Jan Hicks Creates - The Basics of Cross Stitch - 9. Stitching with Silk

In this video, you will learn where silk comes from, different types of silk and what that means for your stitching, how to decide between stitching with cotton or silk, and the easy way to cut up big hanks of silk into useable lengths.
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[@adelaidamilan4124]

Thank you, Jan. I appreciate your knowledge of these threads and I enjoy learning all that you can bring to us. So please, keep it coming.

[@geraldineroach3211]

OMG thank goodness I came across your video. I have been procrastinating about cutting my variegated hank from Silks4U for ages and looking at video after video. Yours is the most clear of the whole lot. Thank you so much.

[@JanHicksCreates]

Oh good! I am so glad you found this helpful! Enjoy stitching with t hat beautiful silk!

[@bltperky]

This was a very informative video on silk threads! I think I’m ready to try silk on a cross stitch project now. Thank you for sharing! 😊

[@JanHicksCreates]

Glad you found it useful!

[@kirstenl7593]

I found you a few weeks ago and have begun a deep dive into your flosstube channel. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and excitement for fiber and craft. I haven’t picked up cross stitch in 30 years as I moved on to other fiber arts but I am circling back around thanks to seeing your Ode to Peacock. I have learned so much from your “basics” tutorials and appreciate the time you put in to them. I hope your new home transition is smooth from here on out. 💕

[@JanHicksCreates]

Aww, thank you so much, Kirsten! So glad you are enjoying my videos and welcome back to the wonderful world of cross stitch! A lot has changed in 30 years, hasn’t it! Let me know if you have any questions about anything. Always happy to help!

[@LauraLye61]

Aloha Jan, I cant thank you enough!!! I’ve never worked with silk before but I will now. I have learned more from you than anyone, any book, any video, so Hugs and a lot of THANK YOU’s!!

[@nicoleonestitchatatime6795]

Hi I just want to tell you I love your videos. I’m pretty new to the hole floss tube and still finding so many wonderful people to watch . Slowly getting back into cross stitch after not doing it for 23 years . Wow how things have things changed . Trying to get things one piece at a time here and there when I can . Thank u for your great videos. I’m at stay at home mom and my husband works on the road for months at a time and cross stitch is helping me get through those times of him not being here . Your videos are like having a friend to stitch with . 🥰😁❤️

[@moosecraftusa]

Thank you this! I've never stitched with silks, but I keep hearing they are fantastic! Now I know the differences between them and the length to cut them! Looking forward to my first silk project! :-)

[@JanHicksCreates]

So glad you found this useful!

[@MarieH528]

Hi Jan! Loved seeing You and hearing You discuss the different types of silk. I was enabled by You and Annie (Joy-Filled Stitcher) to splurge and dive into Missus Sedas Silks, I am in Love with them, I have the bundle for Your pattern Find Your Joy, HoityToity, and I got a Hank of Popcorn for the Variety! Thanks so Much for Sharing Your experience with Stitching-I always learn something new from You 😊 Happy Stitching!-Marie

[@joogle3328]

Being a knitter, it just about killed me to watch the aqua skein being cut into pieces. 😂😂 Yet I couldn’t look away from that AMAZING color.

[@aliciabell4850]

Jan, I enjoy you so much. We don't have a yarn store here. Oh yes we do, Walmart! Lol, lol, lol. I am learning so much from you. TY so much.

[@na3572]

I can’t thank you enough for these basics of cross stitch videos. This gave me the courage to cut into my Silks4U skein!

[@JanHicksCreates]

Awesome! Glad it helped!

[@estherovalle7909]

Thank you ☺️ ❤

[@linatsioli9815]

The silk thread mystery is now officially solved , thanks to this tutorial! Thank you Jan !

[@DianeCull]

I am a newbie and found this video excellent.

[@marthajohnson3342]

Jan, thank you for sharing your time and knowledge. I am about to begin my first sampler and I will be stitching it with silk. My husband and I will be celebrating our 50th Wedding Anniversary in November and this sampler will be my gift to him.

[@sunrise49738]

Hi Jan! Thank you for the information on the silks. I am fairly new to silks and love them so much. I have tried the rayon, the satins, the metallics, etc. and do still use them occasionally but love them and find them very easy to work with. I have been using a long piece, probably about 36 inches in my stitching and so far have not encountered any problems with the hand-dyed that I have been buying, no fraying, no slubs, totally awesome to work with. I found it very educational when you showed how to cut the hanks for more color control and that is something I will probably use in the not too distant future. Thank you again for your time. Have a wonderful stitchy week.

[@debraeaton7378]

Thank you for all the great info. I noticed your Amish farm/quilt stitched piece on your wall. I did that one too back in 88/89, still haven’t got mine framed. But seeing yours has inspired me to get it done.

[@JanHicksCreates]

Oh yes! Get that framed! It is still one of my favorite pieces, after all of these years!

[@zook717]

Oh Jan - your specialty is taking away the mystery and fear of using a luscious fiber like silk! Thank you for this - immensely helpful and I can’t wait to get my first Missus Sadis silk (and probably Death by Cross Stitch Chart). Thank you!!

