Thursday Threads - Kreinik.com

I’ve been spending a lot of time on the Kreinik website lately. This company is mostly known for their metallic threads but I’ve discovered they also have a lot of other cool stuff.

I originally went on there to see if they had any free patterns since I’m always looking for freebies. And they certain have a good selection! Everything from beads and crochet to stamping and scrapbooking. So of course, I headed straight to the cross stitch section where I found a cute Valentine’s Day pattern for conversation hearts (like the candies). It uses Silk Mori thread and Eyelet heart “Tokens and Trifles” sewing cards. Well, I missed Valentine’s Day so I’m definitely keeping this in mind for next year! The heart sewing cards are a bit expensive (about $10 each), but I bet I can do something similar on regular perforated paper with a nice border.

So then, I surfed some more and found a lovely Easter egg ornament pattern. It uses several pastel metallic threads, Stik ‘n Puff shapes, and trim, all stitched on 28 count Jobelan pastel fabrics. Well, I have time until Easter so I thought, “What a great idea!” There are lots of specialty stitches on these so my talents will be tested! Might be good fodder for a future “Tuesday Tips” blog…

I then went to the “Kreinikmall” to place my order for the threads. This is where it got a little confusing. Apparently you don’t buy directly from Kreinik but through stores that sell Kreinik products. So I clicked on my nearest shop, placed my order, and voila! I then got an email from the shop stating they would order it next week and I would get it soon thereafter. I’m beginning to think I might not make it by Easter, at least not for any Easter sales. Chalk this up to experience!

So, what else can you find at Kreinik? Of course, there are the threads and braids: metallic, machine sewing, silk, iron-on, real metal, and embellishments. Then there are color cards, “Tokens and Trifles” sewing cards, various kits, sewing tools, tapes for costuming, paper crafts, and fly fishing.

That’s right: fly fishing. Apparently this company makes materials that are durable enough to make fish flies. Everything from thread to patterns to foam tying discs and special scissors. I don’t think the hooks are included. I guess fish like the shiny threads too. Who knew?

Another item of interest on the website is the Education section. Here you can find videos, a stitch library, and other articles. The stitch library may not always give specific instructions, but the diagrams are nice as are the hints on when to use each stitch.

I will definitely have to come back and see about these new holographic threads.  The flecks of color in them create a 3D effect. Hmmm… psychedelic Easter eggs…

Tuesday Tips - Choosing your fabric

The type of fabric you choose can really do wonders for the project you are working on. It can change the texture and add to (or detract from) the artistic style. The weave style, color, and fibers all add to the perfect piece of cross stitch or embroidery fabric.

Weave Style
Most beginner projects are done on even weave fabric called Aida. This fabric comes with nice, neat squares that make it very convenient to match up with the graph lines of your chart. It helps makes basic cross stitches evenly spaced and symmetrical. However, you can see the fabric more clearly in your background.

For more detailed projects, you might want something a little more sophisticated. This may call for a smaller weave fabric like linen or, one of my favorites, Jobelan. Having a smaller weave fabric keeps the background of the design smooth and fresh-looking. Also, creating partial stitches is easier with a smaller weave because you don’t have to try to poke your needle through a mass of fabric – the hole already exists. However, you must be more careful of the tension of your stitches to keep them neat and even.

Uneven weave linen can be more difficult to stitch on because the thread rows are not the same. Distortion of your project may occur. I have not had the opportunity to work on such fabric, so I can’t give a personal account. (Quite frankly, it scares me a little!)

Color
There are so many colors available in fabric choices. Of course, there is the standard white and antique white, but you can work on red, blue, black, pink, or virtually any other color of the rainbow. Your choice may depend on many factors:

1. the color of the room where you will put the final product
2. your choice of complimentary or contrasting color of the design
3. whatever scraps of fabric you have in your inventory

To add to your choices, you not only have solid colors, but hand dyed fabrics as well. These can come in opalescent and other marbled colors that really add texture to your finished piece. A hand dyed blue may be a great look as a cloudy sky on a landscape piece. Here is an example of Silkweaver’s Expressions “Blue Fusion” on Lugana.

Pre-printed fabrics are also available that have a small screen-print design, like hearts, gingham, or stripes.

My tip on color revolves around darkness: dark colors are much more difficult to stitch on so make sure you have plenty of light. It also helps to have something light-colored behind your fabric, on your lap or other work surface, so that you can more easily see the holes.

Fibers
Popular Aida fabrics are created with cotton fibers. Plain, easy to wash, and durable. But there are others: metallic, silk, rayon, perforated paper, and waste canvas.

The softer rayon/cotton blends have a nice sheen to them and are very easy to handle. Many also do not wrinkle easily. Linen and a new piece of Aida can be a bit stiff until you’ve worked with it a while. Metallic is usually a cotton fabric with a few strands of metallic thread woven through to create a look that shimmers. You have to see this style in person, pictures don’t do it justice.

