Types of embroidery thread
Embroidery thread comes in many thicknesses and fibres, including cotton, wool, satin, silk, and rayon. Each material produces a different texture and visual effect, from the soft matte look of wool to the glossy shine of rayon or silk. Many sewer mix thread types within a project to add depth, contrast, and interest.
Six‑stranded cotton (embroidery floss)
I use six‑stranded cotton, also known as embroidery floss. As the name suggests, it’s made from six separate strands. The beauty of this thread is its flexibility: you can split the strands and stitch with any number of them, allowing you to vary the thickness and weight of your stitches. This makes it ideal for detailed work, outlines, and shading.
What a skein is and how to use it
Six‑stranded cotton is sold in skeins, which are loose rings of thread held together with paper labels. Once you start using a skein, it’s important to rewind the thread onto a holder to prevent tangling. This will keeping the thread organised also helps you maintain the correct tension and avoid waste. I like to use card in the shape of reels which you can buy from Amazon etc. they are a good size and stack easily in a drawer and harder to loose.
Each skein has a colour code number, and it’s essential to keep track of this when winding your thread. Even when two skeins share the same colour code, the shade can vary slightly because threads are dyed in batches. As a general rule, it’s best to buy enough skeins from the same dye lot to complete your project, ensuring a consistent colour throughout. Taping the label to the card reel is a simple but very effective way to keep your colours organised. It means the shade number stays with the thread from the moment you unwind the skein, so you can easily match or reorder colours later. It also avoids the common problem of having several similar pinks, blues, or greens on reels and no idea which is which once the paper bands have been removed.
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