[@lorettahenderson8979]

Beautiful silks...made notes on the hand creme...types of silks to use were and when...thanks Jan...beautiful patterns too❤️

[@richterstitcher7936]

Came back to cross stitch for a couple years now. Things sure have changed so much since the 80’s. Your basics are very helpful. Haven’t dived into silks yet but this is great info. Thanks.

[@moosemom2010]

Very informative! Now to go Stitch with some silk!!💕Michele

[@wendypeatross2599]

Thanks got this great informative video. I love stitching with silks!!

[@mirili3836]

Jan, amazing video! Very informative, thank you so much for doing that, for thinking about us the beginners, hahaha. Give love get love! Xoxo. Miriam

[@annae.4606]

I have been stitching for 18 years, but am just now getting into working with silks. I am so grateful to have found this video! Do you possibly know the name of that Caron Waterlilies?

[@JanHicksCreates]

Sorry, I’m afraid I don’t at this point.

[@cherylemoon8186]

♣️Jan--Thank you for this information about silk threads. I've never used any silks but feel more comfortable about trying them now. How nice of you to take the time to explain about them!!!

[@sagenmoon]

Thank you for such wonderful informative content explained beautifully. Could you discuss your needle preferences and how you set yourself up to stitch with your charts. I'm hooked on your stitch with me videos but would love to see how your all set up.

[@mariwhitmer5377]

Amazing tutorial! Thank you. I've had a large silk skein hanging around for over a year. I was afraid of a huge mess but now I feel confident about cutting and dividing. Your projects with silks are gorgeous. I love these tutorials.

[@annsmith5625]

Thank you ⚾️

[@yvonnevigil7489]

Nice video Jan. Watched on phone last night and again just now. "how did you know I am going to purchase some silks soon but scared. thank you for the lesson

[@sandyp2485]

This is great information, Jan. It did not seem random at all. I'm new to stitching with silk so this will definitely help when my order comes in.

[@jodempsey3761]

You are the best Jan! Awesome video! I also treat my hanks of silk like I do a hank of yarn. Glad to see I wasnt completely off base with it aside from the length I was cutting! I definitely cut mine too long, probably the 22 inches, or in half essentially, for my Squirrels of Sumatra using Raquel's Siena colorway. Next hank I'll go with the 14 inch lengths. Thanks so much for answering that question especially!

[@annelefevre9457]

Loved❣️your tutorial on silk threads! I wish I was your neighbor so you could teach me at least some of the things you know. The silk thread is beautiful. I’m sure I don’t live anywhere near a place you can buy them. I wouldn’t even begin to know how much any of those hanks would cost!! If I was more “savvy” w/ the computer and being “on-line” , I could learn more, I’m sure. I just have me I phone., and the learning process is s-l-o-w. But I thought those three projects you were doing in silk were gorgeous.....more gorgeous than I have words to describe them. I loved them. I wish you could do a stitch w/ me video on one of those projects, so we could see how the silk goes, and how you handle it. I don’t want to wait another week for you to come on again! So enjoyable....thank you.

[@ThesotaStitcherShannonBromo]

Jan - This is so wonderful!! I just bought my first missus sedas silks last week and they should arrive soon! I bought the Jane Marshall pack! Now I'm itching to find a mono piece so I can buy a hank!!!!!! I learned a lot from this video. Thank you!

[@susanradford9503]

This was such an interesting video. Thank you. Wish I'd seen the working with a hank before I got my first Missus Sedas silk (Darling) which I made such a mess of!! My Mum helped me 'untangle' it!!

[@kaylowry4188]

Thanks Jan. I have ordered a hank of the silk so now I’m much more prepared when it comes. Very informative. ❤️❤️❤️

[@danareed1656]

Thank you!

[@joanne4191]

Thanks so much Jan that is the most helpful video someone has done. I have such a better idea about silks now. I also checked out missussedas threads and it is expensive. I may have to save up for some. And all the other suppliers I will check out. Hope your week has been great.

[@JanHicksCreates]

Thank you, Joanne! One thing to keep in mind with Missus Sedas is the quantity you get. You are getting so many yards in a skein, that it is actually a better deal than many other types. Just something to keep in mind as you’re looking around.

[@joanne4191]

Jan Hicks Creates yes you are right that does make a difference. I just gotta think what colour now, they are all so pretty. 😍😍😍🤙

[@nityaviswanath894]

This is really helpful, thank you! I have some Missus Sedas that should arrive any day now and I can't wait to stitch with it! I will keep all this info in mind. I have some white Gloriana too for a design that I want to create myself. Lots of silk work to look forward to!

[@JanHicksCreates]

Let me know how you’re getting on with Oxide and Narnia! I’ll be pulling mine out at some point this next year.

[@zoila5338]

Thank you so much. It was very informative and you has tough a lot. I just stared using silk and also love, love Missus sedas oh hay I also love the smell of her silk threads. Thank you.

[@RaffiGalessi]

Hi Jan, thank you very much for your interesting tutorial about silks 💛 I am planning to choose a hank of silk for “Life After Death” but still haven’t decided about the color 🤯 it was good to see how to cut and separate the color shades if necessary. I recently bought some MissusSedas skeins and I am enjoying them very much xxx

[@gabrisstitches8038]

Thank you for this, very useful.

