Flower Thread (matte coton a broder, more or less), you can order that through Hedgehog, on the same page as the link in the above paragraph, or you can order it from Nordic Needle. Right now, it looks as if they don't have many colors listed on their website, but I saw a whole rack of the entire range of flower thread, so I'm sure you can probably call them with the colors you want.

For further information on these threads - floche, coton a broder, and flower thread - check out these articles:

Comparison between floche and other common DMC threads

Comparison between floche and Danish Flower Thread

I hope this helps answer some questions about these threads. I'm sorry I couldn't get through to a couple of those who e-mailed with the questions, but since it's useful information for needleworkers in general, I thought it worth a little write-up!

Labels: danish flower thread, embroidery tips and tricks, floche, pictures, supplies, threads, whitework

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Monday, July 06, 2009
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As a serious thread junkie, I'm always on the lookout for nice embroidery threads, especially silks. Margaret brought my attention to this website, which looks like it offers some delectable silk threads for hand embroidery!

The website is called Mulberry Silks, and it's located in the UK. It looks as if they carry a variety of types of threads, but for some reason, I seem to be drawn to the hand embroidery threads. Huh. I wonder why?!



The different palettes of color are really pretty! The silk is wound on spools, and the range of colors in all those lined-up spools just sets my thread-loving heart a-flutter!



Above is one of the brighter palettes...



... and this one, the Garden Palette, is by far my favorite (though it seems to be lacking yellow, doesn't it?)

I suppose I'm not actually recommending the threads, because I haven't tried them, so I don't really know what they're like. But they're somewhat intriguing, aren't they? I've added them to my Ever-Growing-List-of-Threads-I-Want-To-Try, though, so when I do, I'll let you know what I think of them.

In the meantime, since I haven't tried them, I thought I'd ask if any of you have? If you have tried Mulberry Silk hand embroidery threads, can you give the rest of us the low-down? Are they worth the investment, given shipping and exchange rate? I'd love to hear any opinions on them, especially before making that kind of investment in a thread purchase!

Thanks!

Labels: embroidery resources, silk, threads

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Saturday, June 20, 2009
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I can't help it. I'm a thread junkie. And when there's a sale, it's Really Hard for me to resist - especially when it's gorgeous needlework fibers like those made by Gumnut Yarns, among other delicious little morsels....

Right now, Needle in a Haystack is clearing out some threads! They've got a really interesting selection of grab bags for Gumnut Yarns different lines of embroidery and needlework threads.



The grab bags are a really good deal! For example, you get 10 skeins of Gumnut stranded silk ("Stars") for $30 (regular price: $70). You don't have control over the color choices, but they've done their best to group the threads by color families, so that they aren't wild and weird mixes of color (thought sometimes, I like wild and weird mixes!)



Gumnut "Buds" (perle silk) grab bags are 10 skeins for $35 (regularly $85).

I like Gumnut threads. They're soft and beautiful and feel really nice. The only type of their thread I've ever stitched with, though, is "Buds" (perle silk). I liked it. I'd love to try their "blossoms" (crewel wool) and "daisies" (fine wool) and some of their blends. Unfortunately, they're very expensive threads, so the best way to get them, in my mind, is to get them on sale.

The names are a bit of an enigma, by the way. Here's the list of thread names and what they actually are:

Blossoms = crewel wool
Stars = stranded silk
Buds = perle silk
Poppies = 50% silk / 50% wool blend
Daisies = 1-ply fine wool (finer than crewel wool)
Tulips = kid mohair
Gemstones = variegated crewel wool (discontinued by the manufacturer)
Aztecs = variegated stranded silk (discontinued by the manufacturer)
Jewels = variegated perle silk (discontinued by the manufacturer)
Opals = variegated silk / wool blend (discontinued by the manufacturer)

To view the shade ranges on each of those, click on the links of the names, which will take you to the Gumnut Yarns website's color range pages. It seems all the variegated threads have been discontinued.

Anyway, back to the sale at Needle in a Haystack! Besides these magnificent grab bags, they've also got the remaining of their DMC Medici (discontinued by DMC) wool thread on sale for $.75 / skein, as well as the whole range of Danish Flower Thread on sale for $1.25 / skein. (The latter is listed on their sale page for $1.30 / skein, but if you visit the actual shopping page for Danish Flower Thread, you'll see it's $1.25).

So, some great deals there! I'm still sticking to my resolution (after last week's needlework shop hop loot!), so I won't be adding any of this to my stash! But if you have the opportunity to do a wee bit of stash building, then I figured you might as well know about the sale, too! Enjoy!

Labels: embroidery resources, supplies, threads

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Saturday, May 09, 2009
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Have you heard of The Silk Mill? It's a company in the UK that produces silk thread for needlework. It's a nice company - professional, friendly, and... silk producing. What more could you want? I had the opportunity to try out some of their threads this week, and so I thought I would introduce them to you.

The Silk Mill produces an amazing color range of silk threads for hand embroidery and other needlework techniques. They have over 500 colors, and it looks as if they are producing new colors with regularity.



Along with the packet of threads came a very nice brochure with all the colors (with corresponding names and numbers) illustrated. I'm just weird enough to really enjoy spending time looking at these types of brochures. I read them. Yes, I do! Like a book. There isn't a lot of information in the brochure, but I read the names of all the colors and look at the colors. I am sure this is a result of my fiber infatuation, but at the same time, I think it's also an attraction to color. I find the variety of names we give to colors fascinating!



The brochure groups the colors according to... well, colors! So in the yellow group, you'll find great names like Tiger Flower Yellow, Golden Sultana, Corn-on-the-cob, Saffron Crocus, Yellow Wagtail, and so forth. In the Orange list, some of the colors are Glazed Carrots, Firecrest, and Mexican Sunset. In the pink list, try Salmon Mousse and Popsicle Pink!



Besides individual skeins of colored silk, the Silk Mill packages skeins in different "theme" colors. For example, the package I'm reviewing here is titled "Winter at the Beach," and the colors correspond to a wintery beach. There are color packs (they call them mini-sets) titled enticing names such as "Moonlight and Champagne," "Summer Dress," "Winter in the Woods," and so forth. And all the colors work for the names! I love that!



You can purchase The Silk Mill threads individually, but they are more cost effective if purchased in groups of ten, or in mini-sets or full sets.



Here, you see my first set of Silk Mill silk, "Winter at the Beach." It's a five-skein set. The sheen on the silk is quite nice! This is monofilament silk, so the sheen is much higher than that of spun silk (like Soie d'Alger).



The skeins are actually a twist that, when untwisted, come apart into a large circle.



To untwist the skein, just find the knot that holds the bunch together. Once you find the knot, hold onto it and take the twist out, until you have a large circle. I'll show you below how I prepare this type of thread for stitching, in order to avoid frustration from tangling...



The silk is stranded - 6 strands in a bunch, like DMC floss.



After I opened the skein into a large circle, I cut the point where the knot was, so that I had a bunch of very long strands of silk. I divided the bunch into three equal lengths. You can divide it just in half, but I think the stitching length would be too long, for reasons mentioned below.

After cutting the threads to my stitching length, you can see that I had a rather boingy mass of silk... which would be a pain in the neck if it were left just like this - destined to knots and disorder... Plus, I don't like the boinginess of some silks. I prefer, if possible, to calm that down a bit.



Here, you can see that the thread is significantly "calmer." How did I manage it? I put the kettle on for a cup of tea, of course! I didn't think it right to play with silk from the UK without enjoying a good cuppa!

As soon as the tea kettle was whistling, I took the silk bundle in my hands, holding one end in one hand and the other in the other, and moved it back and forth in the steam coming out of the whistling tea kettle. I do this with a lot of different types of threads and have never had any adverse effects. I don't leave it soaking in the steam - I just pass it through. It goes straight immediately.



Once the thread was straight, I let it sit while I found something to hold it with. I used a key tab, as demonstrated in my previous article on thread organization and key tabs. Using the method shown in that article and the article on preparing coton a broder, I looped the silk onto the key tab ring and loosely braided it. I secured the end of the braid with a slip knot made out of soft cotton thread, gently and loosely secured. Now, I can pull one individual strand at a time from the braid.



At last! The comparison: on the left, one strand of DMC. On the right, one strand of Silk Mill silk.

Do you notice something? Look closely at the twist. I didn't notice this until I lined these two threads up for the picture. DMC is an S-twisted thread. The Silk Mill is a Z-twisted thread. If you are already familiar with rayons and some other silks (I believe Trebizond is also Z-twisted), you have stitched with Z-twisted threads. It doesn't make much of a difference in stitching, except with a few specific types of stitches. For example, if you work a stem stitch with a Z-twisted thread, it will look more like outline stitch (the stitches will roll around each other and be less distinguishable). If you want your stem stitch to look like a stem stitch, with the "rope" look and more noticeable separation in stitches, when stitching with a Z-twisted thread, you have to actually work an outline stitch. Also, with bullions, you twist the thread around the needle in the opposite direction. But for most stitching, the difference is minor, if not at all.

Back to the strands themselves: you can see that one strand of DMC is slightly smaller than one strand of Silk Mill silk.



Looking at a thread is never enough to tell you whether or not you will like it. You need to stitch with it! Put the thread through some paces and see how it feels. The thing is, I can never really "know" a thread until I stitch with it quite a bit. Still, a little bit of stitching should tell you right away if it's likely you'll like it.

So I stitched a few small bits. First, I stitched a little satin stitch swash. I also worked the chain stitch using two strands together.



I worked some cross stitches, stem stitch, Holbein stitch (double running stitch) and back stitch, and some split stitch.



Conclusions:

1. The silk is beautiful! It feels good in the hands - it doesn't snag or anything like flat filament silk is prone to do. It's smooth and luxurious feeling. The colors are vibrant and consistent. The thread is soft and fine.

2. I found it requires short lengths for stitching. As I neared the end of lengths of thread I was playing with, the thread started to exhibit some definite fuzziness. In short lengths, it performs fine (14 - 15").

3. It stitches beautifully. The sheen is nice, and thread, though boingy at first, behaves ok. In this regard, I would classify the ease of managing the thread somewhere between managing regular cotton and managing rayon (which I always find to be more persnickity than other threads). The stitches looked nice, and the sheen is exceptional.

4. Would I buy the thread? The brochure I received says the skeins are £2.75 each, or £2.50 for 10 or more. Mini-packs (5 skeins) are £8.50 each, and larger sets range from 11 skeins in a certain color group at £19.50 each, up to 27 skeins for £39.50. On the brochure, there's also a sticker that indicates that all skeins are £2 each, so perhaps there's a price reduction thing going on there? Also, on the website, you can see deals such as 10 skeins for £17.50...

With the current exchange rate, £17.50 ends up to be about $24.35 - $24.50. So one skein of silk would be $2.43 - $2.45US. And you know what? That's not a bad price! Of course, there's shipping to consider, but even with shipping, if I were ordering a larger order, I still think the silks would be a good price. This all depends, of course, on the fluctuation in the exchange rate, but right now, it's not bad! If the skeins are £2 each, the work out to about $2.70... I think the economical way to go is to buy them in packs.

So... would I buy Silk Mill silks? I think I would! In fact, I think I will! I like them! I like the threads - especially the feel and the sheen; they have a magnificent color selection; and they are reasonably priced.

Just for the sake of comparison:

Treenway Silks: 10 yards - $5.00
Soie d'Alger: @ 5.5 yards - $3.75 - $4.00 (it's got seven strands in each length, though)
Caron Waterlilies: 6 yards - $5.75 - $6.35
Needlepoint, INC: 5.5 yards - @$4.00
Thread Gatherer Silk 'n Colors - 7 yards - @$6.50 - $7.00 (12 strands per length)

So, if you're looking for silk, and you want to try something new, try the Silk Mill silk threads! If you order from them, tell them I sent you!

And let me know how you like the threads... I'd like to hear other people's opinions on them! Have you tried them already? Do you like them? What type of needlework do you use them for?

And, finally, just so you know - I'm not affiliated, this isn't a paid advert or anything like that! It's just my review and my opinion... you may have a different opinion - if you do, don't hesitate to share!

Ahhh. It's Friday - enjoy the weekend!

Labels: embroidery resources, embroidery tips and tricks, needlework pictures, pictures, silk, threads

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Friday, March 13, 2009
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Last time I mentioned the goldwork iris project, I was befuddled over what threads to use for couching. I went out to the studio, then, and decided to end my befuddlement.

I went through my selection of silk threads to see if I had anything I'd like better to use as the colored couching threads. While out there, I also dug through all my other threads, and happened upon - shock! horror! - some Sulky machine embroidery threads.

So I brought everything I found inside to the iris to do some pondering.

I pondered thus:



I like the fineness of TESS silk. This is Helen Stevens's silk thread line, made by the same folks who make Piper's Silk. But alas, as you may already be guessing...



... I don't much care for the colors I have on hand. The greens are ok - in fact, I like them! But the purples leave a lot to be desired, as does the closest color I came to "coral."



Pondering further, just for the fun of it, I lined up the Sulky threads. Oh - you have to admit - the colors are really nice! But something.... something.... just grates against the thought of using a polyester machine embroidery thread. *Sigh* Am I a fiber snob? I don't think that's exactly it. It's more a matter of the combination. Silk and gold just belong together!



But wow. I do like the colors. I like the purples especially...

I furthered my pondering by stitching over the gold with all three threads, the Soie d'Alger I originally started with, the TESS silk, and the Sulky machine embroidery thread.



The Soie d'Alger is on the left, followed by the TESS in the middle, and the Sulky on the end.

My heart longéd for the right colors in the TESS! I love the look of that fine, flat silk over the gold! And it stitches well over the gold - very nicely! And the fineness of the thread is most excellent for the couching of the gold, varying the distance between the stitches and so forth.

Alas and alack, without the right colors, though, I knew I would not be happy.

I didn't much like stitching with the Sulky threads. I sort of knew I wouldn't. It looked ok, but not that great.

What do you suppose my conclusion was?

Labels: goldwork, needlework pictures, pictures, silk, threads

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Wednesday, March 11, 2009
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A few months ago, Pamela Alley e-mailed me a kind of photo tutorial on how she organizes her cotton floss, and in Inspirations #61, there's a little blurb on how to set up a skein of coton a broder for use. Pamela's method (which is for stranded cotton) and the method in Inspirations #61 are similar, despite the difference in thread types, and they are both the way I've normally organized my coton a broder (but not my floss), so I thought I'd show you here...

Coton a broder is a specialty DMC thread, used for whitework, cutwork, etc. It's perfect for use in monogramming. It makes beautiful satin stitches. Coton a broder isn't widely available. Even most specialty needlework shops don't carry it, or if they do, it's in the larger sizes (#12 or #16) only. You can purchase coton a broder in size 12 (largest) through size 40 (smallest), in strange increments that make little sense to me. They go 12, 16, 20, then by 5's. #16 coton a broder is about the same size as floche, but they have a different number of plies that make up the thread - coton a broder is a 4-ply thread, floche is a 5-ply thread. I order my coton a broder from Lacis. Sold as "cutwork thread" or coton a broder (you'll find it called both on the Lacis website), it comes in white and ecru in most sizes, and in size 25, it comes in a variety of other colors, too. I just buy white. If I want this type of thread in color, I go with floche, as it has a wider range of colors and shades.

