Several Great Threads

Updated August 26, 2022.

Vineyard Silk (https://www.vineyardsilk.com/): A silk for needlepoint from Wiltex. This thread is unusual combining a bit of silk’s luster with a soft hand in a single -strand thread. The thread works on both 14 and 18 mesh canvas. There are three types of this thread Classic (240 solid colors), and Tone on Tone 18 shaded colors). The skeins are 28 yards and well-priced, so they are a good value.

I really love stitching with this thread. For people who have never stitched with silk before, this is a perfect introduction to this fiber.

Soy Luster (https://www.thepurepalette.com): Yarns made from soy took the knitting world by storm a few years ago and soy luster is the needlepoint yarn made from soy. It has luster like silk, but is soft like wool. A thin thread, a single strand is used for Congress Cloth while two strands are needed on 18 mesh. It is hand-dyed using formaldehyde-free dyes. It comes in 36-yard skeins and comes in solid or shadow colors. There are 82 colors in solids and shadows, which are three shades of a single color. Although it is difficult to tell from a skein, the shades in the shadow colors have long runs, which makes them easier to manipulate.

DMC Light Effects (https://www.dmc-usa.com/): Light Effects is the expanded line of DMC metallic floss. It has six strands and can be used like floss. This is a great benefit to stitchers looking to customize their use of metallic. The threads are in six different ranges: pearlescents (pastel, iridescent tones), jewels (precious stones colors and two variegated colors), antiques (metal and gilt finishes for a vintage look), precious metals (silvers and golds), fluorescents (green and yellow) and glow-in-the-dark (white thread glows after exposed to light).

In general, these metallics are more difficult to use than metallic braids, they have more static electricity, and so they don’t stay together well when using several strands. In addition, they tend to knot and come unthreaded easily. The colors are interesting and often unique, but the thread is too delicate and difficult to be used for more than an
accent.

Aubusson Crewel Wool: Tapestry Guild has come out with a lovely French crewel weight wool called Aubusson. It is very smooth and lovely for stitching. Two strands covered beautifully on 18 mesh canvas is either basketweave or a textured stitch. This is one of the nicest crewel wools I’ve used. If you are a fan of really old Medici or of Needle Necessities overdyed wool, you’ll love this yarn; it is similar. In 8-meter skeins shaded and solid colors.

Waverly Wool (https://brownsheep.com/waverly.htm): This is a Persian wool made in the US from Brown Sheep. The company is well-known for their knitting yarns and Waverly makes a grand addition to the line of needlepoint threads. It is three-stranded but with all three strands being the same width, it’s very easy to split. A single strand is perfect on 14 mesh and can be used for decorative stitches on 18 mesh. There are tons of colors, with many families having six shades in them. Nine multi-colors are also available.

House of Embroidery Floss and Pearl (https://www.houseofembroidery.com/): These overdyed yarns are from South Africa and are available in floss as well as #5 and #8 pearl. The different threads are dyed to match and the color range is vibrant and interesting.

One of the most unusual things about this thread is the packaging. #8 perle is packaged with three coordinated colors on a card, each in 9m lengths. #5 perle is packaged in single skeins with 22 meters per skein. The floss is packaged with two 5-meter skeins on a card. Some of the combinations are shades of the same color, some related colors, but using these threads will enliven any design.