Generally – typically, in actual fact – as you embroider, you’ll be confronted with the dilemma of swapping out an previous thread for a brand new thread midstream – that’s, whenever you’re in the course of a line of sewing.

Recently, I’ve obtained a number of questions on altering threads in the course of embroidery – when to modify to a brand new thread, ought to I change to a brand new thread, how do I change to a brand new thread, and so forth. I believe the subject was prompted when of us have been studying about floche, as a result of it’s a thread that works finest with barely shorter stitching lengths.

Guess what?! It is a topic we’ve coated just a few instances right here on Needle ‘n Thread. So let’s speak about it, after which I’ll present you some examples. I believe that, when you see the way it’s accomplished on just a few stitches, you’ll get the dangle of it for any sew.

Some Fundamentals

First, let’s cowl a pair primary rules:

Embroidery threads must be minimize at a size that they will moderately be stitched with, with out their exhibiting put on (and with out their being wildly inconvenient to sew with).

Let’s sort out the latter half of that notion: “with out their being wildly inconvenient to sew with.” You may need a long-wearing thread that stands up rather well to sewing, however when you work with a very lengthy minimize, it may be irritating to sew with – liable to twisting, knots, and many others. Minimize your thread to what you take into account a cushty size in circumstances like this, however at a size that gained’t be irritating.

Relating to the thread carrying out, although, that’s a extra sophisticated query. Completely different threads put on out in a different way. The size to chop an embroidery thread is decided by many components: the kind of thread, the kind of material, the kind of stitches – all of those affect how the thread wears out.

A protected rule for thread size is to measure it from the information of your fingers to your elbow, for many threads: that’s, round 18-20″. This shall be kind of relying on the make-up of the thread. If in case you have a really tender and delicate thread, 18″ may be a very good most size, although 16″ would possibly work higher. If in case you have a long-wearing, sturdy thread, 20-24″ may fit high quality.

The extra you embroider with totally different threads, the extra you’ll get the dangle of a very good size that’s snug for you and that works properly with the thread.

When to Swap

These two rules doesn’t fluctuate:

1. When you’re working out of thread, you should change to a brand new thread.

and

2. In case your thread is carrying out – if it’s beginning to look uninteresting, if it’s beginning to look fuzzy, if it merely doesn’t look pretty much as good because it did whenever you began stitching – you should change to a brand new thread.

There are generally triggers to warn you to the above situations: you would possibly discover fuzz getting caught round your stitches, you would possibly discover the thread is knotting extra or pilling, you would possibly discover it’s not as shiny because it appeared at first, issues like that.

At What Level within the Sew do I Swap?

There may be just a few exceptions, however for essentially the most half, the “how-to-end-a-thread-and-start-a-new-one” query usually includes embroidered strains relatively than crammed areas. It’s fairly easy to modify threads whenever you’re filling with satin sew, lengthy and brief sew, or the like.

However whenever you’re working line stitches or ornamental bands or composite stitches, the query is a bit more advanced. These are the kinds of stitches which will stump you in terms of the place to start out the brand new thread.

The final precept is that this:

Finish the previous thread at no matter motion within the sew takes the thread to the again of the material, and begin the brand new thread on the subsequent motion within the sew, the place the thread involves the entrance of the material.

There are exceptions, however for essentially the most half this precept holds true.

Chain sew may be an exception, for instance, and we mentioned this very query of ending a thread and beginning a brand new one in the course of a sequence sew line right here. There are two approaches, and each work.

Some stitches require an anchor (like chain sew) – they don’t essentially have a motion that takes them to the again of the material, or that holds the working thread in place securely when it does go to the again.

In these circumstances, you possibly can present a delicate anchor sew the place it is going to be least observed and within the a part of the sew that is sensible. One other instance of this, moreover chain sew, is Spanish Knotted Feather Sew, demonstrated right here.

However in terms of most stitches which have a motion that passes to the again of the material after which to the entrance once more, that’s whenever you finish the thread and begin the brand new one.

On this article, for instance (learn by to the purpose on beginning a brand new thread), this occurs with Palestrina sew.

Generally, the previous thread must be ended after the brand new thread begins, like in this instance with Hungarian Braided Chain Sew (scroll to the dialogue on beginning a brand new thread).

Suppose Forward

Ending an previous thread and beginning a brand new thread is solely a part of embroidery. You’ll have to do it sooner or later or one other. It’s not one thing that ought to intimidate, as a result of it’s simply a part of the embroidery course of.

The one tip that can make it simpler to handle switching to a brand new thread is that this: Suppose Forward.

Don’t wait till your thread is lower than an inch lengthy.

Don’t wait till your thread is shredding to items.

Discover essentially the most smart place to cease your present sew whilst you nonetheless have loads of thread to do it comfortably, the place you possibly can discreetly anchor your sew or the place you possibly can finish the thread off on the again, and the place you can begin a brand new thread in such a means that it melds seamlessly into the earlier stitches.

Don’t fear! You are able to do it! Keep in mind: it’s a part of the method.

And the method is enjoyable!