Ok, so that's the thread.

The thread comes in a skein, but it isn't a pull skein, like the kind regular stranded floss comes in. It's a loop that is looped again back on itself.



The higher count threads make up shorter, fatter skeins, while the lower count (larger threads) make up longer, skinnier skeins.



On the label, you'll see the size of the thread marked, as well as the length of thread in the skein.



To prepare the skein for working with, slide both labels off (there's a small "DMC" label on there, which I don't find necessary to keep). Save the label with the thread number on it, because you'll use that for identification of the thread.



When the labels are off, look for the little tied-up area, where part of the bundle is tied perpendicular to the rest of the skein.



Hold the skein at the little tied area (just holding the bunch that is tied), and give the skein a gentle shake. It will fall out into a long loop.



Cut the skein where it is tied, and remove the little tying thread. I also cut the skein a second time, just opposite of the first cut, so that I have perfect lengths of threads for working with. Now, you don't have to do this - some people like working with longer lengths of thread. I personally can never stand working with a thread more than 16" - 18" long, and 20" is pushing it for me! Why? Well, for one thing, I can stitch faster with shorter lengths of thread. For another, after a while of stitching, threads start to fuzz up. Using shorter lengths ensures that I don't get fuzzy threads. I'd rather go through the rigmarole of starting and stopping a thread than put up with fuzzy threads!



There's the nice clean cut. Use sharp scissors, by the way! Using dull ones to cut this bunch of threads will make it harder for you to thread your needle later on - or at least, will require you to trim up before you do.



Now you have the long label with the thread size on it, and your skein, cut to working-sized threads.



Thread the skein back into the label.



Then separate three sections of thread and work a soft braid with the three sections, so that the label is at the top.



Selecting a thread from the top near the label, pull one side out of the braid, then pull the other side out, and you're ready to stitch.

This is a nice way to organize threads, especially threads that come on looped skeins, like coton a broder and perle cotton.

Incidentally, I have another way I'm organizing my whitework threads right now, too - it is a combination of this method and another, and was the result of stopping in at an office supply store the other day. I'll have to show you my weird set-up one of these days!

Do you have any thread organization tips? Feel free to let the rest of us know how you prepare your thread and organize it for a project!

Labels: embroidery tips and tricks, needlework tutorials, organization, pictures, threads

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Friday, February 13, 2009
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Another goldwork thread I ordered recently that struck my fancy is "gimp." Yes, you're right! Like flatworm, it has a weird name!

Gimp is a goldwork cord. I can't bring myself to call it a thread - it's pretty large! It fits in the goldwork category because it is metal; it's made up of a thread core that is wound with gold wire. I'll show you the anatomy of gimp cord in a bit, but for starters, let's look at it and then compare it to another twisted goldwork thread.



Now, if you like goldwork, when you take a look at gimp cord, you won't be able to help liking it, too! It's beatiful. It's heavy and rich, a beautiful three-ply cord. Unlike other goldwork threads, there isn't much "sparkle" to it. Gimp gleams. It almost has a matte-like look to it.



When you look at it up close, you can see that it's made out of some kind of wrapping that seems to divide a bit. The camera really helps here - to the un-aided eye, the cord simply looks golden.



Compared to gold twist, gimp suddenly doesn't look as "metal" looking. The gold twist - also a three-ply twisted goldwork thread - reflects the light differently, because it's made differently.



Size-wise, this is a #6 (so, relatively large) twist in the front, with the gimp behind it. Gimp is bigger, and it is more tightly twisted.



If you measure them under a ruler, you can see that gimp is practically an eighth of an inch wide, compared to the twist, which is certainly less than half that wide.



When you buy gimp, it comes with the edges taped or clamped, for a Very Good Reason. Because of the tight twist, once the ends are unbound, the whole cord very quickly starts to unwind. To solve this, bind the cord where you plan to cut it, and leave the ends bound until it's sewn onto the fabric! Anyway, for the photo above, I unbound the end before I realized what would happen, and the gimp began to furiously untwist. I caught it before it went too far - about three inches - but still, three inches is a lot, when you're talking about a thread that costs $18 / yard... That's $1.50-worth of unwinding. I learned my lesson!



This is the fascinating thing about gimp cord. It doesn't look as metal-like, but it is truly just as much a metal thread as smooth passing or twist. You see, twist, is made up of what looks like three strands of smooth passing twisted together. Smooth passing is made from a core (cotton or other fiber) wound with a wire that is wide and flat, kind of more like a very tiny tape of gold. Gimp cord is made with a core of threads, around which is wound teeny tiny gold wires - they're about the size of a hair. Three of the wires are grouped together and wrapped around the core. If you pull on the wire end, the core will unwrap (just as it does with passing thread) but the gold that comes off is entirely different stuff!



It was difficult to get a decent photo of them, but there they are. Three gold wires! WOW - those tiny wires are the rich coating that makes gimp cord so gorgeous! Amazing!



Gimp cord is a heavier, more supple thread than twist. It is really lovely stuff!

I can see it used in a lot of ways, but primarily, I could see it outlining stitched areas on ecclesiastical work or used as thick vines or stems on goldwork pieces. I'm eager to try working with it!

Have you used gimp cord before? Or have you seen it in use? Any pointers or observations about it?? Let me know by leaving a comment below!

Labels: embroidery resources, goldwork, pictures, supplies, threads

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Friday, February 06, 2009
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Shortly after Christmas, I was able to replenish some of my depleted goldwork supplies. I like 2% gold threads, and after making my goldwork and silk Christmas ornament and working on the goldwork embellished crazy quilt square, I found that I was low on 2% gold threads. With plans for a bit of ecclesiastical embroidery this year, I wanted to stock up on some (yeah, yeah - excuses! excuses!!)... Anyway, when placing my order with Tanja Berlin (which is where I buy my 2% gold threads), I purchased a couple "new" metal threads - new to me, anyway. Read on, and I'll tell you about one very attractive gold thread with a really unattractive name!

I've been curious about "flatworm" for a while. Admittedly, it's the name that caught my eye in the first place. Imagine being in the company of gold threads with names like "pearl purl" - names that evoke notions of beauty and richness - and having to own up to a name like "flatworm."

"I'd like to buy some flatworm, please..." (Bait shopping?!)

"Hey, I want to embroider something beautiful. I think I'll use flatworm." !!!

The name is curious. Once I saw the thread, though, I realized it's just a name. A rose by any other name would smell as sweet, and I suppose a gold thread named "flatworm" can still be ... a gold thread.



This is 2 yards of gilt #6 flatworm. Pretty, isn't it? It shines!



If you look at the thread close-up, the thread looks as if it is made just like smooth passing thread - it has a core of thread, around which is wrapped the gold thread. This is gilt, so it's only about 1/2% gold (as opposed to 2%). Unlike smooth passing thread, which is rounded, flatworm is flat, but it has a kind of gradual twist in it - it isn't like broad or whipped plate, either, which is completely flat, without a thread core, and is more like a metal ribbon.



Here, you can see the gilt flatworm (in the background) and #4 smooth passing thread (2% gold - which has a higher content, and a deeper color).



Next to each other, the threads are decidedly different. The #4 passing thread looks tiny. The flatworm looks almost leather-like and supple, as opposed to wire-like look of the smooth passing. The flatwork isn't really supple, though - it's stiffish, too. Perhaps not as stiff as the smooth passing, but pretty stiff, nonetheless.

I haven't worked with flatworm before. From what I've read about it, it's a couched thread, like smooth passing, but I'm curious about the way one would couch it. Can it be couched as a filling, in lines? Do you straighten it as you couch it? If not, how well does it sit on the fabric and actually "fill"? Is it used as a more randomly worked thread? Does it fit in with traditional goldwork techniques, or would you take a more contemporary approach to the way it is used? These are the questions that have come to my mind about this thread. I'll enjoy experimenting with it to discover some of the answers.

Have you ever used flatworm? Or have you seen it on any goldwork pieces? Do you have any ideas about how you would use it if you were going to play with it? I'd like to hear your take on this intriguing thread!

There were a few other new-to-me threads in my recent order - I can't wait to show them all to you! I'd rather be showing them to you in some kind of goldwork piece that could employ all of them, but my brain hasn't yet concocted a reasonable plan for one! When it does, I'll let you know!

If you haven't signed up for my January give-away, please take the opportunity to do so before tomorrow (Wednesday) morning at 5:00 am CST. I'll pick a winner first thing tomorrow morning! If you want to sign up, visit the original post, where you'll find the directions for signing up towards the end of the post. Thanks for participating in it!

If you want to make sure you don't miss anything on Needle 'n Thread, you might take the opportunity to sign up for my e-mail newsletter. Just enter your e-mail in the box provided in the right hand column, and the newsletter will be delivered to your inbox daily. You'll need to verify your subscription, so keep an eye out for the verification e-mail. I don't use e-mail addresses for anything else except the e-mail newsletter, I assure you! Keep in mind that the daily newsletter you receive features the article from the previous day.

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Hope your week's going well so far, and that you have at least a little time to enjoy some stitching!

Labels: embroidery resources, goldwork, pictures, threads

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Tuesday, February 03, 2009
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Have you tried Treenway Silks? They make a glorious-looking silk thread, hand-dyed, with matching silk ribbon. I haven't tried them yet, but I'm going to! And soon. Here's a little run-down, some links, some photos...

Treenway Silks is a kind of "cottage industry" (as they describe it) located in British Columbia, Canada. They dye silk and produce all different types of silk products for the fiber artist, from silk yarn to silk ribbon to silk embroidery thread. You can read about their products on the Treenway Silks website, which is quite an informative site to peruse!



I came across Treenway Silks through Nordic Needle, actually, and when I saw the colors of their "fine silk cord," I just had to order one skein. Just to try! But then, as those nefarious shopping carts often do, sure enough, they showed a matching photo of the hand-dyed silk ribbon that coordinated with the thread I had just added to my cart!



*Sigh* I am so weak. But it is really beautiful stuff! I can't wait to stitch with it and see how I like it. I'll definitely let you know how it goes.

Besides these ribbons and threads for hand embroidery, Treenway has several other kinds of fibers for needlework. You can read all about them (and even purchase them) on their Embroidery Threads and Ribbons page on their website.

Today's the last day to sign up for my December give-away: Two beautiful spools of Gilt Sylke Twist, along with a few other delightful little needlework items of the season. If you haven't signed up yet, do read the original post and leave your comment (according to the instructions)! I'll announce the winner tomorrow!

Labels: embroidery resources, pictures, ribbon embroidery, silk, threads

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Tuesday, December 09, 2008
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Orts are those little pieces of left-over thread snippets that collect when you're working on an embroidery project. If you don't have a place to put them as you work, a resulting stringy mass that spreads itself over your work area could result. In fact, rarely do those little strings restrict themselves to the work area. They stick on clothes, they trail across carpets, they bear witness to the fact that this is the home of a needleworker.

My mind turns to orts - to all trailing, clinging embroidery threads - especially in winter. In winter, orts show their power of perseverence, their determination to adhere to all things, in any place, at every opportunity. And they don't always show themselves right away, once they've found a host. No, often they wait, secluded, then rear their little heads at the workplace, or in company...

You always know when The Ort has materialized upon the scene: your co-worker, in earnest conversation with you, suddenly loses eye contact. The eye flits from you, to your shoulder. Then back to you. Then back to your shoulder. Suddenly, the focus of the conversation is gone. You try to revive it and redirect it; finally, the cause is revealed: "Uh.... you have a thread...." as your co-worker gingerly removes the offensive Ort from its transient throne.

In winter, The Ort has two accomplices in its parasitical work: warm and fuzzy clothes, and that energetic little wonder called Static Cling. The latter is perhaps the more irritating. I am not a great fan of Static Cling, yet I live in a dry, cold climate in winter, I'm prone to wearing skirts and sweaters to work, I use a dryer, and so Static Cling is, at least to some degree, inevitable. To best express my feelings about Static Cling, I wrote a poem about it a while ago, which I'll share with you here so that you have no doubt where I stand on the subject:

On Static Cling
by Mary Corbet

I dislike, despise, truly disdain
Abhor, detest, find quite inhumane
That horrid, despicable, bothersome thing...
That great irritation we call Static Cling.

In my sheets, my skirt, my socks, my shirt
On rugs, on wood, on vinyl, on dirt --
No matter how calm, no matter how hectic,
I hate to encounter this cling that's electric.

That about sums it up!

So, in winter, we have at least one more big reason to be wary of orts and to make an extra effort to tame them.

Yesterday, I tamed mine, and we're all a lot happier for it.

I was dealing with a bit of static in my sweater, and I noticed that, after sitting in my favorite spot to stitch, a small army of Orts were attempting a foray on my arm. Odd, since I have a handy Ort Bin hanging from the arm of the chair, into which all Orts are unceremoniously stuffed once used to their potential.

I made this little bin from two placemats I picked up for very little on clearance at Target. If you haven't seen my little article on constructing a thread catcher, you can check that out, if you wish. It's nothing fancy-schmancy, and there are no extras to it, but it works. This is what it looks like:



Well, it wasn't working yesterday! And I discovered why. The Orts were full up! So I emptied the pouch, and this is what I had:



The whole heap was about the size of a volleyball, when taken out of its compressed state in the Ort Bin. No wonder they were venturing forth to habitate my arm! There was no breathing space!



Oh. Do you see what that is?



Now, do you see? It's a length of pearl purl - 2% pearl purl - with some silk wrapped around it.

I suppose those dear Orts could tell us a lot about ourselves! But though I'm in the mood to wax poetic, I am not up to waxing philosophical or psychological right now. I'll leave that for you to think about!

This is the thing: I started picking over that little pile of offensive, instrusive Orts, and I could connect almost all the threads, or clumps of threads, to a particular project I've worked on that I enjoyed. And some pieces I rescued altogether, because I knew I could use them for something. Like the pearl purl - what a waste, to resign it to the Ort Bin.

By the time I was finished, I realized that The Orts are not quite so offensive, after all. Intrusive, maybe... but not offensive!

So the ort bin is empty, back in its place, awaiting new threads.

And while I was at it, I decided to remove all the pins and needles from one of those really expensive pin cushions, also known as "the couch":



Yes, this is the home of a needleworker. But it's time to be a bit less obvious about it!

Labels: miscellaneous embroidery musings, organization, pictures, threads

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Saturday, December 06, 2008
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Beats me how the weekend can possibly go by so fast! But I did manage some embroidery this weekend, and I learned a little bit in the process. So ... here goes....

Here's the extent of my hand embroidery endeavors this weekend. I know it's not that impressive! But still....



I managed the embroidered elements of two cards, plus the beginnings of a third, and I put in the rest of the berries and one pine cone on that blasted towel!

