I don't know about you, but to me things seem to be getting crazier and crazier when it comes to embroidery threads! When I first started stitching 20 years ago, there was just DMC, Anchor and J&P Coats. Since DMC was the most readily available brand, that's the one that I bought.
Over the 20 years, I have worked at getting all 454 colors of DMC. Almost two sets actually ;o) I have a few Anchor threads but DMC has always been my favourite when it comes to your 'typical' embroidery thread.
Now there seems to be two more on the scene; Sullivans and Presencia. It's getting rather confusing because some of the designers are changing over to these new lines. Stitchers are going to have conversion sheets galore or need a lot more storage space at this rate!
What are your thoughts on this? Which company is your favourite? Will you stick with your favourite or will you go out and buy whatever the pattern calls for?
Over the 20 years, I have worked at getting all 454 colors of DMC. Almost two sets actually ;o) I have a few Anchor threads but DMC has always been my favourite when it comes to your 'typical' embroidery thread.
Now there seems to be two more on the scene; Sullivans and Presencia. It's getting rather confusing because some of the designers are changing over to these new lines. Stitchers are going to have conversion sheets galore or need a lot more storage space at this rate!
What are your thoughts on this? Which company is your favourite? Will you stick with your favourite or will you go out and buy whatever the pattern calls for?
22 comments:
I only have access to DMC. Sad isn't it?!
Pumpkin...you MUST...absolutely MUST visit my blog later this afternoon AND my private blog.
Mr. Dumb Bunny giveaway fun coming... I thought of you.
Hope Popcorn is well.
I normally stick with what's called for in the pattern. Less taxing on my brain that way. I have a hard enough time deciding what to stitch next! I'm with you in that there are SO many different kinds of floss out now, especially with the hand-dyed companies. I remember when I started stitching in middle school, so around age 11 or 12, and there was DMC, and it was kits I got at the local department store, and it was on aida. Oh, how times have changed!
To be honest, I've been moving completely away from the 'standard' flosses. I find that DMC is no longer of sufficient quality (IMHO). Something about the thread just doesn't feel right in my hands. I've never liked Anchor or Coats for the same reason. And who wants to stitch something with funky feeling thread? I generally end up converting just as much as I can into other brands. If I could get Presencia or Sullivans locally I would purchase them. As it is, I find that I buy a lot of overdyed threads, simply because I like the feel of them.
That said, it means there are a lot of projects that I would like to work on, but cannot because the cost of the threads is prohibitive. (And They Sinned comes directly to mind.) If DMC would return to it's high quality fibers, then I would happily just spend my time with a DMC color chart, converting everything.
You know, I watch the progression of new designers and even though some of their flosses are wonderful, I tend to be drawn back to DMC. A personal choice and one that I am happy with. I do slip once in a while, like right now with the one I am working on but for the most part I have no problem with the good old staple, same with Zweigart and Wichelt.
Be always in stitches.
an answer to your question for me is: I will still use DMC. Just give me that conversion sheet or I will decide on my own what colors to use. I don't have a LNS in my part of the state. I see where Just Cross Stitch Mag had DMC and the other floss listed in there charts.. I have not even seen this new floss yet.. Happy Stitching !
I'll stick with DMC because basically, it's what's readily available, I don't have space to store more than one set, and I don't see the point of having more than one set. There is a store really close to me that sells the Presencia, but at a very high price. It's within walking distance, and, in a pinch, I would buy it if I only needed a few colors. It's perfectly fine thread. They also have pearl cotton there and I only use that sparingly so I have bought a ball or two of that as well.
But competition is good if the companies don't eat each other alive!
I like DMC. It's easy to get. And I have almost a complete set, as well as lots of some colours that are more common. I can't imagine trying to collect a new thread to do my HAEDs with.
However I do have some variagated and silks for certain projects. Just depends.
I can't see me replacing my DMC line. The hand dyed lines give you a different look so I can justify the cost but I can't see spending $$$ on something that is basically the same as DMC. Not when I can use that money instead to buy more patterns or a nice piece of linen. :)
I have more than enough DMC to work with. I'm now starting to collect the hand-dyed and silk ones. I'd be willing to try a color or two of these new ones to see what they are like.
I think designers use the new brands because these brands give them the threads for free but don't think of us who will get headaches trying to convert to what we can afford/ find easily. Hope the designers will give us the choice ;-)
I mostly use DMC. I have been collecting all the colors and usually stock up when Michaels has their 3/$1 sale - which they haven't had for over a year now I think. I bought most of the DMC Color variations, and that gives me the specialty floss look when I need it.
