Jan Hicks Creates - Basics of Cross Stitch - 8. How to Work with Metallic Threads

[@Miauwies]

Thank you for sharing and teaching me. 💖

[@lizziedae91]

Thank you so much for this video! Extremely helpful!

[@JanHicksCreates]

Glad you found it helpful! Let me know if you have any questions!

[@martymitchell1429]

Because I wasn’t a you tuber. Not the best with tech. Have gone back and watched from beginning. I moved from outside Fort Worth to AZ up in mountains to Payson. Am about 88 miles from the The Attic. Was cross stitching in the eighties. Decided to start again. Am older and your channel was one the first along with Country stitchers. How lucky was I? So enjoying the basics. Boy has it has changed. Your work is excellent!

[@JanHicksCreates]

Thanks so much, Marty! Glad you found me and were able to subscribe! Happy to help you get back into this wonderful craft! ❤️

[@christinapoindexter4251]

Thank you! I needed this!

[@JanHicksCreates]

HI again, Christina! So glad you found this helpful!

[@Jasmine-ur1sl]

Thank you, Jan for this wonderful walk thru metallic threads. I have been avoiding them for years, but now have three upcoming projects which call for them... so your presentation was perfect timing. I feel a little less intimidated in giving them a go.

[@JanHicksCreates]

Glad you found it helpful, Jasmine! I promise it is worth the effort!

[@thunder402]

Thanks Jan for the tips for those nasty but much need threads. Beautiful pieces you have.

[@TheSerenityStitcher]

Great video, Jan! Your stitched pieces made me gasp! So very beautiful!!

[@lauratyler591]

Very nice video on how to use the metallic flosses! Loved it!

[@lorettahenderson8979]

Very nice Jan❤️❤️

[@kimberlycrabtree3543]

Great review of metallics! Very helpful. Thank you Jan!

[@holly9281]

Great collection of hints, tricks and tips. For single thread metallic, pull out that threader. Pull a loop through your needle, then tuck both ends through the loop. Quick, easy, and stops both the fraying and escaping needles.

[@cassyg8439]

Thank you thank you thank you! I've been look forward to a video like this. I struggle with metallic threads and appreciate the reverse loop method so much! I'm also only a year-ish into stitching and appreciate the basics of metallic threads as well. Very helpful, thank you!

[@JanHicksCreates]

Glad you found it helpful, Cassy!

[@jenny154]

Great tips and tricks! I have the rainbow gallery and the madeira for some projeckts that I am going to start stitch this year

[@kaywhaley6694]

Always great info!

[@kaylowry4188]

Thanks Jan haven’t used a metallic yet this will give me a good start. 😃❤️❤️

[@tkferdi]

This was an exceptional video!

[@JanHicksCreates]

Thank you, Lynne!

[@angied.5292]

Thanks. This was very helpful 🌺

[@susanhoey9248]

Thank you for this, Jan. Really good tips and tricks. I read and heard somewhere on You Tube I think, if you run metallic threads through Thread Heaven or beeswax, it helps calm it down a bit. I haven't tried this yet but I will. I know the metal-like coating on the thread is sort of like pets' fur, it lays down better one way than the other as it is pulled through fabric. It is more difficult than cotton thread to work with but the results are well worth it with time and patience!

[@JanHicksCreates]

Oh, interesting about how the coating pulls through the fabric. I did not know that.I haven’t never used beeswax or Thread Heaven, so I’m afraid I can’t speak to that. I am always afraid that those products would leave a residue and dull down the shine.

[@m00nwise]

Thanks Jan for comparing all these metallics. So far I only used Dmc metallics and light effect. A disaster to work with when using a double strand. Using one strand of metallic with one regular Dmc makes it so much more manageable I found out when stitching Xmas ornaments. It is less shiny, but the stitching is much more even. Next time I’ll try looping the needle, that can be a real time saver. Thanks 🙏

[@melaniedalrymple3009]

Thank you....this was very helpful! :)

[@marynelson6951]

Thank you for the video on metallics, very informative. What is "bolljeau" spelling? or as closed caption spelled "bull J". Is this the Blending Filament ? I know that I am reading this late but I just found this series.

[@gabrisstitches8038]

I use a travel hair flat iron to just get the curls out of the metallics. It’s v compact and has adjustable temperatures.

[@lauriewalt31]

Thanks Jan! I started Lady of the Flag on New Years Day and it calls for kreinik. This tutorial made me understand that I don’t have the fortitude to use it! Maybe etoulle(sp?) will have a close match. Very informative video👍

[@JanHicksCreates]

Yeah, metallics are a bear to work with. Etoile might be the best way to go to still get some of the sparkle. Good luck!