Cards first....



This card pattern comes from Erica Fortgens' book, Merry Christmas Embroidery on Paper - that's an Amazon link, if you want to read more about it. The design stitched up pretty quickly. In fact, it stitched up really quickly - the whole thing took less than an hour, including piercing the paper. I have some other ideas for this design. I think it would make a great snowflake, on blue, worked in white or pale silver, with tiny crystals attached. So I may try that later on. I'm going to cut this in a more interesting way, add a few little red crystals to it, put it on a printed background and affix it to a card, with a little ribbon at the top. Whatever... eventually, I'll show you what I mean!



This little heart-wreath-thingy took less than an hour as well, including piercing the paper. I used the wrong sized piercing tool for the thread. I should have used an extra-fine tip, but I used the medium one. Still, it'll pass muster, I suppose, once incorporated on a card with other distracting stuff attached! I'll add some little red crystals in the middle of the open red spaces.



This one's in progress. It's a wreath, so there'll be some greenery between the red balls. And of course, some little crystals in there, too. I like sparkly things on Christmas stuff! I can't help it!!! This card is a little more complicated. I estimate it'll take a little longer to stitch - so, all told, maybe an hour and a half.

Something I learned about embroidering on paper, or at least, about this type of embroidery on paper. It helps TREEEE MENDOUSLY to have the correct materials. All the Erica Fortgens books recommend Anchor Alpaca (edit: it's Anchor Alcazar - sorry!) for the most part, which is a machine embroidery thread. Since I didn't have any, in the past I've just used regular rayon embroidery floss. It works ok, in very short strands, and it gives a very pretty coverage. But it does get frustrating to work with! First of all, you have to work with short pieces; otherwise, the embroidery floss frays, and that's a pain in the neck. Another thing is the nature of rayon embroidery floss - it's cranky!

Well, finally I figured that it doesn't actually have to be Anchor machine embroidery thread! Machine embroidery thread in general works great on these paper projects because it is supple, it stands up to abuse, it's fine, and, depending on the type you get, it's very pretty and shiny stuff, perfect for Christmas cards. You can also get it in metallics, which are much easier to use on paper than regular metallic embroidery floss. MUCH EASIER. I couldn't believe the difference.

Anyway, I found I could stitch a lot faster with the right materials, once I took out a few spools of machine embroidery thread.

Sheeesh. I was a bit slow on that discovery, wasn't I??

I'll talk about the towel later - I'll show you that pine cone up close. I really don't want to talk about the towel right now. Aaargh!!

Finally, it's December, so I will have my monthly stash give-away coming up this week. It's a rather special give-away. Not quite the same type of loot as before, but ... loot, nonetheless! Some people will be excited about it, but I realize there will be some who say... "?!?" It won't interest every stitcher, I'm afraid.... !!! Yes, yes, enough enigmatic talk. Wait for it!

Hope your Monday is terrific!

Labels: Christmas, embroider on paper, hand embroidered cards, hand embroidery information, supplies, threads

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Monday, December 01, 2008
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A few weeks ago, I mentioned that I broke down and bought some needlework supplies for upcoming projects, and I showed you some of the silk buttonhole twist that I purchased. Well, here's some good news for you! There's a sale on...

Evening Star Designs is the place I recently purchased a heap o' stash stuff - some fabric packs, some fun threads to play with, some hand-dyed silk ribbon, the silk buttonhole twist I wanted to try out, some ribbon samples, some bead packs, and on and on and on...



Evening Star Designs is a great place to pick up sample packs of different things - from fancy fabrics perfect for crazy quilting and other applications (I'm using a few pieces from my new stash to back embroidered Christmas ornaments) to bead mixes to trims - as well serious quantities of supplies for special projects. For example, if you're making a Christmas dress for a little one and you want some nice lace, you might find that the selection of laces (which can be purchased by the yard) is just right for your project. You can also find some fabrics by the yard, as well as a good selection of embroidery threads and silk ribbon.



It's a great place to shop any day, BUT... for those of you reading this post today, Sunday, November 30th, if you're not on the mailing list for Evening Star Designs, you might not know about the sale going right now!



Until midnight tonight (Sunday, November 30th), you can get 25% off most everything in her shop (it doesn't include already discounted merchandise).

This is a pretty good deal! But if you want to take advantage of it, you have to do so before midnight, Sunday, November 30th.

I found it a good opportunity for trying out some other threads.



By the way, at Evening Star Designs, you'll find Needle Necessities threads (they've gone out of business, but she has a pretty good stock of them still on hand) deeply discounted. The Needle Necessities overdyed cotton floss, for example, is only $1.67 / 20-yd skein. That's a great price, and there are still some beautiful colors left. (Note: Because it's already so deeply discounted, the Needle Necessities thread is not included in the 25% off sale.)



I hope you get a chance to check out the sale today at Evening Star Designs. Even if you miss it, though, you can still find some good deals on the website, and you will certainly enjoy browsing her stock of STUFF.

Enjoy!

Labels: crazy quilt, embroidery resources, fabric for embroidery, needlework websites, supplies, threads

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Sunday, November 30, 2008
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Among a few of the new treasures I picked out when purchasing (or binging on, if you want to call it that!) embroidery supplies a couple weeks ago were these little packets of silk buttonhole twist.

Silk buttonhole twist looks like a perfect thread for "fun" embroidery. It's the kind of stuff that I know I will like using on projects like my felt needlebook. I purchased these particular packets for an upcoming venture in crazy quilting, and, in general, just to add to my stash and to use when the mood strikes.



This particular brand comes on cards, in 20 meter lengths. The colors are nice, aren't they? They look a bit better and brighter in person, and when you see the threads up close - when you can see the twist - you might even tend to say "oooooo" and "aaaaaah," like a kid in a candy shop window!



I haven't tried stitching with these yet. Size-wise, they look like they might be equivalent to a #8 pearl cotton, or somewhere between a #8 and a #12.



I think these four colors may work pretty nicely together on a Christmas project that I have in mind, too.

The thread reminds me of a smaller, tighter Trebizond (twisted in the other direction), or a little bit thicker Soie Perlee. It looks like the kind of thread that I'd like to have every single color of!! (But then, come to think of it - well. Is there any thread I wouldn't like to have every single color of?)

Have you stitched with silk buttonhole twist? If so, what techniques do you use it for? Do you like it? I'd love to hear what others have to say about this particular thread - and I'm eager to try it myself! I'll let you know what I think of it when I do!

Labels: pictures, silk, threads

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Thursday, November 20, 2008
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A while ago, I started a random embroidery project on a piece of felt. My original plan was to use it as some kind of book cover, or needle book, or ... something. But the truth is, initially, it was a spontaneous project that I grabbed just to have something to work on while on a short road trip. The piece developed, and then sat neglected for a long time. I've finally done something with it.

I didn't know exactly what I wanted to do with this bit of embroidery. Really, I couldn't picture it as any certain thing! When I wrote about the piece a few weeks ago, I got a lot of excellent suggestions for how it could be used. I ended up going with a large-ish needle case / tool holder.

The reason I dug the piece out recently to finish is that I had some threads and needles to test. If you read my posts on the Spiral Eye Needles and on Soy Luster thread, you saw parts of the finish work for the piece.

The first thing I did was determine how I wanted to make a cover. Fortunately, when I cut the felt, I left long sides that would turn in to back the two finished panels. This worked out well. After trimming, I folded the felt to the back of the embroidered panels and fused them closed.



And yes, the back is MESSY!!!!

I trimmed a little more, then buttonholed the edge of the cover all the way around.



Then, I had to think out how I would finish the inside. I cut out a piece of left-over blue wool felt to cover the inside, and then started laying tools on the piece to find out how I could arrange things.



I noticed that, with scissor or tool slots, I would have to either put a loop or a flap on them to hold the tools in, should the book be turned upside-down. So instead, I decided to face the tool openings towards the inside fold of the book.

I made two tool holders - one for scissors and the other for either another pair of scissors, or tweezers and a laying tool (I haven't really decided what, exactly). I figured I could put three flaps for needles on the other side, using some other scraps of felt. The whole inside of the book, in fact, is done in felt scraps. I had to rummage a bit to find pieces that would work.

There was still a bit of room between the needle flaps and the center fold, so I decided to attach a large thread ring there. The mother-of-pearl thread ring doesn't really match the "rustic" look of the book, but it'll do.



I cut out the shapes of the tool holders - a V-ish shape for scissor (in the sheath) and a rectangle for tweezers and laying tool. Incidentally, the rectangle was a scrap from this past summer's bookmark project in my kids' embroidery classes, and it worked out just fine.



Then, I began embellishing the tool holders.



I stitched free-hand, whatever occurred to me as I went.



I used a combination of threads - perle cottons, DMC stranded, Soy Luster, floche, and silk. Most were taken straight from a tub of stashed threads that are somewhat disorganized, with the exception of the Soy Luster and Baroque Silk, which were both new and which I was trying for the first time.



I had fun embroidering these little things. Because they are small, I wasn't stuck doing any one thing for very long, and because they were completely free-handed, I could do whatever came to mind.



I liked working with the variety of stitches and threads.



After finishing the tool holders, I attached them to the blue felt using buttonhole stitch all around, facing the openings (as previously mentioned) towards the inside fold to keep the tools from falling out.



Then I embroidered on the needle flaps, using a few different stitches to secure the flaps - herringbone stitch is on the top flap, chain stitch on the middle flap....



And fly stitch is used to attach the last flap.

I attached the thread ring using a tiny scrap of ribbon I just happened upon in my floss box.

Once I had everything attached to the blue felt that would serve as the background to the inside of the needlecase, I attached the blue felt to the book cover using buttonhole stitch all the way around. I found that the blue felt needed to be attached to the cover in the middle of the case as well, to help it fold better, so I ran two lines of running stitch down the center. I worked these through all the layers of wool felt (three, total), so that they are visible on the outside cover as well, just at the border of the embroidered panels.

Unfortunately, I didn't draw the lines and measure things out before I started stitching, so the lines are actually not quite parallel. They run away from each other towards the bottom! After working the running stitches, I whipped them to give the line a more finished look. Anyway, with the stitched lines in the middle and the and the top and bottom edges secured with the buttonhole stitching, I was left with an unstitched edge on the outside of the blue felt, which created the perfect opening for pockets that can hold extra thread or other flattish things:



In fact, it's nice having these two pockets on both sides of the case.



Then, once all was done, I had to have a way to close the case. I was out of ribbon, so using two strands of a coordinating perle cotton #5, I twisted the threads until they were suitable for a cord, and then made little ties out of them, which I attached at the edge of each cover.



In retrospect, if I were doing something like this again, I would not make a needlebook or tool case that closes in this manner - I'd make a flap that can button over the whole thing. The one thread in the middle seems somewhat chintzy, but, still, it ties the thing closed, and for this project, that will do.



Overally, I had a lot of fun working on this little project, though after a while, my fingers were killing me from working through multiple layers of wool felt and a layer of fusible interfacing.

I actually don't know if I'll ever USE the case. I'm thinking about giving it to one of my embroidering nieces for Christmas.

It was a fun project, so I'm not opposed to making another modified version with a different closure and a different layout on the inside. We shall see, we shall see! What think you about it? Any suggestions for a better way to close the thing up? I'm all for pointers, so point away!

Labels: Embroidery Projects, Hand embroidery stitches, needlecase, needlework pictures, pictures, threads, wool felt

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Tuesday, October 28, 2008
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Soy Luster is a relatively new needlework thread on the market, and just as its name implies, it's made from soy, of all things. Well, why not? Linen is made from an edible crop - flax - and cotton is grown like vegetables, too, though I doubt there's an edible by-product! I've been playing around with the Soy Luster threads, and you know what? I like them!

Soy Luster is Colorful Thread!

Soy Luster is a thread produced by The Pure Palette, and it comes in some pretty incredible - beautiful - colors. The line comes in solids and "shadows," which are a kind of variegated thread. Well, it's not variegated like some other threads - it's actually three shades of the same color in one thread, combined in such a way that you can cut the threads and stitch with three separate shades, or you can stitch with a cut that has all three shades on it for a kind of heathered effect.



To view the color palette for the Soy Luster threads, you can visit the Pure Palette website, where you can scroll over each thread name and see a big ball of each color, or you can visit Needle in a Haystack, where they have all the colors of Soy Luster on one wonderful page.

It Really Is Thread Made from Soy!

The thread is indeed made from 100% soy. The thread itself is not made in America, but the dying is done here. The Shadows threads (variegated) are dyed to match the solids, which is a nice way to get a range of shades of the same color for different effects in your needlework.

On the Soy Luster website, you'll find a description of the thread:

Soy Lusterâ„¢ loves to be stitched. It responds to your hands, becoming softer and more luxuriant with each stitch. With no tangling, twisting, snagging or fraying, it is the ultimate fiber.

Earth friendly? Yes. 100% Soy Silk® and Formaldehyde Free. We all want to do something green for this earth. Now we can, in 82 delicious colors.

Personally, I'm always eager to try threads for myself to see if they are really all that the manufacturers claim them to be. When I first read the description, I kind of thought it might be a bit much - and, after all, soy "silk" seemed a bit of an oxymoron to me.

Well, I tried the thread. And here's what I found...

They are pretty - I like the colors that I've tried so far. The Shadows threads are really very nice, and I like the fact that they have that heathery look to it.

The thread does have a nice subtle sheen to it, but it isn't like silk in that regard. In fact, the thread is a bit fuzzy - more so, even, than cotton, though not as much as wool. Overall, Soy Luster has a "wooly" feel to it, though not as fluffy, and, unlike wool, it has a bit of a sheen to it.



You can see the fuzzies protuding from the dark purple thread in the photo above. Keep in mind that this photo is Really Up Close. From far away, the thread doesn't look fuzzy, but these little fibers contribute to the "wool" feel.

Size-wise, Soy Luster measures up to somewhere between a #8 perle cotton and a #12 perle cotton. The #8 perle is slightly thicker thread, I think, but the #12 may be just a tad finer - but it's very close to the #12.



Unfortunately, I didn't have a #12 perle cotton on hand, so what you see above, to give you a sense of the thickness of the thread, is a size comparison between common threads, from the #5 perle cotton on top (thickest) to one strand of DMC stranded cotton on the bottom (finest).



Above, you can see the Soy Luster (top dark purple) lined up right next to a single strand of DMC. LIke the DMC cotton, Soy Luster is two-ply twisted thread, but the plies are a bit "rounder" compared to the longer plies of the DMC stranded cotton.



This is what the thread looks like when you cut open the twist (it comes in small tight twists). The thread seemed really boingy when I first cut the twist, and I couldn't help thinking it was going to be a real pain to stitch with. But then I pulled out a single thread to try, gave the thread a tug from both ends, and it straightened right out.



I wondered about that description on the manufacturer's website: "...becoming softer and more luxurious..." "no tangling, no twisting" - it seems like a lot to promise in a thread. So I set about stitching with it, trying it with French knots - always difficult to stitch when using a temperamental thread - and buttonhole stitch, which tends to get twisty while working it.

