Two Great Threads for Needlepoint

Updated February 28. 2023.
Two delightful silk threads make good choices for needlepoint when you want some special effects. As a bonus, both are easy to use, which makes them a good choice.

The two threads, a 2mm silk ribbon from Painter’s Threads and FFF Purely Silk Thread, are new to me. Both were used on the house with the green roof in this VNG ornament, DESIGNED BY Amanda Lawford.

Painter’s Thread Silk Ribbon

This ribbon was used for the walls of the house. It is dyed in the different artist colors of Painter’s Threads. The building was stitched with Klimt, a vivid dark golden orange with occasional bits of hot pink.

This 2mm ribbon worked beautifully for both Tent Stitches and longer stitches on 18-mesh canvas. Although ribbon isn’t often used for Tent, it has an unusual effect because it bunches at the holes, giving each stitch a ruched effect.

It’s very easy to use, although you should use a laying tool for longer stitches to keep each stitch from twisting.

The ribbon comes packaged in 3-meter lengths in bags. You’ll make your life easier if you take out the thread and fold it in half to get short stitching lengths and cut it. Then put it back into the resealable bag, and it’s easy to pull out lengths.

Purely Silk

This is a new Chinese silk that comes in several sizes. It’s carried by Fire Mountain threads and is designed for bead and pearl stringing. FFF, the largest size, is about the thickness of two strands of floss.

It is a three-ply round thread, wound onto cards with 14 yards on them or 92-yard spools. This lightly shining thread doesn’t snag the way Trebizond and Silk Serica do. It will not have the sheen of the more delicate filament silk because of its twisted construction, but it is shinier than most non-metallic threads for needlepoint.

It was used doubled for the green roof of the house. Doubling caused some problems with uneven pulling. To minimize this, use shorter stitching lengths and cut separate strands.

I liked the combination of shine with the twisted texture of the thread, especially in the simple darning pattern I used. This would be great for any longer stitches and can create great secondary accents and focal points.

Because this is a beading thread, it has a limited range of colors; if the color will work for your project, it’s an excellent and cost-effective thread choice.