All About That Thread, Part II

If you’re new (or even not so new-ish) to the world of hand embroidery and needlework, the variety of threads for stitching can seem overwhelming…so many decisions, so many colors and fibers and weights and textures, O MY. I thought it’d be helpful to break down the basics here, because overwhelming can also mean unending choices to experiment with!

There are actually hundreds of characteristics for all types of thread (crazy, right?), from the manufacturing process to at home uses, so I’ve condensed the most fundamental facts into two posts—you can find the first part right here.

Are you ready? Let’s do this!

 

There are endless types of sewing threads in this day and age, so here, we’re just going to cover the basics and then zero in on all the other great threads, yarns, and flosses used specifically in hand needlework such as embroidery, needlepoint, mending, and quilting. We’ll take a look at all the main types, different brands, and what makes each unique. Plus, you’ll find a handy list of where to find them at the end of this post (because, honestly, that can be the hardest part!).

There are are six main types of materials used for needlework threads: cotton, wool, silk, linen (flax), metal, synthetics (such as polyester and nylon). You can find these in various thicknesses, textures, manufacturing methods, and of course, colors. Some are made for specific types of traditional handwork, but all can be fun to play with in surface embellishment.

 

From L to R: Sashiko, Hand dyed Perle Cotton, Perle Cotton, 6-ply embroidery floss, Faux Metallic, and Glow-in-the-Dark

 

Sashiko
This thread is non-divisible and though white is the traditional color, it does come in others these days. It’s great for embroidery, quilting, and boro mending. After all, sashiko was originally a quilting technique of intricate patterns that has only been repurposed as a surface stitch in recent years. Olympus (in Japan) is the most commonly available type exported to the US. P.S. This is pronounced as “sash-ko,” with the middle “i” being almost silent, according to The Ultimate Sashiko Sourcebook (incidentally a book I’ve been able to learn a lot from and highly recommend).

Perle/Pearl Cotton
This is a non-divisible cotton thread that is wonderful for surface embroidery, some needlepoint applications and sashiko, as well as handquilting (I know some quilters swear by the size 5 thickness while others go for size 8). Valdani (a Canadian company based in Romania) makes a really lovely range of these threads in solids and variegated colorways that are hand dyed and colorfast. DMC offers a fair amount of solid colors, and Brooklyn Haberdashery (New York) creates some really subtly hand dyed small-batch hanks.

Cotton Embroidery Floss
This is the most commonly used type of thread among general practitioners of free-form embroidery. It comes as a 6-ply hank and is made by several manufacturers in hundreds of colors. Some swear by higher-end brands like Aurifil (Italian brand popular with quilters), Cosmo (made by Lecien in Japan), or Sublime Stitching (made by Kreinik in the US). I’ve not found much difference between those and the more widely available ones like DMC (the French Dolfus-Mieg & Co.) or Anchor (based in the UK,) though I would caution against using any generic bargain brands found at big box stores for anything other than children’s crafts as they are of quite poor quality and infuriating to untangle.

Synthetics/Novelty Threads
This category includes glow-in-the-dark, fluorescent, reflective, and faux metallic/synthetic floss varieties (o my!). They can really add some pizazz (to coin a word from my grandma) to a project. Kreinik makes glow-in-the-dark and faux metallic varieties that are easy to work with, but non-divisble. DMC makes a colorful range of faux metallics that are non-divisible, but they kind of fray like crazy while stitching. I guess you just can’t have it all, ya?

 

From L to R: All Purpose Polyester thread, Cotton Hand Quilting Thread, Merino Wool Needlepoint Yarn, Cotton Needlepoint Yarn

 

All Purpose vs Hand Quilting Thread
All Purposed threads are just that—while they may contain different amounts of cotton vs polyester, either can be used for hand quilting or basting depending on personal preference (cotton tends to be more visible than poly threads). Thread that is specifically labeled as “Hand Quilting Thread” is coated and has a much more “wirey” hand that should ease wrist fatigue and give your stitches a bit more of a pronounced look. As you can see in the above photo, it definitely has a bit more umph than the poly/cotton all purpose thread. My two favorite brands for either type are Gütermann and Mettler (both German companies).