Guess what? It really is a nice thread to stitch with! It was easy and smooth, no tangles, and it looks very pretty when stitched.

Finally, I also did a very basic color-fast test on it. Now, the smart thing to do when testing for color-fastness is to take a good clump of the thread and soak it, then leave it to dry on some white fabric. It's also nice to know what the thread is like for stitching after being wet and dry - especially if you decide you want to treat it for colorfastness with salt or vinegar. But, anyway, I didn't do that. I used a single strand and soaked it for a while in warm-ish water, on a little piece of white cloth.



I took it out and let it dry on another piece of white cloth, and there was no color residue either in the water on the damp cloth or on the dry cloth. Red is usually the best color to test when you want to know if a thread is colorfast, because reds are often prone to bleeding, even in threads described as colorfast. Since I didn't have red, though, I used the purple - and I was still pleased that there wasn't a hint of purple color left behind.

Soy Luster in Summary

1. The color schemes are great - lovely solid colors, with matching variegated colors.

2. Though on first impressions, it seems as if it will be "springy" and difficult to stitch with, it is really nice to stitch with. The thread straightens up with a good tug.

3. The look of the thread is interesting - kind of like wool, with the sheen of cotton. I like that. I'm eager to try it on crewel-type projects. I think it would be very pretty. I can't help wondering how it will take to long and short stitch, so I may have to try that and let you know!

Buying Soy Luster

You can find Soy Luster at Needle in a Haystack, where it runs $3.95 for a 36 yard skein. You can also find it at The Stitching Post, where it's only $3.60 a skein. The price range is basically $3.60 - $3.95, depending on where you buy it.

Labels: embroidery resources, pictures, threads

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Sunday, October 26, 2008
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For most people, Mondays are met like the plague, but I like Mondays, and I LOVE Mondays with mail. I don't get a lot of mail, so when I do, it's rather exciting. Today, I received two little packages - one with thread, and the other with needles. What else in the world could be more appropriate, I ask you! Would you like to see?....

New Embroidery Threads to Try!

The first little package contained two types of embroidery thread, Soy Luster and Baroque Silk, from The Pure Palette.



They're Really Pretty Threads! The two purples are Soy Luster, made from (right!) soy. One is solid and the other variegated. The red is Baroque silk, which is 100% silk. It's so pretty. The picture can't do it justice!

I haven't used either thread yet, but I'm going to, and I'll write up a comparison so you can see what they're like lined up to other familiar threads. I'll also give you the low-down on the threads, where you can find them, and so forth. I can't wait to try this stuff out!

And New Needles, Too!

Now, the needles are funny. Not ha-ha funny, but peculiar funny. They're called "Spiral Eye" needles, and they're made for easy threading, because you don't have to "thread" it in the same way. I haven't tried stitching with one of them yet - or even threading them! - but I will, and when I do, I'll tell you all about them and what I think of this nifty invention. They aren't calyx needles, in case you're wondering. Here's what the Spiral Eye needle looks like:



The needle is actually very small. Close-up photos always make things look much larger than reality! I'm eager to try this and to let you know what it's like. It looks like it will be a great option for those who have a hard time keeping their needles threaded.

So that was my Monday mail! And both packages have given me plenty to do! I like testing threads and tools...

Coming Up This Week on Needle 'n Thread

Coming up this week, I'll continue with information for the very beginning beginners on beginning and ending threads. Actually, I think this kind of information is also good for those of us who have been stitching for a while. I love hearing how other people do the basics, just in case there's a better way!

I've also got a book review coming up on a unique ecclesiastical embroidery book. And speaking of books, I'm going to do a book giveaway on a nice book called Heirloom Embroidery.

I've started couching the gold around the outside of my Christmas ornament, so I'm sure I'll be able to share that with you before the end of this week! I also helped my niece set up a needlebook that she's going to embroider for her Home Ec class assignment, and it's kind of cute - bulky, but cute. She's coming over Wednesday for studio time, so I'll get photos of it then. (Hopefully, she's made progress on it!)

I have a gorgeous reader's embroidery to post for you, too, and who knows what else?

This coming weekend, I'll be helping out with my family at a local international cultural festival, so I'll be pre-writing several posts in order to fit in all the weekend events. We're doing a Welsh exhibit, and cooking for... oh.... 1,500 or so. Should be fun!

Busy week! I'm looking forward to it, and I hope you are, too!

Labels: needles, needlework tools, pictures, threads, website news

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Monday, October 20, 2008
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Continuing with the various ways you can start and end your threads in hand embroidery, this picture tutorial shows you how to use anchor stitches when embroidering a line. If you're not familiar with this method of starting threads, you might find it a bit strange, but bear with me! Read through the tutorial, and you'll see why it's useful to know how to do this.

Using this technique for starting your threads only requires you to work from the front of the fabric. You don't have to turn your fabric over to run your threads under anything, and you don't have to keep a finger on the back of your threads to make sure you're crossing over the thread on the back. This is straight-forward, front-of-the-work stuff. Knowing how to start a thread working solely from the front of your work - and still not using a knot - can be very handy...

This works best with a thicker line stitch. If you're working a very fine stem stitch line, or a back stitch line, you might prefer a regular waste knot. Still, you'd be surprised how invisible you can make these anchor stitches, even on relatively fine lines.

I'm going to be stitching this line with the heavy chain stitch.

Method of Work

Begin by placing a knot near the end of your thread. Here, I've left a tail that's unnecessarily long. You don't have to have a long tail - the closer your knot is to the end of your thread, the less thread you use. However, you do want enough of a tail after the knot to be able to pull up on your thread before you cut it.



Within an inch (or even half an inch) of your starting point, take your needle from the front to the back of your work so that the knot is on the top of your work.



Between the knot and your starting point, take one tiny backstitch. Here, because this is a loosely woven fabric, I can easily take a stitch over one thread. In a fine, tightly woven fabric, you might pass over two threads. But you're aiming for a relatively tiny back stitch, in any case - over one or two threads of the fabric, depending on the weave of the fabric.



Working away from the knot and towards your starting point, bring your needle back up to the front of the work just on the other side of the tiny backstitch.



Now take your needle down into the middle of the backstitch, splitting it. As you pull this stitch, you want to apply enough tension to sink the stitch into the first backstitch. Don't pull so hard that you distort your fabric or stitches - just enough to pull the second stitch well into the first.



Still working away from the knot and towards your starting point, bring the needle back up to the front of your work, just on the other side of your second stitch...



...and take it back down into the stitch before. Essentially, you've just made three split stitches, only you're splitting your stitches from the top, rather than from underneath.



Pull that third stitch enough to bring it down into the second. Here, you can see it's sitting up a bit.



Pull up firmly on your thread tail, and snip off the knot, right above the fabric. The thread will boing down to the other side of your fabric.



And now you're ready to stitch. Looks bulky, doesn't it? Hard to believe it can be covered and not noticeable...?



Here's the beginning of that petal, worked in heavy chain, covering up those stitches. You'd be surprised, actually, how well these anchor stitches can be covered up with a line stitch, even line stitches finer than the heavy chain. I've used this method for regular stem stitch and the anchor stitches have been invisible.

Pros of Using Anchor Stitches on a Line

1. The technique doesn't require much thread, so there's very little waste.

2. You can work solely from the front of the fabric. This is especially handy when you're working on a larger piece that's a pain to turn over.

3. It's fast - there's no turning over, running under, or anything like that. You jump straight in to stitching.

Cons of Using Anchor Stites on a Line

1. On the very finest lines, they could be visible. But ... you can make them fairly invisible with a little practice.

2. I can't think of any other ones. Can you?

Labels: beginner embroidery, embroidery tips and tricks, needlework tutorials, pictures, threads

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Sunday, September 28, 2008
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A while ago, I purchased an Anchor Fleur de Lis kit titled "Spring." It's a small square tablecloth. I thought it would be a fun, easy project for casual stitching. I started it (barely), but never got back to it. Rummaging through my boxes the other day, I came across the tablecloth, but realized that I had mixed the Anchor threads in with my other cotton threads, and had ended up using a lot of them in my summer embroidery classes.... Doesn't it figure?

Around here, I don't have access to Anchor threads, without special ordering them. But I'm not ordering any embroidery supplies for a while (my Resolution - hold me to it!). On the bright side, I do have a couple gift certificates that I've never used to Michael's and Hobby Lobby, both of which carry DMC. The question, then, is ... can I convert the required colors from Anchor to DMC?

To figure that out, I set about look for thread conversion charts. A while ago, I posted an article about thread conversion charts, but in checking those links, I've found that most of them are now defunct. The woes of relying on specific websites for needful information!

In the meantime, though, here's a good color conversion chart from Crosstitch.com. It's an Anchor-to-DMC conversion chart (or visa-versa), and the fun thing is, you can select the thread numbers, click a button, and get an image of the color as well as the corresponding DMC number.



You can select multiple color numbers by holding the control key down, and then you convert them, and get a nice chart indicating both DMC numbers and JP Coats numbers. If there isn't an exact match, they'll give multiple close matches.



One other conversion chart that I think is handy is this DMC to Soie d'Alger chart. I'm a huge fan of Soie d'Alger, so this is a great chart to have, especially for designs that call for DMC, but that you'd like to kick up a notch to silk.

And finally, the resource of resources - Needlepointers.com has a huge list of color conversion charts around the web. There are several color charts for rather obscure threads on there, and there are a few links that don't work, but it's a terrific list and a great resource to have! Add it to your favorites for future use!

Few color conversions are exactly accurate - you'll probably never get the Exact Same Color in a different brand of thread - but they're often close enough that no one would be able to tell. If, perchance, they aren't close enough for this particular project, I have absolutely no problem picking out what I've done so far and starting over. I've got about one-eighth of one side finished. No biggie.

What do you think about converting threads? Do you cross over between brands when you stitch? Do you have any good resources for thread conversion? Speak up!! Help the rest of us out! Thanks!!

Labels: embroidery resources, embroidery tips and tricks, threads

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Saturday, September 27, 2008
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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Friday, September 26, 2008
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Here's a little photo tutorial for another common way of beginning your threads when you embroider. This is a good method to use when you're going to be stitching on tighter curves, but you can also use it on straight lines, or filling, or any time you start a thread!

I call this an "Away Waste Knot," to distinguish between it and the waste knot I described earlier. "Away Waste Knot" doesn't have a very good ring, though, does it?

The Away Waste Knot: Method of Work



I'm going to stitch around that curly shape on the right. Start with your fabric up, a knot in the end of your thread, and take your needle down into your fabric from the top a few inches away from the point you intend to start stitching, so that your knot is on top of your fabric (as shown above).

Now, it will make things a whole lot easier if you take your thread down into your fabric at least three inches (and possibly more) away from your starting point. It is also wise to make sure your thread isn't crossing the design, if there are "blank" areas in the middle of the design. To eliminate any difficulty of catching your thread with your stitches after your thread has crossed over a blank area (risking visibility on the front), make sure the path between the knot and where you're starting isn't in line with your stitching.

I didn't do that, and you'll see what happens here - but it isn't a big deal on a design this small...



Well, that was easy enough, wasn't it? Stitch whatever you intended to stitch....



... and then pull up on your knot, and snip it close to the fabric. You need to pull up a bit on these knots before you clip them close to the fabric - you want the tension from pulling up on them to "boing" the thread back under the fabric for you.



This is the back of the work. You can see that I've cut the knot off, and the thread is just hanging there, waiting. It isn't stitched over (except for one tiny stitch, where it crossed over the design).



Thread the thread back onto your needle. With the limited length of your thread here, a needle threader would come in really handy.

I suppose you've probably noticed that my thread here is really too short for much manipulation with the needle. If your length of thread is longer, then at this point, you would simply take your threaded needle, and, passing under the back of the stitches, you'd wrap your threads on the back of the stitches to secure them.

I don't like using a super long length of thread with this type of knot. Well - I take that back - it depends on the thread. But if I'm working with a more expensive thread, or a specialty thread that I don't have much of, I don't want to waste a lot of it.

But, if the thread is too short, you're not going to be able to manipulate your needle... and you won't be able to wrap around the back threads. So what do you do? I have two different approaches.



The first approach is to take the needle eye first through the back of the stitches. But this can be really incovenient, because it means you have to un-thread and re-thread in order to move your needle around.

So, in comes the tool....



I use a tiny crochet hook that I keep in my tool box, just for this. It's a #12, so it's small enough to slide under (hook face down) behind the back threads, grap the thread, and pull it through beneath the stitches. You can very quickly pass your short thread underneath 5 or 6 stitches with ease this way.

They make tools for this, too - specialty tools. But I crochet hook will cost about a dollar, and it comes in handy for lots of little things, so it's nice to have one on hand. The disadvantage of the crochet hook is that it graduates in size up the handle, so it isn't suitable for passing under a long row of stitches. But it works great for passing behind one or two stitches.

Ok, so, last step: Trim up the little tails of your threads to neaten.

Pros of the Away Waste Knot:

1. It's easy. You don't have to mess with anchoring the beginning thread right away, so you can launch straight into stitching. You also don't have to worry about crossing over the thread as you stitch, as with the regular waste knot.
2. It is a good way to secure threads neatly, after you're finished stitching with that thread.
3. It works great when you're stitching something on a tight curve, where a regular waste knot wouldn't work.

Cons of the Away Waste Knot:

1. It can make you a lazy stitcher. I do know people who riddle their work with these kinds of knots, planning to cut them at the end. Unfortunately, in the meantime, they've stitched over the crossing threads on the back.... and over them again... and so forth, until the back of the work is a mess. I think, in their eagerness to keep stitching, they don't stop to think that, at the end, they're going to have to take probably even more time to finish off threads, since they have a clean-up job to do, too. It's just better not to be lazy about starting and ending threads correctly. You'll be much happier with the finished results of your work if you take the time to run your threads under with each thread, or at least with each section or motif of a larger work.

2. It can be very wasteful! It uses up more thread than most methods of starting your threads. If you want to use this waste knot the easy way, you'd allow yourself a minimum of three inches (and really, for ease, probably more like four) to work with at the end. Considering there are ways of starting a thread that take up less than an inch of thread, this approach comes off as pretty wasteful. Now, if you're working with a thread that's inexpensive and readily available, and in fact you have a surplus of it yourself, it's not a big deal. But when you're working with a thread that costs $3 - $5 (or more!).... well. Three or four extra inches every time you start a thread can really add up!

3. It can be inconvenient if the knot is not far enough away. If you don't have a tool to pull that thread under, it can be a regular pain in the neck. You could use the eye of your needle just to "scrape" the thread under if you had to, but that really is a pain, and you can distort your stitches on the front, doing so.

But, though the cons seem to outweigh the pros, the away waste knot has its place and can be quite convenient to use. So ... try it! See what you think! And let me know how you liked it, if you do give it a try!

