Every stitcher has a favorite thread. Some love the smooth glide of silk, others the dependable softness of cotton, and a few swear by the shimmer of metallics. The thread you choose shapes not only how your project looks but also how it feels to stitch.
Choosing the right fiber can elevate your work from “well done” to “breathtaking.” Let’s explore how these different threads behave, what to expect when stitching with them, and how to match your materials to the mood and complexity of your design.
1. Cotton: The Workhorse of Stitching
If thread were a language, cotton would be the one everyone speaks. It’s affordable, versatile, and available in every color imaginable. Most stitchers start with cotton, especially stranded floss, and for good reason. There are
Cotton floss (like DMC or Anchor) is spun from natural fibers and mercerized for a soft sheen. It’s made up of six strands that can be separated, allowing you to control coverage and texture. They also make Perle (Pearl) Cotton which is a twisted, non-dividing cotton with a lustrous sheen available in different thicknesses. In Hardanger we usually use #12 for the weaving and #8 for the satin stitching. There are other cotton threads also; like Matte Cotton or Flower Threads which reveal different finishes but still cotton!
• DMC (Dollfus-Mieg & Compagnie) is a French company, founded in Mulhouse, France, in 1746. Their embroidery floss is still made primarily in France, though some production and packaging now happen in other countries.
• Anchor was originally a British brand, produced by Coats of England, but manufacturing moved years ago. Today, Anchor threads are owned by Mez Crafts, a German company, and most Anchor embroidery floss is made in Hungary.
We love it because of:
- Durability: Cotton can handle plenty of tension and re-threading.
- Control: You decide how many strands to use, one strand for delicate work like petit crosses, two for coverage (on 14 on Aida or 28 count linen), and six strands for full coverage of larger counts fabrics or other craft projects.
- Consistency: Dyes are standardized, so the same color number will usually match across skeins if you order within a year or so. This is not always true over time. The colour numbers have changed over the years, depending on the French manufacturer.
- Accessibility: It’s widely available and blends beautifully with other fibers. It is truly the most available and affordable flosses for stitching worldwide. There are also some flosses not made by Anchor or DMC, which may not be as strong, or colourfast as these two tried and true brands.
What to watch for
Cotton can fuzz a little with repeated use or if your needle’s eye is rough, so use lengths of about 18 inches. You can also double a yard of floss easily in order to start your stitching with a loop. It also tends to lose its sheen after frequent handling, so wash your hands before stitching and keep threads clean and untangled.
When to choose cotton
Cotton is perfect for samplers, cross stitch, and teaching pieces, truly any design that relies on clear colours and harmony. Its softness creates a balanced, matte finish that’s easy on the eyes and gentle on fabric.
2. Silk: The Queen of Threads
If cotton is practical and steady, silk is its elegant sister, luxurious, luminous, and occasionally temperamental. Silk has been used for embroidery for centuries, prized for its lustrous sheen and supple drape. When light touches it, silk glows.
High-quality silks like Au Ver à Soie, Caron Collection, Kreinik Mori, Gloriana Overdyes, Dinkey Dyes or Needlepoint Inc silks have a smooth texture that glides through fabric. They’re strong despite their softness, but they do require gentler handling.
Silk loves smoothness. If your hands are hydrated and smooth, the thread will glide beautifully and keep that glossy finish. When your hands are dry, silk thread tends to snag, catch, or lose its smooth glide. Here’s what helps:
• Moisturize lightly, then wait. Use a rich but non-greasy hand cream like Udderly Smooth cream, then let it soak in completely. Wipe your fingertips on a clean tissue before stitching so there’s no residue.
• Try a thread conditioner. A tiny dab of Thread Heaven, Thread Magic, or pure beeswax helps protect the silk and reduce drag.
• Keep a damp cloth nearby. Lightly touch it before threading your needle if your skin feels rough. It restores a bit of moisture without getting oily.
• Smooth away snags. Use a fine emery board or nail buffer to smooth any rough edges on your nails or cuticles. Even a tiny snag can catch silk.
• Gloves if you must. Some stitchers use thin cotton gloves with cut-off fingertips for longer sessions. It looks funny but works well.
We love silk because:
- Unmatched shine: Silk reflects light in a way no cotton ever can.
- Depth of color: Because silk fibers are translucent, the colors seem to shimmer from within.
- Smooth stitching: The glide of silk makes every pass of the needle a small luxury.
What to watch for
Silk can snag easily, especially on rough cuticles or sharp fabric edges. It’s sensitive to moisture and can develop water spots if it gets damp. It also tends to tangle if the thread is too long — shorter lengths (around 18 inches) are best.
A small tip from experience: railroading (sliding your needle between the two strands as you stitch) keeps the silk’s surface smooth and luminous.
When to choose silk
Silk elevates heirloom work — specialty stitches, wedding samplers, or designs meant for display. It’s worth the effort when you want to capture light and luxury. Because of its cost, many stitchers use silk selectively — perhaps for just the flowers, lettering, or borders that deserve extra sparkle.
3. Metallics: The Drama Queens of the Thread Box
Ah, metallics — beautiful, flashy, and occasionally maddening. These threads bring shimmer and dimension to your work, catching light in ways other fibers can’t. They’re ideal for Christmas ornaments, stars, borders, and anywhere you want sparkle.
Metallic threads are usually made of a synthetic core wrapped in a fine metallic foil. The problem? That foil can fray or shred as you stitch, especially through tightly woven fabrics like linen. Why we love them:
- Instant glamour: Metallics add depth and shine that other fibers can’t match.
