This threading technique has several benefits. When you start stitching, secure the tail end under the first few stitches. Pass the ends of the thread through the loop and tighten to form a knot. To eliminate this problem, cut a piece of floss that is twice the length you want to stitch with, and separate out a single strand.įold the strand in half, and thread the loop end through the eye of your needle. The fraying only gets worse as the thread repeatedly passes through your fabric. The biggest challenge with metallic thread is that the ends fray. When I learned this trick for threading my needle, it changed my whole relationship with metallic thread. If you take away only one tip from this post, let it be this one. You want a light coat, just enough to smooth the thread, but not enough to make it feel waxy.ĥ. You don't need to go overboard in conditioning the thread. Run the thread between your fingers to even out the wax or conditioner.

Do this twice, pulling once in each direction. With your other hand, pull the thread to coat the length. After you have separated out a strand, press and hold it lightly onto the surface of the beeswax or thread conditioner with your thumb. Metallic thread benefits from conditioning with a product like beeswax or Thread Magic. If in doubt, try trimming the end to a section that is not frayed. When you are separating out a strand, make sure you are pulling its two twisted threads together, and not just separating out one of them. Because the metallic is more slippery than cotton floss, these two threads can become untwisted, and that can make the end of a length of floss a frayed and unruly mess. 3. Use care when separating strandsĮach strand in the 6-strand floss is itself made up of two threads twisted together. In general, a length between 12 and 15 inches works well. To minimize these problems, stitch with a shorter length than you might with cotton embroidery floss. Metallic thread can twist and tangle and fray. When stitching on 14-count Aida or 28-count linen, two strands of DMC metallic floss usually provides the right coverage. Like its cotton counterpart, the metallic floss comes in a skein and is made up of 6 strands that are divisible, meaning depending on the fabric you are stitching on, you can separate the strands and use what you need. There are lots of different types of metallic needlework thread on the market, but in this post we will focus on DMC Light Effects Metallic Floss because it is widely available and comes in a nice range of colors.ĭMC metallic floss is a polyester/viscose blend. These tips will make it easier and give you the confidence to shine up your stitching.

Metallic thread can add a lovely sparkle to all kinds of cross stitch and embroidery projects, but It can be a bit challenging to work with.

Embroidery thread