You can find more ways of starting and ending your threads under Tips and Tricks for Hand Embroidery, in the article titled Starting and Ending Threads.

Labels: beginner embroidery, embroidery tips and tricks, needlework tutorials, pictures, threads

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Thursday, September 25, 2008
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I don't usually gush on about good days, bad days, and the like. Pretty much, I have relatively even days - but today was a banner day, for a number of reasons, and I'd like to tell you about one reason and show you the other!

First, the telling:

You know my embroidery stash contests and book give-aways? Well, I recently fell behind on mailing. So, if you are waiting for something in the mail from Needle 'n Thread, guess what? It's finally on its way! Our post office has strange hours. It is never open when I'm not at work. But today I was off early, so ... I finally made it! I was one of those last-ten-minutes-of-the-day customers with-lots-of-packages-to-mail, all of which had to be fit-into-the-right-sized-mailer and then addressed-at-the-counter, after which I had to fill out customs forms. Oh boy. I kind of felt bad. But if they would change their hours.....!!!!! However, in a spirit of great congeniality, I chatted with the lady behind the counter, and all got safely posted. I feel as if the burden of the world has been lifted from my shoulders (a slight exaggeration, but it is nice to have that off my mind!)

And the showing:

The day after I went thread shopping for the first time in eons, I placed an order for some threads, and today, they arrived! Now, you may be thinking that's a heck of a long time to await an order, but in all fairness, most of the order was made up of special orders. So once they were all in, Needle in a Haystack sent the order out in good time, and here is what will be my Last Purchase of Embroidery Goods for a Very Long Time.

And because of that, I shall revel and rejoice and enjoy my socks off with this shipment of goods. So let me show you what came today that has me all Giddy with Excitement.



This is the whole shipment. Ok, ok. So it doesn't look that thrilling. Well, let's look individually at the items, and see what they all mean.



This is a heap of white thread. Cordonnet and Cebelia in a vast variety of sizes, along with several sizes of coton a broder. For whitework? Well, some of it, yes. For needlelace? Well, yes, some of it. For filet lace? Oh, yes. That's the exciting part. I'm going to rope my dear mother into following through on her initial interest in "perhaps trying" filet guipure. And since I have the threads - and I have a goodly supply of netting of the knotted and unknotted variety - she will just have to succumb.

Needlework in the company of others is always fun, I think, don't you? So I'm looking forward to that. We'll probably argue quite a bit. I can't wait!!



Then there are these few new threads to try, which I will tell you more about later, after I try them. I don't want to horn-honk on any thread until I try it, but I sure do like the colors! Behind the thread, you see - yes - Q-snaps. I have succumbed to peer pressure here. Generally, I like wood. I know people out there may think that's really rather narrow-minded, but I like wood frames, wood hoops (the good ones), wood slate frames, wood stretcher bars, wood scroll frames... wood. Using plastic for tension does not tickle me. BUT - peer pressure won. So many people have recommended and raved over Q-snaps that I decided to give a set a try. I'll try them and let you know what I think of them. I don't want to offend anyone, but the truth is, if I don't like them... I'll probably say so! But that sounds so negative. As Alfred P. Doolittle would say, I'm willing to try them. I'm wanting to try them. I'm waiting to try them.



And then... aaaaaah.... see that pile of blue? That, my friends, is a pile of blue Impressions, for the background of the Pelican. I ordered larger hanks, all the same dye lot. And once my current goldwork project is finished, I launch into the Pelican for a good bit. Joey - if you're reading - no, I haven't tried them yet, but I will soon!



And finally, this is the Needle in a Haystack Stitching Has Its Rewards card. Oh, golly. How long have I been ordering from them, and I never knew about this? I finally started reading their newsletters and blog, and low and behold... I got a card. This means that I can build up rewards points that equal cash off my next order. Unfortunately, I won't be placing another order for a while. But hey. Some day I will. And gosh, I just feel really good about being an official card-carrying stitcher.

So that was my banner day.

It was un-banner day in the fact that I didn't get a post published this morning (sorry), and I didn't get the write-up finished about my concept of long-and-short stitch lessons, and I didn't get the face transferred. But I did dig out this:



It's my flesh tone package of Soie d'Alger. Did you know you can order a whole set of only-flesh-tones of Soie d'Alger? I've had these for two years. I'm finally going to use them!

Thank you all for your good advice on the face. I will take each bit of advice and try it out, and let you know what actually ended up working out best!

I hope your Monday was a banner day, too! See you tomorrow!

Labels: embroidery resources, needlework products, pictures, supplies, threads

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Monday, September 22, 2008
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You already know I have an inordinate love for threads - I think I should probably see someone about that - but you might not know that I am especially infatuated with gold (real metal) threads. Today, thanks to JoWynn's generosity, I'm going to show you some upclose photos of Sadi thread.

I haven't had a chance to actually work with these threads, although I have handled them, examined them, stretched some a bit, and lined them up next to other gold threads in my stash.

Sadi threads are metal threads that are very much like some of the European goldwork threads. Specifically, the Sadi threads available on the market now are similar to smooth purl, check purl, and pearl purl.

If you aren't familiar with metal threads, there are two really good sources of information out there that will help you distinguish types of metal thread: Tanja Berlin's metal thread glossary, and the Benton & Johnson website.

So let's take a look at the Sadi threads available. These are distributed by Rajmahal, out of Australia, who also produce Rajmahal Art Silk, which is a thread made up of silk and viscose.



Rajmahal produces several types of Sadi threads. We're looking at their check, smooth, and pearl. The threads come (from what I can tell) in only two sizes, fine and broad.



This is a pile of fine check - you get this much in one of those little cannisters. It's quite a bit of metal thread!



And this is broad check. The broad and the fine are actually both the same color - the camera picked them up differently. The stuff certainly sparkles!



You can see here the two sizes side by side. If you're familiar with European metal threads, this thread would be somewhat like check purl, but not exactly like it. The shape of the metal thread is definitely different, but the effect achieved in stitching would be similar.



These are the two side by side in a heap - when you purchase the threads in the pre-packaged cannisters, you receive less, length-wise, of the broad check.



Like similar European metal threads, Sadi threads are hollow in the middle. To use them, you cut them and pass your needle and thread through the center and sew the gold on as you would a bead. Notice the shape of the hollow tube - it's five-sided, and the points alternate with each layer of the metal



Here, I've placed a piece of European check purl in front of the Sadi thread, so you can see the difference in the way the thread is twisted. The Sadi is much more like a straight tube, which the European metal thread twists around.



Here, I've stretched out both threads so that you can see the shape and twist.



Sadi is also available in smooth (purl), which is much like the European smooth purl, although I think the wraps are a little more visible on the Sadi thread than on the European thread. Smooth purl is like a closely wound spring, and, when you hold a quantity in your hand, it is limp and kind of "wormy." It's neat stuff!



Like the check Sadi, the smooth said comes in two sizes - the photo above is broad smooth Sadi, and the one above that is fine smooth Sadi.



You can see them both side by side here - the broad is really fat and worm-like!



Like the check Sadi and purl above, the smooth is a hollow tube that you cut and sew on as you would a bead, though it is much more flexible than a bead!



In fact, you can see how flexible it is here - this came out of the cannister this way!



And finally, here's the pearl Sadi. This thread is a whole lot stiffer than the other two. Pearl is used as an outline, normally, and it has a "beaded" or bumpy look to it, unlike smooth purl.



When you stretch it out, it looks like a telephone cord. (Do they make telephones with cords anymore?)

The pearl Sadi is a different color, compared to the other two threads, which surprised me. It's really yellow, as opposed to gold-metal-looking.

So those are the three types of Sadi thread similar to European check purl, smooth purl, and pearl purl.

Here are some of the differences I noticed between the Sadi and the European metal threads I've worked with:

1. There are only two sizes of each type. With the European threads, a whole range of sizes is generally available within each type.

2. The check Sadi seems to me to be much lighter than the European check purl in weight. I think this definitely has to do with the way it is twisted. I think there's more metal used in the European, and the Sadi has a much larger "hollow" in the middle of it.

3. The Sadi threads vary a bit in color among themselves, so I don't think they're all made out of the same materials. The smooth and check are pretty close in color, but the pearl is not. I don't know what the gold content is in the Sadi threads, or if they actually have any gold in them. The label does warn that they tarnish (as do European real gold threads), but the tarnish can come from a silver base, or even from some other metal. So I don't know what they are precisely made of, and neither the label nor the Rajmahal website clarify this.

4. The Sadi threads work the same way that similar European metal threads would work. Although you might be limited in what you do with them because of size availability, they are slightly less expensive than European metal threads (even less expensive than gilt as opposed to 2% gold), so it seems to me that they would make very good practice thread, if you want to try goldwork.

I was really happy to be able to look at these threads up-close (thanks, JoWynn!). I would like to stitch with them a bit before I offer any firm opinion on whether I like them, or to what degree I like them compared to the gold threads I'm used to.

But I do know this - if you want to give goldwork and metal thread embroidery a try, you couldn't go wrong practicing with the Sadi thread.

Where can you find Sadi threads? Here are some sources online:

In the US:

JDR Brazilian Elegance. Located in North Dakota. Though I haven't ordered from them personally, this is where my threads came from, and it seems that they are very nice and efficient, with good service. Each cannister is $6.50. A cannister of broad Sadi has 1.5 meters in it, and a cannister of fine Sadi has 3 meters in it. They also carry variety pack cannisters, so you can try the different types of threads.

Erica's. Located in Indiana. This is primarily a machine-oriented sewing / embroidery center, but they do carry some hand embroidery supplies, including the Rajmahal Sadi threads, at $5.90 a tube. I've ordered once from Erica's (two books) and received ok service, but it didn't remind me of the "local needlework shop" experience.

In New Zealand, there's a shop called Eastern Threads that looks as if it carries a pretty wide range of Sadi threads. I don't think they're made by Rajmahal - they have a wider range of colors and it seems they also have a "medium" size available.

If you've had any experience with these threads, or know of other resources, I'd love to hear about it!

Whew! That was a long one. On a personal note, things improve daily, slowly but surely... thank you again for your on-going encouragement and kind words.

Labels: embroidery resources, goldwork, pictures, threads

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Wednesday, September 03, 2008
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You'd think that, in my endeavor to reduce my embroidery stash by giving little snippets away each month in my "stash contests," I'd refrain from adding anything else to it, right? Last week I went shopping.

And I bought THREADS!! Whoooohooooooo!

But I don't consider them stash. I'll tell you why...

I define stash - needlework stash, fabric stash, crafting stash - any kind of "stash" - as those supplies that build up from years of collecting because Someday I will use them.

Stash is essential to serious hobbyists who indulge frequently in their hobbies. Stash can be a source of inspiration; it can also be a source of innumerable headaches.

"Where do I store all this?!"

"I'm running out of space!!"

"I've got to Get Organized!!!"

I bet you know what I'm talking about!

Stash is build up. It is stuff we buy that we don't need "right now," (but we might some day). It's that new silk on the market we just want to try. It's the book that catches our fancy that we might work a project from [later]. It's that gorgeous piece of fabric that would be perfect for _______ (when I get around to it). It's that little accessory that isn't entirely necessary, but gosh, wouldn't it be nice to have? It's also that leftover thread from that little project... you know, the one where you bought enough thread to wrap around Texas, just in case they ran out of that dye lot?

Stash, I think, makes the hobbyist feel secure. Isn't there a certain sense of ownership when you think of your stash? And don't you like the idea of knowing that, at a moment's notice, you can pull out something that will give you the delight of creativity in the midst of the travails of everyday life?



Oooh. Loooooook. Threeeeaaaad.

I went shopping on Saturday and I bought some threads. The bulk of these threads are not stash - they are for immediate use on a current project, and it is likely that there won't be any leftovers to add to the growing mountains in my cupboards. So you can't have any of these threads! ... yet.

When I thread shop, I'm at a huge disadvantage, and I think a lot of readers have this same problem. For specialty embroidery supplies, most of my shopping is done online. I can't see the threads or feel the fabric. Colors are rarely accurate when seen through a monitor. Thread weight, size, twist, sheen - these are things you can't determine while sitting at your desk staring at a screen. So when I do venture the two hours one way to the closest needlework shop, I take my time and sort out threads, matching them to my fabrics and project design. But I also end up buying threads that I "hope" are what I want for the project at hand, because at least with these threads, I've felt them.



The time I spend in the shop may get annoying for shop owners (I would hope not, because I also spend a lot of money in their shops!), but it is really important to me in those circumstances to spend the time well, to make sure I get what I need, and not to feel pressured into buying the wrong stuff.



Sometimes, I buy one color of two different types of threads (like I did with the blue you see above). I take both home and try the different choices, actually stitching them on my project or on a scrap. I pick the one I like best and then I place the order online....

And that brings me back to stash. Guess where the thread that didn't work ends up?

Eventually, I will show you this project. I think there's only one person out there in Needlework Land who could guess exactly what project these threads are for - and I don't know if she's reading this!

Oh, yes. Before I forget. I did buy some other stuff. You know, they had this silk I just had to try.... and one of those pretty magnets that I just knew I'd use... someday. Oh, and that Ever-tite frame. Not the one for any particular project - you know, the one for just in case?

Labels: canvas stitches, needlepoint, pictures, silk, threads, wool

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Thursday, August 28, 2008
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If you embroider, chances are you're familiar with stranded cotton, which is probably the most popularly used cotton embroidery floss (or thread). Next popular is likely to be perle (or pearl) cotton. These two cotton threads are widely available, so most stitchers are familiar with them. But there are other cotton embroidery threads out there! Here are two that I like - floche and Danish flower thread.

I've talked a bit about floche before, and have already written up a comparison between floche, perle cotton, and stranded cotton. This time, I'm throwing Danish flower thread into the mix.

First, let's take a look at the two types of threads in pictures...



Above, a pile of floche....



... and here's a (smaller) pile of Danish flower thread.



And here are the two together. Right off, you can see a difference between the two threads. The Danish flower thread is in the foreground. Notice that that there's no real sheen on it like there is on the floche.

Floche is mercerized cotton, so it has a nice shine to it. Danish flower thread is matte cotton, so there's no shine to it.



There are two similar blues as far as colors go - but they look distinctly different, for two reasons. One is the sheen from the mercerization on the floche. The other is the twist of the individual thread. If you look at the floche, in this picture you can see that the individual threads (each ply that makes up the strand) are not too tightly twisted. On the Danish flower thread, the plies are twisted relatively tight, compared to the plies on the floche. The twist definitely has a lot to do with the reflection of light on a thread, so it isn't just the shine of the mercerization that makes floche and flower thread different.

But twist and finish (matte vs. mercerized) aren't the only differences in the two threads.



Here, I've lined the two threads up next to a #8 pearl cotton. Actually, a #12 would have been closer in size - but I only have white in #12, and it didn't show up as well.

If you look at the construction of the threads, you can see that the pearl and the flower thread look alike, but the floche looks a lot smoother. This is because the pearl and the flower thread are only two plies twisted relatively tightly, while the floche is five plies, and the twists that hold the plies together are much longer than the twists on the other two threads. I'm sure there's a technical name to the length of a twist... but... I don't know it!



