Specialty thread tutorial: Part I

[@stitchingincostume]

Katie you are such a wonderful teacher! Thank you so much for such a thorough overview of silks. I will definitely be dipping back into this as a reference when I'm choosing fibers for my projects. The lush colors and textures they create make our stitching a joy! Thanks again!

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Oh thank you Katherine, that's so kind! Silks are such a pleasure to stitch with, it makes stitching even more enjoyable...

[@nancyc-v4035]

I just want to thank you so very much for sharing your extensive knowledge of silk threads. I did cross stitch in the 1970’s and took a break until just this year. Back then there were very few choices, but now it’s almost overwhelming with all the choices of threads and fabrics. I will probably need to watch this video several times to get it “drilled” in. Thank you again.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you so much, I'm so glad it was helpful! There are an amazing amount of choices out there now - which is wonderful, there's a thread for every need, but can also be confusing to navigate. I hope this helps you explore all the amazing threads we have available today, because there really are such wonderful silks that give beautiful results and such a pleasant stitching experience.

[@ShawninAZ]

Katie this was very helpful. I really appreciate the time you spent on this valuable in depth tutorial. Thank you!

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you so much, I'm so glad you found it useful!

[@lorriemoreau8894]

Thank you so much for this tutorial. I love silks but I’m a new-ish stitcher and my aspirations considerably outweigh my knowledge. This was invaluable, I took notes! Thanks again 💕

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

That would be an exact description of me in 2013, so go for it. Not being afraid to try new things and threads is a superpower, don't let being new hold you back!

[@soulfulcrane]

Hi Katie, thank you so much for this fully informative tutorial on silk’s spools. ❤

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you, I'm so glad you found it helpful!

[@annieoldfield1]

Absolutely excellent both explanation and information!! I have been looking for this information forever! Thank you so much.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you for watching, I'm so glad you found it helpful!

[@ivonep8166]

Amazing tutorial, thank you so much ❤️❤️❤️

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you, I'm so glad you liked it!

[@KatarinaSophia0795]

Thank you for sharing your extensive knowledge and experience with these beautiful threads 😀🧵🪡

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you for watching! I hope it was helpful!

[@Xstitchmd]

This is absolutely incredible!! What a fantastic resource - thank you for sharing your knowledge so freely!

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you so much, and thank you for watching! It's a pleasure to see you here.

[@julieedwards6937]

I’ve been holding back to purchase my first silks until this video came out. Thankyou so very much for sharing your knowledge freely and in so much detail ❤️

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you, that makes all the work worth it!

[@estherovalle7909]

Thank you so much for this wonderful information on threads! 😊

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thanks for watching - I'm so glad you found it helpful!

[@joanremaley702]

So thankful for this informative video on silks. Not long ago, I purchased some silks, but have felt intimidated at thought of using. You’re much appreciated!

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you - definitely go forth and try your silks. You'll love stitching with them!

[@we.are.curiouscrafters]

Thank you, Katie, for sharing your time and expertise with us! What a wonderful reference tutorial on silk threads. As a new stitcher I'm just starting to learn and appreciate the different materials available to stitchers. I'm extremely curious to experiment with skills and have timed my curiosity perfectly -- I'm off to Needle in a Haystack tomorrow and now plan to get a sampling of different silk threads to play with. This tutorial has not only pique my curiosity, but has given me some foundational knowledge to get started. Thank you again! -Carolyn

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you - and have fun at NIAH tomorrow! We're so lucky to have them as our LNS as they are one of only a handful of stores in the US that carries all the threads discussed here. And it's so helpful to be able to see thread in person and evaluate colors and decide what you like. Can't wait to see the results of your curiosity and your selection of threads!

[@zibbyzoo4379]

Wonderful information! I’m just going to listen 5 more times to get it down! XOXO Heidi

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you! I'm so glad you found it helpful! There's also a short written guide in the description that summarizes the essential points, which can be a helpful reference (I hope).

[@bhoomaaravamudan6745]

Thank you so much for your tutorial. There are so many valuable points in your tutorial and I am sure I will be using this for reference as I stitch.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you so much, I'm so glad you found it useful!

[@patriciadouglass7141]

Such invaluable information! Thank you for being so knowledgeable and sharing this knowledge with us all! I am looking forward to trying out a few of these amazing silks! Hoping to take a trip down to the Bay Area and visit Needle in a Haystack at some point soon! I am from the Peninsula originally but now live in the foothills above Sacramento! I so miss my Bay Area haunts! I have two William Morris xstitch charts that I am thinking of converting to silks! They are suppose to be stitched on a 28 count Jobelan, but not sure if that is what I will use! Maybe a nice linen instead! Take care and Happy Stitching!