- Versatility: Available in gold, silver, copper, rainbow hues, and even antique finishes.
- Highlight power: Perfect for small accents — beads, halos, or outlines that need to pop.
What to watch for
Metallics can be stubborn. To make them behave:
• Use shorter lengths (12–15 inches).
• Thread the needle carefully to avoid kinks or breaks.
• Use a larger needle size so the thread passes smoothly through the hole without friction.
• A thread conditioner (like Thread Heaven or beeswax) can tame tangling and fraying.
For stitchers who find metallics frustrating, blending filaments or metallic floss blends (like DMC Étoile or Kreinik’s soft braid metallics) offer a more forgiving sparkle.
When to choose metallics
Metallic threads shine brightest in holiday designs, Hardanger accents, and samplers that call for special highlights. Use them sparingly — they’re the jewelry of embroidery, not the wardrobe.
4. Matching Threads to Your Design’s Personality
Although you can stitch all patterns with the type of fiber you like, remember that you can easily combine cottons with silks if you want. That means you have a broader range of colours to choose from. However, you must always check each silk for colourfastness, by spritzing all your chosen fibers with water while they're lying on paper towel. Wait for any colour seepage. Each thread fiber brings a different emotional tone to your work. When choosing, think beyond color. consider mood, texture, and message.
• Cotton creates a warm, traditional feel, perfect for historical samplers or designs with vintage charm. Flower Threads are particularly nice for this purpose.
• Silk speaks of luxury, softness, and grace. it is ideal for any special piece you're working on. If you want to have a piece that truly transforms your stitching from ordinary to magnificent, choose silk! Ideal for specialty stitches or satin stitches.
• Metallics add modern sparkle or festive drama, used sparingly they are great for stars, snowflakes, and celebratory motifs. Very fun to add to your stitching. Be careful to use separate scissors when cutting metallics, as they tend to dull your blades.
Mixing threads can be wonderful. A sampler stitched in cottons and silk with touches of metallic, adds subtle richness and texture.
5. Practical Tips for Happy Stitching
Store properly: Keep threads away from direct sunlight and moisture. Silk should be stored loosely wound; metallics do best sealed to avoid tarnish or humidity. I have used zip-lock baggies 4"x4" almost exclusively for the past 20 years. Partly because I can store them easily in dark drawers, but also because all the snippets and lengths that are not used immediately can be stored easily in the baggies. Baggies are easily sorted when I need a particular colour and I label them with the brand name, the brand number, and their colour name using a permanent sharpie. Also, I like to store similar colours together for ease.
Choose your needle carefully: Silk and metallics need a needle with a smooth eye; burrs or rough edges can cause instant fraying. There are some that have a bit of a bump on the end called ball-tip needles. For the usual count fabric, use a size 24-26 tapestry needle. there are good brands that are consistent and that last longer. I love John James needles from England, but there are also others.
Slow down and enjoy: Specialty threads like overdyes, reward patience. When working with 2 strands, match each strand to a similar strand, so the colour changes remain clear and not mixed up. Remember to work with the colour changes so the effect is gradual. For instance, if you use the danish method of cross stitching by working your base half-stitches along one line, and then completing the crosses on your return journey, you will end up with colours that look like stripes. My advice is to complete each cross stitch before moving on. The difference shows in the finished work.
6. The Designer's Viewpoint
As a designer, I often choose silk flosses, for the effect on the linen. I find that silks shine and look so rich that they just make me smile to see them. The colours of the Soie d'Alger (7 strands) that are manufactured by the Au Ver A Soie company, are very brilliant, wonderful for peacocks and flowers, and they are slightly thicker than the other silks I use. The manufacturer is one of the oldest silk thread makers in the world. However, I've sometimes felt that they are a bit too bright and not always easily avaialble for my uses.
The effect of the Needlepoint Inc silks are different, they are tightly Z-twisted, so they work well on linen as they are less prone to fuzzing and the strongest type of silk floss. With 8 strands, they also have had very good and dependable colour range, with little or no colour variations in the dyelots over many years now. I really love NPI's for consistency, ease of use, and the dependability of their colours.
The Kreinik Mori's with 6 strands, is a beautiful silk floss, because it behaves as predictably as cotton, although it's a silk. They include more soft colours than the other two brands. Their silks are very finely combed and tightly twisted. Made of short fibres, they are spun well enough to be used for most of my designs.
Gloriana silks at 12 strands, have been my go-to overdye brand, although Caron Collection's Waterlilies are good also. Dinkey Dyes are newer but also very exciting! When using overdyes, one yard often has more than 5 colour changes, and in cross stitch you need to have short colour changes in one thread to make each colour change quickly for the smaller designs I create.
Finally, I use Kreinik #4 Braids but mostly only as accents, and not always in every sampler. They add a little mischief and sparkle, like laughter woven between the stitches. I usually use the #4 braid from Kreinik in most, because the blending filament breaks too easily, and the #8 braid is a bit too thick for my purposes. Of course there are exceptions.
Flosses and Threads are more than materials; they’re part of my emotional palette of my work. When I match fibers thoughtfully to my designs, I feel that my needlework patterns come alive. So next time you reach for a skein, pause for a moment. Feel its texture, notice its sheen, and imagine the mood it will bring. Your threads reflect your personality and your decisions about how much your work means to you.
Written by Thea Dueck: designer, teacher and founder of the Victoria Sampler. A professional needlework designer and a recognized authority in specialty stitches. She loves sharing the joy of samplers and specialty stitches. All images from www.freepik.com