Cotton and Wool Tapestry/Needlepoint Yarn
These are yarns (thinner than most standard knitting yarns, but thicker than floss) usually made of wool, cotton, silk or poly blends intended for use on rigid canvas for needlepoint. Of course, they can also be used for any kind of surface embellishment, like what we see in contemporary textile arts.

 

From L to R: Silk, Linen Threads, Hand dyed Crewel Wool, Crewel Wool

 

Silk Embroidery Thread
Ahh, silk threads! They can be a bit pricier than many of the others here, but they are so lovely to work with and create a beautiful surface sheen. Silk threads have been popular from Ancient China to girlhood samplers and Victorian silk shading, but have been subverted a bit in at-home use by the wide manufacture of cotton floss. It’s still used in many traditional forms of embroidery. Au Ver A Soi is one of the most widely available, and you can also find silk threads from Sajou (both are French) as well as Bozzolo (Italian).

Linen Embroidery Thread
Linen is one of the strongest natural fibers around and while it has the most memory of any natural fiber, it also has wonderfully fluid drape. It gets more absorbent and softer with each washing, is non-divisible, and has great stitch definition. Londonderry offers quality linen thread in different weights and colors though you can also find some interesting vintage varieties and brands that hold up quite well over time.

Crewel Wool
Though made for surface embroidery, the weight and variety of colors of crewel wool also make it useful for mending, especially for wool sweaters where a nylon blend is unecessary. Appletons (a company with a long history in England) is a great go-to brand with a huge range of colors. Weeks Dye Works (US) and Valdani also offer lighter weight hand dyed hanks in subtle and variegated colorways. P.S. Crewel is an old Welsh word for wool. Historically, it has referred to a body of embroidery stitches worked in a certain fashion that was most popular in the 17th century and into the 18th century in the American colonies. Nowadays, it’s mostly a term we use for any embroidery worked with wool.

Gilt Threads
Outside a few specialty workshops, I have to be honest and tell you I don’t have a great amount of experience working with these threads as they are such a highly specialized area. Gilt threads are used in traditional Goldwork that shimmers under light and is mostly used in ecclesiastical, royal, and military decoration. They come in a variety of thicknesses and are actually not made entirely of gold, but rather have a silk—sometimes rayon—core that is wrapped with gold-coated silver. You can find some great sources for these in the links below!

Vintage Threads
Cotton does tend to lose its tensile strength over time more than other natural fibers, but it’s a great thing to have on hand if you do any hand basting—why use up long strands and then throw away perfectly good new thread?! Many types of cotton, wool, and linen threads are no longer manufactured, so you can find some interesting textures and thicknesses in colors that may not be as “pinterest-worthy” today. Thicker varieties, like the carded ones below, were most likely intended for mending, tatting, or lacework. Your best bet is to place them in the freezer for a bit to naturally ensure there are no bugs/bacteria and experiment with them for contemporary surface embellishment. Let’s be real though, they’re also just beautiful, inspiring, and a great window to the history of the textile industry!

 

 

Looking for quality thread sources? Here are some shops I like*:
Your brick & mortar LNS (local needlepoint store)!
Thread Gatherer—lovely silk
Thistle Threads—Gilt and other historic thread types and colors
Linladen—for vintage linen threads
Purl Soho—soooo many hard to source brands including silk, linen, and wool
Weeks Dye Works—naturally dyed crewel wool
Sarah Homfray—Gilt Threads
Berlin Embroidery Designs—Gilt Threads
Sublime Stitching—cotton floss in great contemporary palettes + Sajou/Au Ver A Soi products
Big Box craft stores—I know, I KNOW, but you can find an accessible and huge range of colors at some of the best prices on brands like DMC, Anchor, Mettler, and Gutermann
Brooklyn Haberdashery—for naturally dyed and vintage threads

*No advertisement, I’ve just used them and had good experiences with each

 

I hope you find this useful and I’d love to hear from you. What are your favorite types of thread/floss/yarns to work with and where you’ve been able to find them?