Threads: A Needle Necessity — Book Review

Threads: A Needle Necessity,Jane Evans & Liv Weiss, distributed by Bedecked & Beadazzled, 2014

Threads are an important part of our stitching lives. If you’ve been stitching long enough, you probably remember when EVERYBODY stitched with one thread — wool. Embroidery floss was something other techniques used, as was crewel wool. Silk was something only rich people used, perhaps. While there were metallic threads out there, few shops carried them.

What a contrast there is today! This little book covers about 100 threads and it’s by no means all of them. Add in threads from other countries and the total can easily top 200.

Our lives are made more complicated because we hear about new threads all the time. You might see a great piece posted to Facebook. The stitchers tells you she used ________ for the background. You read a review of a new thread on a blog. You get a shop newsletter full of praise for a new thread. Your Guild workshop kit has some of a new thread in it.

Finding information about these threads has been hard — at least until Evans & White published this little book. Small enough to carry in your project bag, Threads has information on most of the popular threads used for needlepoint today.

Each thread is given its own two-column page. In the left column you’ll find information about the thread: manufacturer, fiber content, characteristics, information about colors, and more. This column as well as the right column may also include notes and stitching tips. These notes could be definitions of terms, information about thread construction, or hints for stitching.

There are also generous margins and blank space for adding your own information.

Because it’s listed alphabetically, information is easy to find.

That on its own is tremendously useful, but the back of the book has more great tips in a “notes” format. Here you’ll find information to help you understand and test different threads as well as great tips.

Ending the book is a thread usage chart, also included separately as a laminated card. In the table are: thread, distributor, fiber content, package yardage, strand/ply, and suggested amount for 13-14 and 18 mesh. In short, it summarizes what the book tells you.

There are only a couple of flaws in the book, both minor. First, the type used is fairly small, you might need magnification to read it. Second, while I love having all the information for each thread, I wish it was easier to find the stitching information. The book might be better as an on-going took instead of a reference if this stuff came after the more basic information and had a heading.

I’m finding tons of great ideas and you will too!

It’s great and useful and should be owned by every stitcher and shop.