
Last week I was reading a cross stitch blog that speculated that DMC might be giving up on Etoile because of a lack of market acceptance. That might be true for cross stitchers, but needlepointers have taken metallic blend threads to heart.
Cross Stitchers are more dependent on what threads designers use in their charts. If designers don’t use a thread, cross-stitchers won’t buy it. Needlepoint is very different. We begin with a painted canvas that has no thread suggestions. Even if we buy a stitch guide, many of us feel comfortable changing one thread for another in a similar color. This means needlepoint encourages the use of a wider variety of threads.
The popsicle pictured here is a good example of this. There were no metallic paints on the canvas. Because I wanted some sparkle in the border, I used Silk Lame. Because I wanted to pick up the sparkle of the metallic used as an accent in the background, Silk Lame also worked here.
For needlepointers adding sparkle by adding a second, thin, metallic thread is a bother. The two threads don’t stay together and are harder to use. This problem doesn’t happen in cross stitch where designers and stitchers add blending filament to get that sparkle.
This all has me wondering — do you like metallic blend threads, and how do you use them?
About Janet M Perry
Janet Perry is the Internet's leading authority on needlepoint. She designs, teaches and writes, getting raves from her fans for her innovative techniques, extensive knowledge and generous teaching style. A leading writer of stitch guides, she blogs here and lives on an island in the northeast corner of the SF Bay with her family
I use metallic to give a project a lift or have a section stand out or emphasize it.
I love using metallic.
Would be lost without it.