What kind of floss do you use for embroidery?

We have every color imaginable for the hand embroiderer, brought to you by the industry’s top manufacturers: tried-and-true DMC floss; hand-dyed cottons and silk flosses from Classic Colorworks; rainbow embroidery thread from Rainbow Gallery; and specialty flosses and hand embroidery threads from a variety of suppliers.

What do you need to know about hand embroidery?

Hand embroidery is all about creating art—from your fingers and your heart. And every artist needs a wide array of embroidery floss colors to choose from!

What’s the best way to start a piece of floss?

There is an easy, neat way of starting a piece of floss if you need to use 2 strands, called the loop method. However, there is a drawback to it. Be sure you can count accurately before you use it! It makes a secure starting point but one that is difficult to undo.

How do you snip a knot on embroidery floss?

Bring the needle back through to the front in the correct position to start stitching and work over the first few stitches over the end of the thread. After a few stitches you will be able to snip off the knot, leaving the end neatly secured.

Which is the best embroidery floss to buy?

DMC is a highly successful and established manufacturer that has pretty much cornered the market for embroidery floss over the years but there are lots of other options which are worth looking at. This is becoming increasingly important as prices go up, so a lot of people are looking for more affordable options.

Is it OK to mix and match embroidery floss?

You can use an embroidery thread conversion chart to find the nearest equivalent in another manufacturer’s shade card, but it is best not to mix different brands in one project, unless the designer stipulates this. Six stranded cotton embroidery floss needs to be separated before use.

When to thread a needle with embroidery floss?

When the knot is later cut off you will need to thread the needle with this end, and fasten it into the back of the stitches. This technique is often used in hardanger or pulled work where you don’t want to run the risk of the end showing underneath open areas of the design.

How many colors are in DMC cross stitch floss?

They currently have 447 colors in their palette (the same as DMC minus the 35 new colors released in 2017) . They use the same numbering convention as DMC so no conversion is required.