Perforated paper is exactly that: thick paper with holes in it. This is often used to create ornaments or bookmarks because of its durability. It comes in either a plain sheet or pre-cut designs like hearts or doilies. Go to the Kreinik Tokens and Trifles website to see more examples.

Waste canvas is used as a guide for stitching on a piece of fabric that is not made for cross stitch, like a shirt or table linen. You stitch the canvas on top of the shirt just as you would any other project. Upon completion, you simply wet the fabric and gently pull out the waste canvas from the under the stitches, leaving your image untouched.

So, as you can see, it’s not just the pattern that makes your work stand out. The fabric is the foundation of your masterpiece.

Thursday Threads - Basic Tools of the Trade

My first Thursday Threads article is going to focus on the basic “tools of the trade” for cross stitch and embroidery. Future articles may go into more details, so I’ll just touch on them here. They are very similar items between the two crafts. In a nutshell, the items are: needles, thread, fabric, a hoop, and scissors.

Fabric
The most popular cross stitch fabric is called Aida. It is an even weave fabric with pre-defined squares that correspond to your pattern. It comes in many counts (squares per inch): 11, 14, 16, 18.

Another popular favorite is linen. This can come in even weave and uneven weave (or natural linen). Linen usually comes in much higher counts, making it necessary to stitch “over 2:” 25, 28, and 32 counts are popular.

One of my favorites is an even weave fabric called Jobelan. The threads are very well defined and make for a wonderfully smooth background on my larger pieces.

Most fabric comes in many colors, including hand dyed that can have a mottled color look. This adds an interesting look and texture to your pieces.

Needles
The needle used for embroidery and cross stitch is called a tapestry needle and is a little different than your typical sewing needle. For one, it is not as sharp. The tip is blunt because the sharpness is unnecessary due to the nature of the fabric used. As discussed, most cross stitch fabric already has holes in it to align your stitches so the sharp point is usually not warranted.

Also, tapestry needles can be shorter to allow you to work up to those last 2 inches of thread, causing less waste.

And finally, the eye of the needle is larger to allow for multiple strands. Most cross stitching is done with 2 or 3 strands of thread, so this larger eye makes threading the needle much easier.

Typical tapestry needle sizes are 22, 24, 26, or 28. Size 24 is most popular, while size 28 is shorter than the others. They can come in platinum and gold plated as well, for added durability and reducing the likelihood of tarnishing from use.

Thread
Embroidery thread (also called floss) comes in a skein (for knitters, this is similar to a hank) or bundle, with each thread consisting of six strands. Since most stitching is not done with all six strands, you must be able to separate the thread into the appropriate number to use.

DMC, Anchor, and J&P Coats are popular embroidery floss manufacturers. DMC probably has the widest color selection and is found in most stores. There are also variations on thread type (silk, rayon, metallic, pearl), but the 100% cotton threads are your most popular.

My biggest tip on threads is to not mix manufacturers within a stitched piece as the texture may vary from one to another!

Hoops
In order to maintain an even texture and weave, you need to be able to keep your fabric taught. Stitching by holding the fabric in your hand will create a lumpy look because the tension between each stitch is different. Putting your fabric in an embroidery hoop creates a flat surface to work on.

Hoops also come in many sizes and styles. It is recommended to work with a hoop that fits the size of the piece you are working on. The most popular hoop is a round wooden hoop. I use this style the most. I’ve had the same hoop for so many years, it has worn to a nice smooth finish! However, extended use may cause cramping in your hands. Which brings me to another style…

… called a Q-snap. This type is made from plastic tubing and creates a square frame. It is larger than the wooden hoop, making it easier to hold especially if you have any arthritis or other muscular issues in your hands and arms. I have had an issue with this style when working on darker fabric: the white plastic may leave marks that are difficult to wash out.

For either of these hand-held hoops, you should always remove the hoop when you are not stitching to reduce hoop marks and crushing of the threads.

If you are working on a large piece, a giant hoop may not be practical. For these projects, you may want to invest in a frame, either lap size or free standing. These come with scroll bars so you can move your fabric easily without wrinkling it as you stitch from one area to another. I’ve not had much success with these myself, but I hear they are great to use on big pieces. I must not have bought a good one like this…

Scissors

It may seem obvious, but scissors are also a necessity for your stitching. But they should be small sharp scissors, not the ones out of the kitchen drawer. Most embroidery scissors are 4” or 5” long. Keeping them sharp allows more precise snipping of the thread on the back of your fabric.

A tip to keep from losing them between the seat cushions: tie a long piece of ribbon to them to hang around your neck or just have as an extension. Much easier to find!

(This is pretty fancy!)


 
 
 
Note: all of my suggestions are available on ABC Stitch Therapy.