[@StitchingWithTheSisterlies]

Thank you for this Jan ❤️

[@virginialaman3632]

Thank you, this was very useful.

[@lorrainehay9348]

Hi Jan thank you so much. One question would it be better to use a larger needle when working with silk to open up the linen and then the silk would glide Better?

[@newobmat]

This was very informative. Thank you!

[@jamjams_9678]

💗💗thank u !

[@patriciadouglass7141]

Hi Jan! Just watching this now as I was trying to skein up a skein of Gloriana! Do you have any tips for unwinding this brand of floss? I found this so very helpful! Thanks so much for sharing!

[@JanHicksCreates]

I’m afraid I don’t use Gloriana, so I can’t advise you on this. So sorry!

[@thesteadfaststitcher]

Hi Jan! First safe travels soon! Were supposed to get snow flurries in PHX on Monday 😲 thank you for the information on the silks! There was a small purpleish variegated silk with a blue tag on it and it is so yummy!! I might have missed it in the video but what's the brand on that? Also, can you wash the silks? Are they colorfast?

[@JanHicksCreates]

I believe that purplish skein with the blue tag was my Waterlilies skein by Caron. You have to be as careful with silks as with other overdyed. A brand like Soie d’Alger should be fine. But check the tags on any of the over-dyed silks and see if they state whether they are colorfast. Missus Sedas did tell me that hers can be washed, but only in cold water.

[@vickyb5935]

Jan can I ask you….I have never seen “cross stitch thread” in a hank of silk like this…I was thinking it was knitting yarn but then you said something to make me realize it was not. Now for the question: why would a person buy such a huge skein of silk thread for xstitching? I watched you cut it and you would have enough thread there to stitch in turquouis the rest of your life, especially considering then you take this apart into 2 threads for a project. Is there a reason you bought this huge skein and is that expensive. I found this video very good, as so many patterns I am interested in stitching call for silks but I`m sticking with my DMC - so was curious to find a video on why silks are so popular, etc. Thank your for this informative video!!

[@JanHicksCreates]

Hi Vicky! That’s a great question. The answer is that there are many monochromatic large projects out there that call for many, many skeins of floss, especially if you are stitching with two strands. So getting a hank like this isn’t only money-saving in the long run, but also insures that you have the same dye-lot for the entire project. Hope that makes sense!

[@judyrosy]

💙💙💙

[@Lmnop7113]

Thank you for the videos! if you are so inclined, how to bead would be a helpful video

[@notalkjustnails6101]

I have read from someone, that it is advised to use a special needle to stitch with when using silk. Is that true and do you have recommendations? I am using blunt tapisserie needles usually.

[@JanHicksCreates]

I use the same needles for both cotton and silk, usually size 28 or 26 tapestry needles.

[@mynasingh2956]

Thanks for the informative video. I'm using silks for the first time and I find it to be very easy to stitch with but at the same time its very slippery so can I use a strand of cotton with a strand of silk to make it less slippery or whether it just defeats the purpose and it gets better once I stitch a bit more with silk? Because like I said I'm using it for the first time and I've probably just stitched 20 odd stitches right now.

[@JanHicksCreates]

I wouldn’t recommend adding the cotton. Like you said, defeats the purpose. Maybe try changing to a different needle. It sounds like they eye of your needle may be too big for the thread. I also think you do get used to it as you stitch more. Hope this helps!

[@mynasingh2956]

@@JanHicksCreates Thanks. I'll do that!

[@mynasingh2956]

@@JanHicksCreates Thanks. I changed my needle. I'm using a smaller needle with a small eye and it really helps. Thanks a ton for your advice.

[@theresajohnston8079]

I think how long you cut your stands should also depend on how you stitch and if you use the loop method to start, use one strand or two etc. 14 inches is unusable to me. I use my yarn swift and wind the silk thread on to an 18 in ruler. I then cut on only one end of my ruler making my lengths 36 inches. I can use these lengths for stitching either with one thread (cut in half) or two with loop method. I know some don’t like the loop method with highly variegated threads but with some silks and depending on how you cut it, it doesn’t make a large difference.

[@JanHicksCreates]

This is true. I, personally, would never use the loop method with silk. I don’t want the twists going in opposite directions because the two strands will then refract the light differently, which can make a big difference with how the stitches are perceived with silk. I don’t worry about it with cotton, but I do with silk. But that’s just my preference.

[@chickadee04287]

What are the wire rings called? You mentioned an Amazon link but I don't see it in your list. Very informative video, thank you!

[@JanHicksCreates]

Oh shoot. I knew there was something I forgot! Let me find them and put it in there. Thanks for the reminder!

[@JanHicksCreates]

Here you go - Steel wire keychain rings - amzn.to/38HHWCy

[@chickadee04287]

@@JanHicksCreates Thanks! I wasn't getting anywhere with dohicky thingee, ha ha

[@janisstewart685]

What is the large center picture behind you? It’s too faint to see wee. Thank you