Embroidery is an exciting process. It includes the ability to use various techniques and their combinations in one product to obtain the desired result. As a rule, at the first stages of development in this applied art, few people think about anything other than the pattern and technique of making stitches. Therefore, a beginner may be confused when he comes to the store for embroidery threads. Indeed, today many retail outlets have a large assortment of all kinds of threads for creativity. They differ among themselves in a variety of parameters that directly affect the final result of the work.
Kinds
To make it easier to navigate among a variety of materials, you need to understand what kind of threads are that are used in this type of applied creativity. All embroidery threads can be classified according to several criteria: purpose, manufacturer, price, color and composition. Depending on what the final result should be, select several parameters, after which they select the threads that are suitable for most criteria.
In composition
Let's take a closer look:
- Cotton Classic and familiar to all threads, usually with a small twist. They fit well in stitches, become fluffy with friction in the area of the eye of the needle, and easily tear.
- Woolen. A bit fluffy, thicker than cotton. As a rule, a thread consists of two rather tightly interwoven parts. Look good in animal embroidery, giving the characters a more natural look.
- Acrylic Most often they look like woolen, however, unlike the previous ones, they have a more loose structure and creak when wet. This is a budget option.
- Flaxseed. This type of embroidery thread goes well with natural linen, is actively used when sewing Russian folk costumes or products in a rustic style.
- Satin The composition of these threads is 100% viscose. Such threads have a silky structure, and embroidery acquires a noble shine and similarity to silk.
- Silk. These threads are used for embroidery of national oriental costumes. They are very thin, but durable, with a steady color. Recently, they are not as popular as satin, as the cost of silk thread is many times more.
- Polyester. Embroidery threads have a fairly dense twist and a smooth structure, which makes embroidery easier, but when stitching elements, the slightest flaws are visible that would not be visible when using cotton or wool threads.
- Kreinik. The combination of nylon fibers with a metal component. Rarely found on sale.
By manufacturer
The most popular types of embroidery threads can be divided into two categories.
Domestic:
- The most popular are Gamma, which are produced in the city of Solnechnogorsk, Moscow Region. The skein contains 8 meters of thread, which can be divided into 6 separate threads. Enough budget material with an extensive color palette. It is difficult to separate the threads from the skein. When working, the thread is very frizzy and often breaks. Colors are stable, but skeins of the same numbers may vary in color in different batches.
- OJSC "Spinning and threading plant named after S. Kirov." This manufacturer has an extensive history and has been operating since 1833. It is located in St. Petersburg. In one skein - 10 meters. The thread is strong, smooth, almost fluffy. It does not mess up at work, but a little thinner than other manufacturers. Colors are persistent, the palette is extensive, but there is not only a discrepancy in tone in different batches, but also a mismatch between the real color and its number on the package. It is made in accordance with GOST.
- Squirrel. In fact, this is not entirely domestic material, since it is made to order in China. It is an analogue of VHI.
- Euron embroidery threads of the Euronite company. Produced in Moscow since 1995. In a skein of 6 threads of 8 meters each, bright enough, do not fade. In sets, instead of color numbers, "Mix" is indicated.
Imported:
- VHI (France). 6 threads of 8 meters. Smooth, smooth, with a wide color palette, do not fluff, do not twist, easily disconnect. The cost is about 2.5-3 times higher than that of domestic ones, less common in stores, you may encounter a fake.
- "Anchor" (England). High-quality threads with resistant paint, in a skein of 8 meters. Very rare, there is no color matching in the map.
- Madeira (Germany). Somewhat dull, not very bright colors in a convenient package, where the threads are arranged in a bag in a spiral. Suitable for comfortable work, however, the color numbers do not match the numbers of other manufacturers, because of which only an approximate selection of products of this company is possible.
- "Ideal" (Taiwan). The budgetary variation of imported yarns is similar in quality to PNK, however, with a smaller color palette, they twist in work, nodules are often found.
By appointment
These are:
- For hand embroidery. Available in skeins or other forms, has a weak winding, usually consist of 6 threads, combined into one.
- Threads for embroidery machines. It is a bobbin with a homogeneous whole thread.
By coloring
Here are the threads:
- One-colored. The classic version of the threads have a fairly small step in the color spectrum.
- Multicolor. Throughout the thread - a smooth transition of color, it can be like close colors, for example, yellow and green, or a combination of several more distant ones (red and blue through purple)
- Melange. Different color intensities per thread.
- Metallized. They have a metallic sheen and are actively used in both national and modern embroidery.
Also there are phosphoric, neon threads, with the effect of pearl shine, antiquity and others.
Colors
The embroidery threads of each company are provided in a large assortment of both materials and colors, as a rule, these are from 300 to 600 shades. Despite the fact that this makes it easy to choose the right color, problems often arise, especially for beginners picking threads according to the numbers indicated on the diagram. Therefore, there is a very convenient online calculator that makes it easy to compare numbers of the same color from different manufacturers.
Using embroidery threads of different composition, color and shade allows you to create realistic panels and paintings, embroidered by hand or on a typewriter. And the presence of a large number of manufacturers and types of material suggests the most comfortable selection both in tactile sensations, necessary characteristics and effects, and in the price category, which makes your favorite activity even more attractive for needlewomen.