I sometimes buy specialty floss, but for the most part am usually at a loss trying to decide what! Too many choices just gives me a headache. If a designer doesn't give a conversion, I don't stitch their stuff (unless it's just a few colors per piece)
I also don't like the look of all hand dyed floss in a piece, unless it's a reproduction sampler or something. That's just my opinion by the way!
I did find some Thread Gatherer silks at the thrift store once, and it was heavenly stitching with it, but way too expensive to use all the time. They make nice little treats though!
And lastly (I promise I'll stop soon!), I have had a lot of fun dyeing my own floss. I pick up white DMC on sale and get out my RIT dyes and just go to town. That way I get my own creation for about 49 cents a skein, and you can't beat that!
Jenn
I haven't seen any floss besides the DMC, I work at Michael's so I am sure that we'll probably be seing in soon.
Have a great day.
DMC has always been my favorite because it is so readily available and all charts seem to be charted for DMC with alternative colors. I have just started working with other brands and types of threads, but I can't always justify paying the price. This hobby can get expensive.
Happy Stitching
I have all DMC only because when I started to collect - that's all that was available. I have most all WDW, CC, and Sampler on bobbins. But, I am finding that I rarely use the hand-dyes anymore.
As for the new flosses - if I can find them and the pattern calls for them - I'll try them once. If the cost is not out of this world.
Thanks for sharing their websites - didn't know they existed.
BTW - how's Popcorn?
Smiles - Denise
I use DMC mostly; buy have been slowing building up my WDW and GA threads, their kind of expensive but I really love how they look when your done.
I have at least two of all the DMC colors (including the variegated, rayon, and metallics). I also have lots of Kreinik and Rainbow Gallery that I bought ten years ago when Ebay had lots of cheap thread for sale. I am slowly gathering up WDW and GA, but I WILL NOT use Crescent Colours as I find their colors are never the same as stitched on the model. I used to go strictly by the chart, but after getting burned by Crescent Colours several times I now almost always change out as much of the thread as I feel comfortable with. Heck, I even changed stitches to Mill Hill beads on my Madame la Fee. I am also collecting Vickie Clayton silks and will do a Ink Circles design in those Real Soon Now.
DMC is what is locally found. I don't like anchor anf haven't tried Sullivan's. I do love the overdyed thread. I am trying to biuld up a good supply of different silks. They are wonderful to work with.
Solid colors only speaking, I buy mostly DMC because they are the only one available in most of the stores here, but I have and like Anchor threads too...
You forgot Venus threads, they're soft and shiny and I used to use them for dying because of that and because they were then very much cheaper than DMC.
But in my ideal world, I would stitch only with variegated threads like WDW, GAST, Thread Gatherer, Threadworx (formerly NN) Crescent Colors, Caron, Vikki Clayton's, etc... I have a little collection of all these that I bought a long time ago, especially for this or that chart...:P
I'm loyal to DMC threads :)
Well, here we don't have all brands, it's mostly between DMC and Anchor. I prefer DMC colors, so, all patterns I have, I pick the matching DMC colours :)
It's 465 DMC, right?
I'm almost completing all mine :)
Creative minds think alike...as I was putting away my DMC floss from a project I had just finished, I was thinking about the all the floss I have "collected". I, as many of those previous comments, have just about all of the DMC colors plus multiple strands of the more common ones. Nevertheless, when I started getting into the stitchers-blogging community as well as yahoo groups and local stitcher groups, I became influenced by what everyone was stitching and the fab/threads they were usings. So I "went to town" and started to "collect" some of the specialty threads - first it was to work on a couple of projects and then it was bought "just because" I might use it one day; but my DMC stash still takes on a large portion of my thread stash.
What do I like to stitch with...just depends on the project and how I feel. But from here on out, I will probably be using whatever thread I have on hand DMC or specialty - it is time to stitch from the stash!
I still stick mostly with DMC. I'm not a big fan of the stripes that come from using varigated threads in blocks. I love them in samplers and geometric patterns, but not in say, a bunny. I always think they look like they have some sort of colour disease.
I do appreciate that most designers give conversions whenever they use a new floss. But it is annoying to come across a pattern that uses a tiny bit of some expensive floss and have to convert by eye.
staying with DMC... I hate to have conversion charts... I already have the DMC colors... and why fix what isn't broken, right? ;o)
Post a Comment