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you for watching, I'm so glad you found it helpful! NIAH is definitely worth the drive, as you know - there's nothing like handling the silks and getting to see colors in person. Definitely go for converting your William Morris charts to silk, a design genius like that deserves the highest quality materials.

[@PrincessKJo]

So very interesting! Thank you for taking the time to make this resource.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you so much, I'm glad you liked it!

[@kristyschoch5202]

Bravo Katie!! You are awesome!! Thank you, thank you for an excellent tutorial ❤️

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you, I'm really glad you liked it!

[@bettylowdermilk4296]

So very informative. Thank you for all the time and effort you put into this for us.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you so much! I'm glad you found it useful!

[@susanstandleystitchintime]

Hi Katie!!!! Well I must say that tutorial satisfied my “inner thread nerd “ completely 😆. I have figured a few of the things out that your mentioned through trial and error and a lot of money and a bit of frustration!!!!! Oh it would have been so wonderful to learn much of this years ago. Thank you for the information and the time it undoubtedly took to put this together!!!!!! I am really excited to try some of the threads you mentioned… ie Paris and Goeblins!! I love that you mix things for the desired outcome. I am trying this out on Dutch Beauty ( why am I experimenting on such a huge project?????😛). It all part of the fun and finding your happy place with thread and linen is such a journey Ok. My question I have found that some non over-dyed linens “ shred my silks. I don’t think it is my needle…. Is it best to wash or rinse those linens before stitching??? And does washing silk flatten the fibers???? Many more questions as I continue this stitching journey. Thank you again. Loved seeing you!!!!!

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Oh Susan, that's exactly how I learned it all! Trial, error, reinventing the wheel, and plenty of wasted money. And you're experimenting on a huge project because it keeps it fun and interesting - I can't wait to see your progress, I hope you'll have a new flosstube up soon! On your question, I asked the Illuminati to be sure, but it's your needle. Either the eye isn't big enough and it's causing drag on your thread, which abrades it, or it's the burrs inside the eye. 2 questions to confirm this: what needle were you using, and what silks was this happening with? I think the fiber vs. overdyed linen thing has to be a coincidence since sizing can't damage your thread. On that part of the question, personal preference. I don't because I like how the sizing makes the holes really square and even, and I like the hand of sized linen. Some people do - if you wash the sizing out of your quilt fabric, you might like it better with your linen as well. I don't think washing silk (thread) would do anything detrimental to the fibers as long as it's a high quality silk. Silk is incredibly strong, as you know. Lower grades of silk I can't answer for, it's one reason why I stick to AVAS. I always know what I'm getting!

[@angelvannote1900]

Great video, thank you for the recommendation of using a short beading needle for higher count linens. I am working on a chart stitched on a hand dyed 40 count linen, that is definitely no longer 40 count due to the dying process. It is driving me crazy trying to stitch on it but I love the chart and do not want to start over.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

The short beading needle will change your life! It should really help you in this situation, no need for a restart.

[@elizabethwhite6364]

Yes! I will try this! I am just starting a project and was struggling!

[@rosalorenzo485]

Muchas gracias, Katie, por esta clase maestra y tu generosidad al prepararla con tanta profundidad y detenimiento.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Gracias a usted para verlo, y por su comentario!

[@justinerogers1353]

I loved watching this, thank you. I shall explore Gobelins - not many suppliers (and I don't think I can get all the colours) in the UK. I like the sparse (ish) look and certainly prefer it over 2 strands and stuffed Xs.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you, I'm so glad you enjoyed it! I love to share my love of silks with other stitchers, but most especially Gobelins which is just a wonderful, wonderful threads. The very sharp crosses with their beautiful shine makes for really lovely, very neat stitching without any special effort - definitely give it a go!

[@justinerogers1353]

@@katiestrachanembroidery I would never have thought of mixing different types of silks on the one piece or silks and DMC etc so that's been very interesting and something else to explore. Have been watching your videos starting at #1 but think I'll watch from the current back so as to have a chance at your very generous giveaways. You also inspired me to make a pear having seen the beautiful one on the cover of the Inspirations magazine. Thank you.

[@Elaine-artistry]

Amazing tutorial ❤ so much knowledge! I’m a very new stitcher, this is so overwhelming! May I know where to buy the needles ?