I stitched two petals on a flower on a tea towel, each with a different thread.



Now, to test your attention span and observation skills so far, here's the quiz:

Which petal is floche, and which is flower thread?

If you said the top one is the flower thread, you're right. When you see them side-by-side, it's really easy to tell the difference between the two threads. Besides the obvious sheen on the floche, it is a "softer" looking thread.

Danish flower thread is a non-divisible thread (that means you don't separate it into smaller threads to work with), equal to about 2 to 3 strands of regular stranded cotton. As mentioned before, it's not mercerized, so it's got a matte finish, which makes it look, in a sense, "dull." To me, it almost feels like crewel wool, but with a tighter twist and not as much "fuzz." It feels sort of dry, if that makes any sense! Flower thread has been around for a while - the original Danish thread was produced in the early 1900's, when the thread was dyed to mimic plant dyed threads used in Scandinavian needlework. DMC eventually picked up the idea, and produces a flower thread as well, but the "original dyed" flower thread is Danish flower thread.

You may wonder what Danish flower thread is used for - why would a matte finish thread be popular enough that DMC would decide to produce a line of it, for example? The matte threads are wonderful for creating the look of historical embroidery - if you want a really old look to your work (if you're creating an historical sampler, for example), Danish flower thread is great for that.

Also, the contrast you can achieve in stitching with a matte finish thread now and then adds interest to a project. Imagine if you're stitching on a crazy quilt seam, for example, and you're using a fabric with a high sheen to it. A matte finish thread would stand out well on it. Think Mountmellick embroidery - it's the same concept. The contrast between the matte threads and the cotton sateen is characteristic of Mountmellick embroidery, and really very beautiful.

So there's yet another cotton thread to consider giving a try! You can find the original Danish flower thread through Hedgehog Handworks, where it's $1.20 per 21-ish-yard skein. I also get my floche through Hedgehog. It's beautiful stuff, isn't it?

Well, stay tuned this week - the August stash contest will feature both of these threads, along with... oh, a really good book!

Labels: danish flower thread, floche, pictures, threads

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Monday, August 18, 2008
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After finishing the whitework on the linen pouch, and doing whitework monograms on the embroidered guest towels this summer, I decided it was time to dig out something colorful to embroider! Better yet, something colorful that was already set up...

So, I took out "Breath of Spring," a project from Country Bumpkin's Inspirations Magazine, issue #56. I mentioned this particular project previously, when I was planning to finish it as a gift. But, you know, time just got away from me! So I've picked it up now, to (hopefully) finish relatively soon (boy, doesn't that sound non-commital!!??)



There are lots of things I like about this project!! For one thing, it's Colorful. Some of threads, when seen in isolation, might not strike you as Super Colorful, but when taken as a whole project, the colors are pretty varied, and very pretty!

Another thing I like is that the project employs a variety of stitches, so you never really get bored doing the same old stitch over and over again.

Finally, each separate element in the design is small enough to handle in one sitting, more or less. And once I near the completion of one little element, the excitement builds to move on to the next!

Overall, the piece is easy enough - I'd think any moderately advanced beginner could work it, as long as you had a good stitch dictionary (although I think the stitches are covered in the issue of the magazine...) But there are no really "advanced" techniques - the hardest stitch in it is the bullion knot. But this isn't to say I'm not learning anything as I work the project, because I am! Let me show you some close ups here, and tell you a couple things I've learned along the way.



This is the left side of the piece - the bell-shaped flowers are supposed to be foxglove. The butterfly is a duplicate of one on the right side of the piece. I like the one on the right side Much Better. Now, you might wonder how that could be, if they are duplicates...



This is the one on the left side (seen in the photo above). It's the second of these twin butterflies that I worked. I followed the directions on this one to the "T" - and I used 4 strands of floss on the bullion body and French knot head. For the most part, the whole design is worked in one strand of cotton. But this butterfly's bullion body called for 4 strands.



On the first one I worked, I didn't think 4 strands was quite the thing, so I worked the bullion in one strand - and I tapered the end, down to a longer straight stitch. As far as butterflies go, I think this one looks quite a bit more delicate and butterfly-ish. The one above (on the left side of the design) looks chunky and bulky and thick. I may go back and alter that, but I'm not sure if I dislike it that much!



The parts of the piece that catch the eye first, I think, are the buttercups. They're two shades of yellow.



They're worked in a closed buttonhole on the outside of the petal, and then long-and-short-stitch filling, to add the darker shading in the middle.



I like the side-view buttercups, too. There's just something about bright yellow flowers that's so cheeeeeery.



Ok, I love the lady bugs. But I really flubbed this one up! I'm definitely going to take out the French knots and re-work them. I have no excuse - just sloppy stitching at that point. Three of them look all cock-eyed and silly. I'll take those out and re-work them.

The ladybug bodies are stitched in closely worked fly stitch, which forms a seam down the body between the wings. I like that! Clever thinking on the designers part, methinks. The little head is just a few satin stitches.



I'm a little confused about these fellows.



And the more I work of them, the more confused I get. I like them.... but on the instructions, they are listed as "white flowers," and I checked and double-checked my labeling on my threads to see if I made a mistake. They aren't really what I'd call "white flowers"! I think the colors are pretty. But they sure aren't white. They remind me of baby shower butter mints.



And finally, worked here and there among the flowers are these clusters of forget-me-knots. I jumped in to work a few, so I could see how the blue sets things off. I like them! They'll have a little French knot in the middle of them when they're finished.

I'm really enjoying working this piece! The only drawback I've encountered so far is some of the thread used in it. I purchased this as a kit from Country Bumpkin, so all the threads came with it, although they did make some substitutions for threads they didn't have on hand. The substitutions were ok, and I have no problem with tje idea of substitutions at all. But I didn't like some of the threads in the kit, which is unusual.

This piece calls for some over-dyed threads from House of Embroidery (of South Africa). I have never used their silks (they hand-dye silk and cotton), but I'm not very impressed with their cottons! I love the colors - they're really nice. But the thread itself - a 6-stranded embroidery cotton - pills, snags, frays, and knots a lot. After using about a 16 inch length, I finally cut back to 12 inch lengths, because the thread was just falling apart. Strangely enough, though, not every color did so. The foxgloves (the bell flowers on the left) didn't, but they were worked in larger stitches, and not small stitches that required a lot of passing through the fabric, so perhaps this made the difference. But the the thread used on the wheat and the grasses definitely did. I don't like cotton threads that pill up and shred apart. But maybe I'm just being picky?

I'd love to know if anyone else has used this particular brand of thread, and if so, if you've had similar experiences - or if maybe I'm just doing something wrong. I switched to a larger needle, too, so that there wasn't as much contact between the fabric and the thread. That helped a little bit, but not much.

So that's my colorful project right now. I've got it set up on a stretcher bar frame, and I'm using my Needlework System4 floor stand. When I have time after work, it's all there, just waiting... a perfect palette of colored embroidery bliss! Ahhhhh......

I have two more projects I'm dying to set up before Labor Day weekend, so that I have projects to work on during the first semester of the school year without having to set aside large chunks of time for design and set-up work. So ... here's hoping! I'll keep you posted!

Enjoy the rest of the weekend!

Labels: Breath of Spring, Embroidery Projects, Inspirations Magazine, needlework pictures, pictures, threads

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Sunday, August 17, 2008
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After writing some time back about floche, a 5-ply non-divisible cotton embroidery thread, I received a lot of inquiries about it: What is it? What's it used for? How's it different from other embroidery thread? and so forth. So, using a few photos, I thought I'd draw some comparisons between some commonly known cotton embroidery threads and floche.

For the sake of comparison, I selected two relatively common cotton embroidery threads - DMC stranded cotton and DMC Perle Cotton #5. The floche in the photos is also DMC (imported, I believe, from France).



First of all, the terminology: a "ply" is part of a "strand" - the plies twist together to make the strand. So when you look at your regular DMC stranded cotton that you buy locally (the green floss above), you will have 6 "strands" that you separate to use. Each one of those strands is relatively small, and it is made up of two "plies" that are twisted together to form the thread that you embroider with. "Non-divisible" means that you normally don't separate the thread into strands to use it, so perle cotton, for example, comes straight off the skien as it is, you cut the length you want, and start stitching with it.



Looking at the familiar DMC stranded cotton first, you'll notice the 6 strands there, and, if you look closely, you can see the distinct twist of the two plies that make up the strand. That's important - the two plies are very visible, and, small as they are when you're looking at one strand of cotton, they make a difference in what your thread looks like on your embroidery projects. There's texture there - more so than in the floche, discussed below. Notice, too, that the twist on the plies is not as tight as it is on the perle cotton in the photo below.
The texture from the plies twisting together make a difference in the way your project looks - not just because of the "texture" (as we think of it - rough or smooth, etc.) but also because of the way the light plays off the thread.



Here's #5 perle cotton. You can distinctly see the two plies twisting tightly together. They look more like a cord than the twisted plies in the stranded cotton above. Like the stranded cotton, there's a texture in the overall thread - the bumps formed by the twist of the plies. You don't normally think of it, but it is one of the features that distinguishes this thread from, for example, floche. The light reflects off those bumps, and you see them pretty clearly.



Here's the floche close up. The plies are a little harder to see, aren't they? The twist is a little looser than the perle cotton, certainly, and the long twist and the number of plies (5) make the thread a lot smoother looking. You don't see as clearly the individual "bumps" from the plies. Now, on a close-up photo like this, it looks like floche is a really fuzzy, hairy kind of thread. It's actually a very smooth thread.

Size-wise, floche is larger than a single strand of DMC, but not nearly as large as the #5 perle cotton - it's somewhere in the middle between the two. Floche is a mercerized cotton (just like the stranded cotton and the perle, which means it's been chemically treated to give it a shine), but it doesn't look as shiny as the perle cotton, and in a finished project, it tends to give a kind of subtle "gleam" - more so than the stranded cotton.

Now, what can you use floche for? Well, what can't you use it for? If you can embroider something with two or three strands of stranded cotton, you can probably embroider it with floche! One strand of floche is equivalent to about 2 strands of DMC stranded cotton. Floche, I think, gives better coverage and a smoother finish. It isn't always desireable to use, though. For example, I wouldn't use it in something like my needlepainted bird or iris - the detail would not be the same at all. But I would use it on monograms, and I'd use it on embroidered baby clothing or for smocking. I would use it in whitework (though I prefer the coton a broder - which is kind of like 4-ply floche - for whitework), and I'd definitely use it in projects that call for satin stitching (floche works up wonderfully in satin stitch) in cotton. And I'd use it for long-and-short stitch work in bolder designs, for the fun of it. I think it would be wonderful in crazy quilting - it works up very nicely in all kinds of stitches. So the possibilities, really, are only limited to your stitching imagination!

Where can you find floche? I order mine through Hedgehog Handworks. You won't find it at your local chain craft store. I like the options on the floche at Hedgehog. A large hank of floche (168 yards) costs $5.25 right now, but you can buy smaller "sample" skeins that are 32 yards total, made up of 21 strands that are 55" each, and these smaller twists are $1.25, which I think is a reasonable cost for trying out the threads. And the colors - oh, the colors are beautiful!

So there's a little bit about floche, compared to some more familiar cotton threads. I hope it helps you know what it is, and maybe encourages you to give a new thread a try, if you haven't used it before!

If you use floche, what do YOU use it for? And where do you buy it? It's always nice to have options on prices and ordering - so if you know of a source, don't hesitate to share it with us!

Labels: embroidery resources, pictures, threads

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Thursday, July 24, 2008
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Well, if you liked the first 8 colors of the Gilt Sylke Twist imported by Access Commodities, through the efforts of the folks at Plimoth Plantation, you're bound to be just as thrilled as I am about the new colors out!

I am so HAPPY to see the three new colors of GST that have been released and are now available to the public. The colors are Lincolne Green, Sable, and Black.



I love the bright green - and the sable is a deep dark brown, which looks lovely. Black, of course, is black - but with the gold!! Imagine how this could be incorporated into surface blackwork! Oh gosh. I am just in love with these threads, and these new colors are G-R-E-A-T. I think the two greens out so far will mix well together, too. Just think - leaves, stems... aaah. What bliss!

So - where can you get them? Well, Joady from Hedgehog Handworks e-mailed me earlier, to let me know they had them coming in. All three new colors are up on their website, but it looks like the sable is temporarily out of stock. Of all the online stores I've found so far carrying this thread, Hedgehog is the least expensive. They charge $19.80 / spool. You can find Gilt Sylke Twist online at other spots, though, too - like Needle in a Haystack, where it runs $22 / spool. It looks as if they don't have the new colors, though. Both stores provide excellent service and quick shipping.

I'm pretty excited to see the color options expanding on this gorgeous thread, and I hope to see the growth in selections continue!

Labels: Gilt Sylke Twist, goldwork, historical needlework, supplies, threads

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Tuesday, July 15, 2008
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I love receiving mail - you know, the kind that really comes in the mailbox! It's always a thrill to come home from work to find something waiting, and yesterday, I received some embroidery threads! Well, combine the whole notion of Real Live Mail with Embroidery Threads, and you can imagine how delighted I was!

Paula Hewitt sent me along a wonderful little card of samples of embroidery threads. They included threads manufactured by Colourstreams, Cascade House, and EdMar. And they're all gorgeous! Thank you, Paula!



The first thing that struck me about the Colourstreams was - strangely enough! - the colors! They are really beautiful, vibrant colors!



All the threads on the left side of the card are by Colourstreams. They have names like seascape, Marrakesh, water nymph, Monet, faded rose, nasturtium, verde, and meadow - and all the names fit!



Water nymph, for example, features tones of stunning ocean blues.



Some of the Cascade House threads are stranded silks. The stranded silks remind of YLI embroidery floss in size and twist. They are soft, with a nice sheen. There's also a Lamé silk - it's a pearl silk with a small filament of gold running through it.

The EdMar threads are a twisted rayon used often for Brazilian embroidery, but suitable for other methods as well. They have a nice sheen to them, and are characterized by the "boingy-ness" of rayon.

Colourstreams and Cascade House are produced in Australia. While Colourstreams has a few US distributors listed, Cascade House seems to be sold solely in Australia.

I haven't stitched with any of the threads yet, but I'm excited to try them! It's true, and you all know it, so I'm not ashamed to proclaim it - I have an infatuation with fibers. One of my upcoming Big Projects is to work up some photo comparisons of different threads, similar to my comparison of twisted silks and flat silks. However, one thing I'm going to do first is procure a better set-up for photographing threads up-close. I also want to provide stitch samples using the threads I compare.

I think it's nice to see a thread before buying it - and to get opinions on how well it stitches up. But really, when it gets down to it, the touch is always the sell point for me!

Thanks again, Paula, for feeding my "fiber infatuation"!