[@jessaadair9590]

Great Tips about to start a Christmas stocking with gold .... its an old kit from the 80 or 90;s and im really afraid of the gold thread that was sent..... might have to go pick up some you suggested AGAIN Thank you so much for all your tips.... ( last time i stitch with metallic it was a Disaster with a capital D

[@kathleenhensley5951]

Well now i can try to use all the lovely metallics I've bought over the years! I bought some Etoile for a large project. My instinct was that it might work better. It's "Knights Templar prophecy" and quite large. I bought some metallic thread to try tatting with them but that is even harder. Tatting is very wearing on the thread and there are limits.

[@JanHicksCreates]

Oh, you tat! Now that’s complicated, isn’t it? I think Etoile would be really pretty for Knights Templar Prophecy. Would be worth a try!

[@kathleenhensley5951]

@@JanHicksCreates The basics are actually quite easy.. but it took me years to learn. My mother couldn't teach me, for some reason, though, I would purposely watch her hands as she worked. It is almost magical to hold the thread properly. The basic knot is always the same, its called 'half hitch'. The real magic is that the shuttle thread is actually pulling the held thread to make the knots. The difficult part of tatting is it is so unforgiving and it takes so much time. If you make a mistake, you may not be able to pull it out. If the ring is closed, cutting it out is easier. I have little bits of tatting.. It could almost be assembled into a sampler. I think the Etoile - I have several matching/contrasting threads, also. I have everything assembled and just need to prepare the fabric.

[@Miauwies]

Wow te loop method was a eye opener! Thanks so much. 😀 I'm trying to learn more about the Baljee (how do you write that? 🤭) method. But probably I'm writing it wrong, so I can't find anything about it. Does someone has tips for me?

[@JanHicksCreates]

Hi there! It’s actually spelled, Balger, and it’s the name of a metallic thread by Kreinik. Hope that helps!

[@martymitchell1429]

I just subscribed. HaHave watched for a month or so. I thought I couldn’t subscribe,

[@jeanvivian4118]

Can you cross stitch with 1 strand of DMC in a full cross, then follow up with a blending floss strand 1/2 cross over the second leg? Seems like that might address the differences between the floss and metallic flosses.

[@JanHicksCreates]

Hmm, that’s an interesting idea. I haven’t done it that way, bu I would say give it a try and see if you like the effect. It would certainly make it so you could see the blending filament more.

[@jeanvivian4118]

@@JanHicksCreates Thank you. I will try it and let you know what I think of the results.

[@lorrainehay9348]

Hi Jan would you please remind me which video you explain how to cut Silks4u skeins. Thank you

[@JanHicksCreates]

Hi Lorraine. It’s actually Missus Sedas silk that I’m using, but it’s the same kind of skein. You can find it here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/i3ublYGfhK6aoaM

[@angelaspringett1262]

Thanks for taking the time and having the patience to make this video Jan. I've only used metallic thread once lol. Why did I think it was meant to be put through something like bees wax? I always seem to get the Wong end of the stick lol. Take care x

[@JanHicksCreates]

Well, there may be people who do use beeswax for it. I would be afraid that it would dull the shine, and get down into the twists of the thread. I’ve never used any of those types of things on any of my threads.

[@trishaknitz5441]

What needle? I found going up in needle size helped. Does beeswax or thread heaven help?

[@JanHicksCreates]

I just use the same needle I would regularly use for the fabric. Someone else asked about beeswax, etc. too. I don’t know the answer to that. I’ve never used them on any of my threads. I would be afraid they would dull the sparkle a bit.

[@zook717]

OOOOh so helpful! I used Etoile on some of the ornaments I made and I don’t know if I got a bad skein or what, but the metallic came away from the cotton, especially on the red. When I start the Mill Hill Christmas, I want to do a snowflake border all around - I bought 4 “rolls” of Kreinik but now I’m thinking I should go with Treasure Braid instead. Maybe I missed it - but what needle do you use for metallics? Thanks, friend!

[@JanHicksCreates]

Yea, you might want to invest in the Treasure Braid for that. I think you’ll be more sane by the end! 😂. As for needle, I just use the one that I normally use for the fabric size. I don’t change needles when using metallics.

[@zook717]

@@JanHicksCreates Thanks for the help, friend!!

[@annebaker2759]

I have noticed that the closed captions on the videos often misspell proper names. For instance, Kreinik was spelled chronic. I fear inexperienced people won't know what you are talking about. You might use an aid like a card or paper with a certain word spelled that you would hold up to show the correct spelling.

[@JanHicksCreates]

Thanks for the suggestion, Anne! I never use the captions, so it’s not something I think about.