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you! Any needlework store would have them or be able to purchase them, they're widely available. I use Needle in a Haystack in Alameda, California as they are my local shop but you can find them anywhere.

[@stubby2322]

Excellent

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you!

[@lizanderson1475]

Wonderful! Thank you so much. I really enjoyed that - super useful!

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you so much, I'm so glad you found it helpful!

[@ohsewmeo]

Katie, this video is really clear and informative. I did go to the whole site but could not find the downloadable charts showing color numbers. I do love the curated thread sets and will be checking with Needle In A Haystack to order some in the Gobelins. Thank you again for so generously sharing with us 💕🥰

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you! The link in the description goes directly to the download page, and then they're organized by thread type. Scroll down to Au Ver a Soie and select the thread line of interest.

[@beverleyfick6143]

Thank you for sharing! Great tutorial!

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you so much, I'm so glad you liked it!

[@debbieheyer8271]

This was a great and informative video. Thank you so so much

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you, I'm so glad it was helpful!

[@elizabethwhite6364]

This was full of wonderful and useful information!!! I did a project about 5 years ago with silks and really enjoyed them! You answered so many of my questions! Thank you for sharing your knowledge! You do such beautiful and detailed work! Do you use magnifiers/lights? I am having some age eye issues and think I would enjoy stitching more if I had a nice magnifier etc. So happy I found your channel!

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you! I don't use anything except minor correction at night to reduce eye strain, but I still have excellent vision, for now. I think good light is the single most important thing so make sure you have as much light as possible, and see if that helps. If you need more, then go to a magnifier - I have the Daylight Foldigo travel light and really like it. Daylight also makes a lighted magnifier - I haven't tried it myself but that might be worth looking into. Their travel light is a great product.

[@susanp4828]

Thank you, this is invaluable.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

I'm so glad you find it helpful! Thank you for watching.

[@lisawhittaker5680]

Thank you so much for this tutorial. I've been very keen to dip my toe into silks as I love the look so much but felt I was going down a rabbit hole. Learning cross stitch from KZbin is great when there is no shop or guild nearby for in person learning but, until you video, didn't go into thread details. Your explanation and details are fabulous. Now I can't wait to order! Is it possible to write a short pdf that could be printed with the basic traits, recommended count use, etc?

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you, I'm so glad you found it helpful! The description for this video contains a short overview that could be copy/pasted into a word document and printed, or reformatted to condense it. I know it is a ton of information and wanted to provide a short written recap that can be referred to - hope that helps!

[@nancysneedlework9199]

This video is an incredible production of your talent for teaching and and your thorough knowledge of soie silks. I have learned so much and appreciate your kindness to help make us better stitchers using silks. I have been practicing using Gobelins, but to my dismay, my x’s are not nearly as defined as yours! I would like to know your method of stitching. Do you stitch two handed, cross each stitch as you go or stick and stab on your smalls? I have also wondered if being a lefty has a negative impact on my stitches. When I stitch vertically, going down with one leg and returning up to cross the second leg of the cross improves my stitches. I am somewhat of a rebel and don’t want to stitch this way. Any thoughts? Love all you do.🥰

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you! And yes, I have thoughts. First - handedness isn't the issue. I'm left handed although I stitch equally well with either hand and do frequently cross stitch right handed. I believe from what you have described that you aren't fully tightening your stitches - Gobelins is a fundamentally different kind of thread from the more common spun silks and is springy by nature. I would recommend going back and watching Simple Harmony tutorial #2 again, on cross stitching with Gobelins, and literally stitching along to it to get your muscle memory going. Filament silks are a bit of an adjustment at first but really worth it as the results are incomparable. I use the stabbing method, and never the sewing method. The sewing method causes a lot of problems - always stab. I usually hold the fabric in one hand and stab with the other, so I suppose I'm working one handed. I work my smalls in hand for expediency - my stand is generally occupied by a surface embroidery panel on a slate frame, so for cross stitch I stab in hand and then block out distortion afterwards. I would generally recommend a hoop or a frame for anyone looking to improve their stitching as it can really help. Wrap the inner ring of the hoop with twill tape, and never overtighten the hoop - if you're using a screwdriver to tighten the screw, you're overtightening the hoop and it will eventually strip the screw. A hoop is not designed for full tension, that requires a slate frame. You also asked about crossing. I cross as I go when it makes sense to me, it really depends on the design. For any kind of block stitching I always work all the way across with one leg, then go back and cross all the stitches. I think it looks neater and it's faster. So part personal preference, part practicality.