I'll keep you all posted on what I do with these! In the meantime, I hope to have some serious needle 'n thread time this evening, so I can give you an update on my current projects - a couple underway, and the initial stages of a big needlework project with a short deadline.

Labels: embroidery resources, pictures, silk, threads

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Wednesday, May 28, 2008
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The Kreinik website offers several free hand embroidery projects, but the most interesting one - and the most detailed - is a little stumpwork bird pattern by Jean Fletcher. Guess what I like about it?

Well, besides the fact that it's stumpwork, it features a bird! And I'm really fond of birds. Besides the bird, though, there are very pretty blue flowers - what more could you want?!



When I first saw the pattern, I was, admittedly, a little distressed by the bird itself, as it wasn't familiar to me and I didn't much like the colors. But then I looked up the crimson chat, a bird native to Australia, and it grew on me! It's a great little bird!

This stumpwork freebie includes a full list of supplies, and detailed instructions for the Crimson Chat in PDF format.

The project features Kreinik's Silk Mori, a thread that I haven't actually used. I was turned off Kreinik silk a while ago, when there was some kind of strange cuffuffle in the Soie d'Alger line from Au Ver a Soie - about six years ago, the Soie d'Alger was sold with a Kreinik lable. The Kreinik threads did not match the Soie d'Alger color-wise (just slightly off) and they seemed stiffer and duller to me. So I gave Kreinik a miss for a while.

However, I've heard very good things about this thread from other stitchers and have added it to my "List of Threads to Try This Year."

If you've wanted to try stumpwork, this is an inexpensive way to venture into it: there's no kit fee. I suppose that you could substitute threads in your stash - which would be an economical way to experiment.

Enjoy!

Labels: free embroidery patterns, stumpwork, threads

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Sunday, May 25, 2008
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In one of my embroidery stash give-aways, I asked readers what their favorite embroidery thread is. The majority said they use DMC because of the good color range and the availability. DMC makes good quality threads, and they actually produce more than just the 6-stranded floss that's so widely available.

For example, have you ever tried DMC floche? Floche is a non-divisible, long-staple, 5-ply cotton thread with a beautiful sheen. It's used for all kinds of applications, especially cutwork and surface work where heavy coverage is desired. It's the same thing as coton a broder (sometimes it's called floche a broder or cotton floche or floche coton a broder... ), except that you can usually special order coton a broder in a variety of sizes, all the way up to 40 (the finest). Coton a broder in other sizes than 16 usually comes in white or ecru. Floche comes in a good range of colors. If you want to see a really lovely example of a piece stitched with floche, check out Jeanne's post with her completed soft shading project on Just String. The project was worked with floche!



These buttonhole flowers were also worked with floche. Although floche is technically non-divisible (meaning you use the whole thread, you don't strip it into separate smaller strands like you do with regular stranded embroidery floss), with care, you can actually divide the plies, then blend them with another divided strand. Check out the pansies in the photo below. You can see a kind of creamy yellow blended in with the purple if you look closely!



Floche and regular stranded cotton are standard threads in my stash, and I use DMC stranded cotton pretty regularly. When I teach children's embroidery in the summers, I use DMC stranded cotton solely, because of its easy availability, its affordability, and the wide range of colors. With the kids, I also use DMC perle cottons (especially #5) regularly, since the thicker, non-divisible thread is easier for children to work with.

Finally, though, the news: DMC is coming out with a new thread, and I'm looking forward to trying it! It sounds enticing! It's a new specialty thread called Satin Floss, and it's supposed to be a nice smooth thread with a nice sheen. They're producing a 36-color palette, and the colors are nice! The thread is 100% rayon, but it doesn't look like the finicky rayon - it looks a bit more substantial. I haven't tried it yet, but I'm hoping to soon - at which time, I'll review it and give you some comparisons.

DMC is a tried-and-true embroidery company. It seems they're trying to "come of age" with embroiderers today by offering some more trendy projects and so forth to their repertoire. You can see some of these in local craft stores: the Linea projects that were popular a couple years ago, and other clothing / accessory embellishment projects. I'm rather more keen on the "old country" (France) DMC offerings! For example, I'd like to see certain threads become more widely available or easier to order here in the US - like the floche, which can only be found through some specialty shops.

Hedgehog Handworks is a good source for floche. You can order two different sized hanks from them, which is nice: a 32-yard twists made up of 21 strands 55" long ($1.25 each) or the standard 168-yard hank ($5.25 each).

DMC has a good website here in the US - DMC Creative World - which, from what I've heard, will be expanding with more informational and instructional items. I'm hoping to see more of their products on their DMC shopping pages some day, too, especially their specialty threads.

Labels: beginner embroidery, embroidery resources, pictures, threads

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Friday, April 25, 2008
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One of my goals this weekend was to sit down with the new Gilt Sylke Twist and try it out with different embroidery stitches. I didn't get very far, but at least I started!

First, I mused about what to embroider. I didn't want to work random stitches. The thread is a bit dear to use on random stitching. But then, I didn't want to spend a lot of time thinking up or sketching out a design, either. I just wanted to get to the stitching!

I had a piece of good linen already framed up that I was "trying" a different failed experiment on (more on that later), so I salvaged a corner of that, took a pencil, and drew whatever came to mind straight on the linen.



There's nothing too naturally accurate here - stylized leaves, an attempt at some sort of blossom, and a strawberry. Spring must be coming - I've had strawberries on my mind lately!

My plan was to embroider the strawberry in red GST, in satin stitch, with a lattice over it in pink GST. That's still my plan. I just didn't do the strawberry first, but I'm thinking I should have.



To get familiar with the GST, I thought I'd stitch a line of stem stitch. I began with a #7 hand-made Japanese needle, but I think it was too small. I switched to a #10, which seems a little big, especially when working the stitches in the picture below. But it was ok for the stem stitch.

You can see that the stem stitch is a bit on the wobbly looking side. It took me a bit to get used to the thread. It's quite stiff. I should have been a little more careful and a little more patient.

One you get used to the thread, though, it's great to work with. I don't suggest a "sewing method" with stem stitch. Take your thread all the way to the front, all the way to the back ("stab" method). I like the noise the thread makes passing through the fabric, actually. It's a barely there kind of zipper sound!



I'm pretty sure I'm working this out of proper order. But I wanted to lift the strawberry leaves above the strawberry itself, and to do that, I figured I'd have to stitch the leaves, leaving part of them detached, lift them up, and stitch the strawberry underneath. I now wonder if I've left enough room to manage that, but we'll see.

The middle leaf may be abandoned altogether. We'll see on that, too!



Here's a close-up, so you can see the sparkle. The Japanese #10 is not ideal for the detached buttonhole in a tiny space - it's too fat, in my opinion! I outlined the leaves in backstitch in a matching dark green, and couched the area of the outline of the leaf where I wanted to lift it up from the ground fabric. You can see the red couching stitches in the leaf outline on the right. After filling the leaves with the GST, I took a barely lighter green - one strand - and stem-stitched around the leaves to give them a finished edge. I whip-stitched the part of the outline that was couched, so that I could still lift the leaf off the ground fabric.



And that's a little bit of an angled close-up so you can see the dimension.

My plan from this point: finish the leaves, then do the strawberry (in padded satin stitch with a lattice over it). Some of the leaves will be long-and-short stitch with regular stranded silk, but I will probably edge them and add veins with the GST.

I haven't quite decided what to do with that ridiculous-looking "blossom" yet. I'm open to suggestions!

And the stems and vines will be worked in different line and chain-type stitches. The main stem, I think, will either be worked in chain stitch or in heavy chain stitch - or perhaps just a wider band of stem stitch worked as a filling, so that I can add some shading. We'll see!

More updates later - back to my needle and thread!

Labels: Gilt Sylke Twist, goldwork, needlework pictures, pictures, silk, threads

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Monday, March 31, 2008
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Thanks to Joey, I have two snippets of the red gilt sylke twist from the Plimoth Plantation 17th century jacket project. All I can say is ---- WOW.

This embroidery thread is exquisite. I could never have been prepared for the surprise, though, when I actually saw it. It's much, much tinier than I expected! It is an absolutely fine thread, tiny, about the size of a heavy duty quilting thread. I don't know how to measure the actual size of a thread, so that's the best I can do in comparison.

The Gilt Sylke Twist is a bit stiff (because of the gold) but not super-stiff. The red is gorgeous - really beautiful. This is the thing: I wound a snippet around a little stick to see how it might look satin stitched. I think... I think it would look stunning!

Although I was taken a-back at the fineness of the thread, I have to admit that I think I like it even more, having seen it, than I did just having seen close-up photos.

Here's a shot of the Gilt Sylke Twist next to a single strand of DMC cotton, so you can get an idea of the size.



I've already got a little "savings fund" set up for purchasing some of this thread when it comes available to the general public. I'm looking forward to its release! (In case you couldn't tell!)

Labels: historical needlework, pictures, silk, threads

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Saturday, February 23, 2008
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Stash, glorious stash! If you dabble in needlework as a hobby or even as a "serious" pursuit, chances are, you've built a stash. That's a great part of the fun of needlework - setting in your supplies! It's also a part of the creative process - exploring new items, seeing how you can integrate them into your techniques, or just plain playing around with "stuff" because it looks fun! I love stash! But it has its downsides...

An obvious downside of stashing a lot of stuff is organization. Organization of supplies is a huge topic, and since most people have their own approach, it's kind of hard to go into it thoroughly. Suffice it to say, if you're going to invest in "stash," you should develop a system to keep it organized, so that you know what you have and can access it when you want it.

Another downside is that you can end up spending a lot of money, often unnecessarily, simply because something catches your eye. Oh golly. I've done that a lot. You can regulate this by setting up a "budget" for your hobbies. In your regular budget, make a little concession for your hobbies, and add to it a little at a time as you can. Then, when you have the opportunity for one of those "fun days out," when you go visit a favorite store (or even a website!), or you go explore a new store, you know how much you can spend and you are cautious about what you buy. Set your limits and don't go beyond them. Think of things you know you want or that you'll really use, and try not to get distracted by Peripheral Stuff. Avoid impulse buying, just for the sake of buying! You'll feel better later about your superior sense of self-control, and you'll avoid "buyer's remorse"!

All that having been said, I thought I'd share some photos of goods I added to my stash this past summer when I had the opportunity to visit a few needlework shops I had never been to. I'll also share with you a couple of observations and one big mistake!



Here's the general colorful pile. You can note the things in the pile that are typical of me, if you've read my website: silk floss (soie d'alger) in a couple colors I like and will use and some Caron Collections waterlilies (silk) and watercolors (cotton). There's also, in the far background, barely visible, some little white cotton lace trim, perfect for linens. Ribbons, ric-rac, and a big blob of Sari Silk yarn.... some of these were definitely impulse items, and one was just plain a big mistake!



The Sari Silk yarn was actually not a mistake - when I came across it at one shop, I was delighted, because I've wanted to play around with it for a while, but the one time I had tried to place an order for it, the place was out of it. So here it was in person, I could touch it, examine it up close, and consider seriously whether or not the $14.00 was worth it. I thought, in the long-run, it would be - if not for me, for one of my nieces who crochets or one who knits, or even for my mom. Is it suitable for embroidery? Well, I want to see how it couches, just out of curiosity. So I will do that someday!



These are Rajmahal Art Silks. I've never actually worked with this thread, but I've always wanted to. It's from Australia, in fact, and it isn't silk! When I came across it that fateful day, I was already familiar with what it is, and in fact, I had one skein on hand, and I figured this was a good opportunity to expand to a few, so that I could give them a good test.

This particular shop experience was one of "those" experiences. You can always tell what store clerks know or don't know about embroidery by certain things they say. In this particularly fine store, which focuses more on "unique" supplies, antique ribbons, and various antique needlework items - a beautiful and rather ritzy store - the clerk greeted us at the door with the "warm" enthusiasm of someone who would not mind taking the time showing us around, if she had to! She was dressed sleekly, in a skilled imitation of "haute couture" fashion. I was duly impressed and let her show me around, although I pretty much knew where my interests lay once I walked in. I asked if she were the owner - no, no. But she and the owner, she told me, are both artists - textile artists, actually. She pointed out several of the focal points of the shop, including antique buttons and beads, antique ribbons, "modern" ribbons, some fun trims, and whatnot. I wanted to take a closer look at the real antiques they had on display - a beautiful shawl all worked over in goldwork, and a fantastic Victorian crazy quilt behind glass, covered in gorgeous stitchery - and many other items of delectable interest! I asked if I could take pictures of the shop, and it was the first retail place where I'd ever been told "no." (Next time, I'll contact them in advance and speak to the owner instead of the clerk!)

Then, as she warmed up a bit and realized that I wasn't there to pilfer the shop or to ask "stupid questions," she asked me if I was a textile artist. Textile artist is a strange phrase - I wouldn't use it to describe me at all, because it's far to professional and polished, (especially when you're in a store like that!), and none of my degrees are in the study of textiles by a long stretch!
"No, I just dabble in embroidery," said I. "I'm particularly interested in goldwork."
"Oh," was her rather non-committal reply.
"That's why I wanted to take a photo of that shawl."
"What shawl?"
"The goldwork shawl?"
"I'm not exactly sure what you mean by goldwork."
So I explained. "I've never really heard of goldwork. I'm sure Gretchen has." (Apparently, the shop owner...)
Then I mentioned I like working with silk. "OOOHHH - we have some marvelous silk thread here." And she showed me .... the Rajmahal. "It's so nice. We use it for all our needlework. We love silk. And Gretchen swears by this brand because of the sheen." [I was chuckling internally by this time]... "Natural silk," she continued to explain, "has the highest sheen."
I was in awe of her knowledge. I showed my approval by selecting the three colors above, and by agreeing with her that the thread had an extraordinary sheen. Considering there were a few other folks in the shop, I didn't want to... you know, put her on the spot!

Then I went on to look at the various ribbons, and this is where I made My Big Mistake! And this is what I get for feeling so SMUG about the "natural" silk!



I explored the various typical but darling tiny ric-racs and trims, and bought a few of those, and I picked up a couple yards of the above trim, only because it was different and rather neat. I could see it used to trim out a little something at some point.

And then I saw this stuff:



Isn't it pretty? It really is pretty! I could see it trimming out a collar on a little girl's dress or blouse. And I fell in love with it. I'm not super "up" on ribbon, types of ribbon, and whatnot. I saw it, saw that it was beautiful, and wanted some. I glanced (key word - glanced) at the casing, on which I saw marked $1.10. I had just bought some $.80/yard ric-rac, some $1.00 / yard other stuff, and even, yes, some $2.50 / yard other stuff. So I saw that, and I thought, "Wow, it's so pretty - and so inexpensive!"



The whole ribbon is actually a composite of little ribbon pieces, put together very attractively so that they look like flowers and bows.



You can buy all the separate types of ribbon, actually, and make up your own composite ribbon, if you're game for it!

This specialty ribbon, I've since learned, is Mokuba ribbon. Mokuba is a company name synonymous with high quality trims in the fashion world. I might know my silk, but I don't know my ribbon!

