Embroidery Floss to Tatting Thread

[moniqueleigh]

Got this on one of the email lists after someone asked how embroidery floss compares in size to tatting threads.

Sue Hanson reposted Beth Zipay's findings from 2000.

Approximate sizes are - and others may have a difference of opinion on this -
1 strand = 100-120
2 strands = 60-70
3 strands = 30-40
4 strands = 20

Sue also mentioned that embroidery floss (like most threads) has a "nap." Basically, if you run your fingers down the thread, you will notice that one direction is smoother than the other. Winding the thread onto the shuttle so that the "smooth bit" comes down off the shuttle will make closing your rings a bit easier.

Hope that helps some of you out there! (Wish I'd checked this when I used metallic floss to make the "earrings from hell" a couple of years back.)

Comments

[rustymarble.livejournal.com]

I keep meaning to make a post about the embroidery/craft thread that I recently found and successfully used!
It's non-separating thread, it's bigger than a size ten and the clovers I have made out of it so far are so soft!
I'll make a more complete post to the group sometime soon! I promise!

[moniqueleigh]

Ooo! Please do post about that. Sounds interesting!!

[jesslin.livejournal.com]

*grin* if it's any consolation, metallic threads are a beast of a different color. Because it's a plastic layer wound around a thread core (as opposed to two threads wrapped around each other) it doesn't seem to have the 'nap factor'. I also vaguely remember it being a little thicker than it's non-metallic brethren. Biggest thing I've found with metallics is not closing the stitches too tight - I tat very tightly, and had to learn to loosen up a good bit. I know a couple people who learned to needle tat just so they could use metallics - the shuttle just wasn't doing it for them. If you can get it to work, though, it's a stunning look :)

[moniqueleigh]

Yeah, I tat extremely tightly myself. Gah. Actually, this stuff appears to be two tiiiiiiny plastic bits woven around each other for each strand (metallic embroidery floss, but not a brand I'd ever seen before). Separating one strand from six was a beyotch in itself.

I did notice something of a nap factor when separating, but didn't think to load my shuttle a particular way. Ooops! I soooo threatened needle tatting with that stuff, but that would require attempting to figure out how those things work. (I know the concept, just haven't sat down with needle & thread yet.)

Oh, & those earrings? Yeah. I get compliments on them allll the time. And, requests for others. Until I can learn to loosen my stitches, needle tat, or figure out the nap/kink issue, the answer is always a big "HELL, NO!"

[nolly.livejournal.com]

Thanks -- that chart will be useful for crochet, too -- I've a couple of projects waiting for a slot that I can't find the right colors of thread for. Using floss should make it easy.

[moniqueleigh]

Sue is just full of wonderful info. Wish we could drag her over to LJ. :)