[@karenpatton8850]

Katie how do you know which linen companies are using the proper mordants for the dyed linens? There are so many small linen dying operations around.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

The only one I know for sure is Legacy Linen - they're fiber dyed rather than overdyed. I use their linen pretty much exclusively as I know I can rely on it. Dye that isn't properly fixed is vulnerable to light and time as much as water - it could be framed under glass, untouched by water, and still have the color leech out from the passage of time or light exposure. It's what happens when you don't fix color in textiles. Dyeing is both a science and an art, it's exceptionally difficult to get stable and repeatable results.

[@WillowtreesandChickadees]

thank you for the great information.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you, I'm so glad you found it helpful!

[@karenpatton8850]

What is cabinet of curiosities, please? I’ve heard it mentioned in two of your tutorials. You gave excellent information, thank you very much.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Sorry about that! Cabinet of Curiosities is the course from Thistle Threads on 17th century style embroidered cabinets, or caskets, covering design, history, and the stitching of these objects. As part of the class, Tricia developed a full color family that matched the colors of the originals, so modern stitchers could stitch in the 17th century style. I discovered CoC back in 2013 as a new stitcher and it pretty much formed me - I tend to forget not everyone is as obsessed with Thistle Threads as I am! thistle-threads.myshopify.com/products/cabinet-of-curiosities-read-only

[@karenpatton8850]

@@katiestrachanembroidery Thanks for the explanation.

[@barbarahunter6375]

Hi Katie thank you very much for the interesting video. We all appreciate the time you have put into preparing it. My question is I use dalger for thread painting a lot what thread would you pair with it as highlights

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

I would suggest Soie de Paris as they're both low twist threads that would blend well, but the different shine of Paris would draw the light and I think would be an effective highlight thread. Caveat: I don't really do thread painting so that's not drawn from experience!

[@littleanniez874]

Thank you! Can you tell me where NPI, Belle Soi, and Tudor silk fits in your chart and what would be appropriate for 36-30 count-Soi D’Alge?

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

I can't as I don't use any of those threads. For 36 count and above, single strands as referenced in the description. Below 36 counts, same threads, double strands as you would use with any other thread. I hope that helps!

[@littleanniez874]

@@katiestrachanembroidery got it! Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge! It’s so helpful. I watched twice and am excited to try the Rabbit & The Rose with silks I purchased from you. I can’t wait to preorder your next flosstube special and build my silk stash

[@cynthiavang6712]

Would you say using 100/3 with the needle size of 28 on 40ct would be too bulky or just ok? I only stitch on 40ct and sometimes 27ct or 28ct.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

That would be totally fine although I would suggest trying a #10 short tapestry point beading needle with the 100/3 - I used #28 tapestry myself for a long time, recently tried the #10, and am never going back. It's a great needle for higher counts.

[@cynthiavang6712]

@@katiestrachanembroidery Thank you. I will definitely give that a try.

[@tim1724]

"d'Alger" is pronounced doll-zhay. (not day-all-zhay) Pretend the apostrophe isn't there; it doesn't affect pronunciation. Just as you'd ignore the apostrophe in pronouncing "can't" in English. French uses apostrophes the same as English, to represent the letters that are omitted (and not pronounced) in contractions.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

Thank you - I definitely need the help. I'd say my French pronunciation is atrocious but really it's non existent. My mother insisted that Spanish was much more useful for a Californian, little did she know she was dooming me to mangling French on KZbin for eternity!

[@tim1724]

@@katiestrachanembroidery The only reason I've learned any French is because my significant other is French. I took four years of Latin in high school. How's that for practical? 🤣 I suppose it did make learning French a little easier. And I can read Italian pretty well despite never studying it. Spanish is tricky… I picked some up in elementary school (because California) but it all evaporated years ago, despite continuing to live in California. French has been useful for reading a certain number of embroidery books, as well as a lot of Instagram posts.

[@katiestrachanembroidery]

@@tim1724 Totally practical, gives you all kinds of word roots, not to mention all the early documents you can read! I was an early modernist and my lack of Latin was almost as painful then as my lack of French is now. I'm actually reasonably good at picking languages up, just very hesitant in actually speaking them - I'm so used to being able to say exactly what I mean that I balk at sounding like an idiot who can't properly conjugate verbs. I never did get used to the idea of a subjunctive mood, way too poorly defined for my taste! And our Spanish teacher was an absolute horror who would storm around the room, bang desks, and yell at us for sounding like "las chicas de Kansas', because apparently there is no greater sin than sounding like you're from Kansas.