I decided on a yard, of course - why not? And it also came in violet - so a yard of that, too. While the clerk cut the first yard (working behind the sign that clearly read, "All cuts final"), I continued to explore. She asked how much of the violet flowered trim I wanted. "Oh, a yard is fine." She hesitated. I wondered. She measured it out. And then she said (God bless her!) "Are you sure?" I suddenly figured it out. "How much is it?" I asked. "It's $1.10 an inch."

Oh well. I swallowed my pride. I declined the violet, but in all fairness, paid for the coral flowered trim, because, after all, all cuts were final. She was just doing her job - and she did save me from a SECOND $40 mistake. She explained that most "clients" didn't purchase even a yard at a time. Well, heck -- if you're not buying a yard of ribbon, what could you possibly be using it for??? I know, I know - little things.

As I checked out, trying not to visibly wince, I did manage to mention that Rajmahal is actually viscose - as it says on the tag - and not silk. But I did concede that it does indeed have an exceptional sheen!

Labels: miscellaneous embroidery musings, pictures, supplies, threads

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Thursday, September 13, 2007
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Yesterday, I compared four kinds of silk used in hand embroidery. Here are some photos of a few stitches in each type of silk. I think it would be heaps of fun to work up an embroidery sampler using all my favorite silks - perhaps I need to add that to my list of things to do!

The first silk thread sample is worked in Soie Gobelins. I'm working on Edinburgh linen (36 count).



From left to right: straight stitch, which would be the equivalent of a satin stitch, if the thread filled the area. Gobelins is too fine to fill an equally spaced area on 36 ct. fabric. However, it makes great very fine lines - the two parallel lines show how it can be used to outline. The top line is stem stitch and the one below it is backstitch (Holbein stitch, actually). To show you the coverage for cross stitch, the second set of stitches on the left is cross stitch over two threads, and the tiny set right next to that is cross stitch over one thread. The last set of stitches on the right is chain stitch. The needle above the stitches (to give you some perspective on the stitches and the fabric) is a #9 crewel (it's pretty fine).



Here's the Soie Perlee. You can see that it fills the space better in the satin stitch on the left. To the right of the satin stitch is cross stitch worked over two. I think it's a bit bulky for that, but it certainly gives a good fill. It's far too bulky for cross stitch over one on 36 count fabric - shown are half-cross stitches (angled stitches over one thread). It works fine for backstitch (the bottom line) and stem stitch (the top line).



This is the separated Trebizond, worked in individual holes right next to each other. You can see what a nice satin stitch it make. I like the waves! On un-separated Trebizond, I could not stitch through the 36 count fabric without a bit of a real squeeze.



This is one ply of Soie de Paris, separated from the six-ply strand. It's about as fine as the Soie Gobelins. I think it's very nice for cross stitch over two on the 36-count fabric.



The Soie de Paris in one strand works great for chain stitch, too!

Labels: pictures, silk, threads

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Thursday, July 05, 2007
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Hand embroidery worked in silk is beautiful, but there are so many silks out there to choose from! So here are some up-close photo comparisons of a few popular twisted silk threads: Soie Perlee, Trebizond, Soie Gobelins, and Soie de Paris.

Of the four silk threads mentioned above, Trebizond is the only one not made by Au Ver a Soie. It's imported into the States by Access Commodities.

So here's a photo of all four silk threads side-by-side. For a bit of a size reference, they're lying on Edinburgh linen (36 ct) and that's a #9 crewel needle in the fabric.



The finest of the four threads is Soie Gobelins, which is a 2-ply twisted silk. It's a filament silk, which means it's taken in long filaments straight from the cocoon, has a great lustre, and is strong. It comes in over 100 colors, the numbers of which match the Soie d'Alger color chart. It's great for counted thread work on higher count linens, and it works fine on plain ground fabric as well. I have a friend who uses it with a teeny, tiny crochet needle to hand-crochet lace, and it's beautiful! In size, it seems to me to be comparable to a strand of DMC, but the twist on it seems a little tighter, and it's a lot "smoother" to work with (when passing through the fabric). It fits in a #9 needle with a little room left over - a #10 crewel or embroidery needle would do as well. As with all four of these silks, it's a little bit "boingy" - but less so than the other three.

Soie Perlee is the next silk thread up on the list, and it's the next up in size of these four. It fits fine in a #9 needle. Soie Perlee is a 3-ply twisted filament silk. I would say it's comparable to a cotton perle #12. It comes in some 365 colors! It's a favorite for needlepoint and counted thread work, and can be used in regular surface embroidery embellishment, crazy quilting, and whatnot.

Here are the two above right next to each other:



Next up the line is Trebizond. It's nice stuff, a lot thicker than Soie Perlee. I've read some descriptions that say it's comparable to a #5 perle cotton. I'd put it somewhere between a #8 and a #5 in size. It works great on 25 count linen. I find it a bit of a squeeze on 36! It works well on 18 mesh canvas for needlepoint. It's a 3-ply silk, pretty "boingy" when you use it, but really a nice, nice thread.

Here's the Perlee and Trebizond side-by-side:



Finally, there's Soie de Paris, the last one up the line. This is a 6-ply silk, and it's divisible into individual plies. The individual plies seem slightly larger than the Soie Gobelins - but they may be the same size. You can stitch with one or more plies, just as you can with stranded cotton or silk. Soie de Paris doesn't seem as tightly twisted as Gobelins or Perlee. It's got a very narrow range of colors (around 75), and they correspond with the Soie d'Alger color chart, too.

Here's the Trebizond and Soie de Paris side-by-side:



The Soie de Paris is divisible, and here you can see the individual strands:



Amazingly enough, the Trebizond is divisible, too! Most people probably don't use it this way, but you can divide the Trebizond carefully, to produce a wavy flat silk thread. To separate, cut short lengths (no more than 12 inches, I'd say), and grasp one end of the thread between two fingers. Pick out one ply and pull it slowly out of the bunch, still grasping the "neck" of the other two plies. (The same way you separate stranded cotton or silk.)



You might wonder what the heck you can do with a thread that looks like that - but really, it's great for adding a different "look" to your satin stitching. The thing about silk is this: depending on how the light plays off it, it looks different. So if you satin stitch a small area with a wavy thread like this, you'll end up with a nice effect because of the way the light will play off the silk.

To follow up on this comparison, I'll show you some stitches worked in each of them, so stay tuned!

I've also written up a comparison of flat silks, if you're interested. I'll be working in another comparison of the flat silks this week, adding TESS (True Embroideries Sleave Silk - just like Piper's Silk) to the comparison.

Labels: pictures, silk, threads

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Wednesday, July 04, 2007
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Have you ever tried recycled silk for embroidery? I haven't - not yet, that is! Recycled silk is interesting stuff, and I think it would look neat couched on a piece of embroidery.

First of all, what is it? There are a lot of websites out there that are devoted to recycled silk and recycled silk products. Basically, the "leftovers" from the silk mills where fabrics are made (to use for saris, which come in a range of colors and patterns), which are taken and spun into a multi-colored yarn. The yarn is irregular, colorful, a little hairy, and sometimes rather "slubby," but it's the color and texture that makes it interesting and pretty stuff.

Recycled silk is used primarily for knitting and crocheting. But why can't it be used for embroidery, too? I doubt this question is original - I imagine there are heaps of needleworkers out there who have done just that. I think, to maintain its look, the yarn would have to be couched. Perhaps others use it differently, though. On the right sized mesh, it would probably work in needlepooint.

You can get recycled silk through many sources online, but the one that caught my eye was the Wool Peddler. I think it caught my eye, firstly, because of the name. It didn't match what I was looking for! Secondly, I like the logo on the site. Thirdly, they promise quality yarn, and they deliver quality yarn.... and, fourthly...



I like their pictures of the yarn!

So I've added recycled silk to my list of things to do, and one of these days, I'm going to give it a try. If you've worked with it, feel free to leave a comment and tell others what you like or don't like about it, or to share resources.

Labels: silk, threads

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Friday, June 22, 2007
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One thing I noticed when I was perusing various embroidery shops on the East Coast was that the ones I visited carried the full range of Needlepoint, Inc. Silk. So here's a little word about this silk thread...

Needlepoint, Inc. is a reeled filament silk (as opposed to a spun silk), which means that the individual fibers that make up the threads are longer and stronger. The luster of a filament silk is also greater than that of a spun silk. The threads are 8-ply, meaning they can be divided into 8 individual threads, and they come in 5 meter skeins (or really large hanks of 45 meters, for those BIG projects!). The company produces its own Chinese silk for its threads; they claim that they therefore have better control over quality and over availability, which makes sense.

What I like about the Needlepoint, Inc. threads is that the shades are carefully graded, so that you can easily select from the color card or the rack a series of colors (say blues, for instance) that will blend into the next lighter or darker shade really nicely.

When comparing the Needlepoint, Inc. silks to Au Ver a Soie's Soie d'Alger, this is what I found:

1. Needlepoint, Inc., silk is slightly more expensive - averaging around $3.80 - $4.00 / 5 meter skein, whereas Soie d'Alger averages around $3.40 - $3.75.

2. Needlepoint, Inc., silk has one more ply per strand, which means you are getting a little more thread in 5 meters.

3. Needlepoint, Inc., comes in 476 colors, whereas Soie d'Alger comes in over 600 colors.

4. Needlepoint, Inc., is "softer" thread - it does not have the same body as Soie d'Alger, and the twist seems somewhat looser

5. In my opinion, Soie d'Alger has a "richer" sheen to it.

For stitchability, Soie d'Alger always wins out with me. It may be because I'm used to it. I do use a variety of threads, though - and I do like stitching with the Needlepoint, Inc., silks. Still, I seem to get better results, and a smoother stitching experience, with the Soie d'Alger.

If you're looking for a pretty good silk, I don't think you can go wrong with the Needlepoint, Inc. silks. Try not to be bothered by their label - it's bright yellow and can really be a turn-off at first glance (like a whole rack of defective clearance items - not that I have anything against clearance items, but that much yellow on a display of colors is a bit annoying!)



If you want to see what colors they have available, check out the Needlepoint, Inc. color card. You can also browse the Needlepoint, Inc. website for needlework items, primarily (as the name implies) needlepoint. The most intriguing part of the website, in my opinion, is the furniture section - some really ambitious and beautiful stuff in there!



If you want to find out if there's a store near you that carries Needlepoint, Inc. silk, they have a convenient store locator online as well.

As soon as my camera's back, I'll post some photo comparisons!

Labels: embroidery resources, silk, supplies, threads

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Tuesday, June 19, 2007
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When I stop in at a needlework shop, the most difficult thing to do is to leave without buying anything! While on vacation this summer, I visited a few shops and added to my embroidery stash. When I buy new threads, fabrics, kits, or patterns - anything, actually - I try to make certain I'm buying stuff I actually WILL use. So I'd like to share a few finds with you. Perhaps they aren't too extraordinary, but they're beautiful threads!

Since the shops I visited in the Southeast focused mainly on needlepoint or counted thread techniques, the threads I picked up are highly suited to those techniques. For the first time, I got to feeeeel some threads that I've read about but have never come across in shops.



Here's a rather disorganized pile of all the embroidery goods I bought: Silk 'n Ivory, Vineyard Silk, Soie d'Alger, good ole cotton perle, ribbon floss, Rachelette by Caron, a couple little kits, and some stretcher bar, which aren't pictured!



Vineyard Silk is a Chinese silk that's produced in thicknesses suitable for needlepoint, but its use is not limited to needlepoint! It's an excellent, lustrous substitute for the traditional wools used in Jacobean or crewel embroidery, and would do well, I think, in any surface embroidery where you want a thicker thread. If you want to read about Vineyard Silk and see what's available in their line, check out the Vineyard Silk website. The classic colors are fantastic, and the subtle shades are perfect for long and short stitch flowers, etc.



Silk 'n Ivory is one of those threads I've longed to see up close and feel, but haven't had the opportunity to do so until now. Again, another thread good for needlepoint, but not limited to needlepoint. Silk 'n Ivory is a 50% wool, 50% silk thread, non-divisible and twisted. It has a nice sheen (not as much as the 100% silk threads, but very close), and it comes in a fantastic color range. It's distributed by a company called Brown Paper Packages, and is Swiss in origin. They also distribute the thread Trio, which is similar to Silk 'n Ivory, but it is divisible.



I probably don't need to explain Soie d'Alger by Au Ver a Soie, as I write about it quite often. But for those of you who are not familiar with this fine silk thread, it is French in origin, and possibly the best silk on the market. It comes in 5 meter skeins of 7-ply thread, one strand being about the same size as one strand of DMC stranded cotton. The difference between the silk and the cotton is the beautiful natural sheen of the silk, which will last for generations and generations. Soie d'Alger is a very strong silk; it doesn't fray easily and is great for any embroidery project. It's produced in well over 600 colors, so you can imagine the variety of color and the subtle shades you can achieve in your needlework with this thread! I just love the stuff.



Here's a jumbled little pile of DMC #5 perle cotton. I guess it's not something that you'd go "WOW" over, since it's pretty commonly available everywhere. But I liked these colors, and I use the #5 perle in my summer embroidery classes for kids, so... I bought a bunch of it in colors I knew they'd like. Their first project this summer is embroidery notebook covers worked on wool felt, so these threads will be great for that.



You may be wondering what ribbon floss is, and I will tell you truthfully that I'm wondering the same thing. I gather it's a floss that looks like ribbon, or a ribbon that behaves like floss, or something along those lines! I've never used it before, and, as you can see, I haven't even unwrapped the packages yet, but it intrigues me, so I'll have fun trying it on something. It's rayon, which could be a big drawback, as rayon threads can be a pain to work with. But given the general width of the floss (or ribbon?), I don't think it will boing up the way other rayon does. It apparently is comparable to one full (6 strands) of DMC, size-wise, and it works like ribbon, with the flexibility of floss. We shall see! I imagine it makes a pretty good accent thread for any kind of project.



I thought the Rachelette by Caron looked like a cross between funky and gorgeous. It's a nylon thread, with an outer net-like thread over it, and it's got a metallic sparkle to it. Another item which will make neat accents in the right place on the right kind of piece.




And finally, I bought two little kits - The Sweetheart Tree makes some really pretty counted thread kits. They aren't all cross stitch; many incorporate specialty stitches as well. I had such plans for these little gems! I didn't take any needlework along with me, so I bought these at the beginning of my trip. The only thing the kits lack is scissors. So I bought a pair of those, too. Anyway, I left the kits behind me in Florida when I left, so as I was sitting on my balcony in Charleston, overlooking the water and enjoying the evening views, I couldn't do one stitch of anything! My sister kindly mailed them home to me. Ah well - that's life!

So those are some fun new supplies I've picked up. If anyone's used any of these threads, I'd love to hear whether or not you like them, how you use them, and if there's anything out there you prefer to them!

Labels: embroidery resources, pictures, supplies, threads

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Friday, June 15, 2007
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