Which silk threads?

A voice out of the past calls for help!

I'm getting back into needlework mode, and I have in mind a silk on linen project. In the past I've used Soie d'Alger but I've been told they have delivery problems so I'm considering Kreinik's Silk Mori. I'd welcome opinions on this thread, and also advice on the number of strands to use on 28-count Belfast so I don't order more than I really need.

And, of course, if you have recommendations for something other than Mori, I'd welcome those, too.

It's all over now, but I've had a bummer of a year -- two hip replacements followed by month-long stays in rehab, a gall bladder removal, and several lesser hospitalizations -- so I've done precious little stitching for quite a while.

Thanks, ladies.

Felice

Reply to
Felice
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Silk Mori is a lovely silk. You might also think about Madeira silk threads, which are shinier. Either will give you nice results.

Dianne

Reply to
Dianne Lewandowski

My favourite silk is made by Rainbow Gallery -- I think they call it Splendor. I have been working on a NP project and haven't been near my silks in months -- LOL. The Splendor is very nice to work with, has a lovely sheen, comes in a bazillion colours, it reasonably priced and is a 12 strand floss -- not five like so many others. I have lots of other silk fibers but I always go to the Splendor first. On 28 count, I would use a minimum of 2 strands for light coverage and 3 strands for denser coverage. I very rarely us 3 strands unless a chart calls for it as I prefer lighter coverage. Keep us posted on what you finally use, OK?

PAX, Tia Mary >^;;^< (RCTQ Queen of Kitties) Angels can't show their w> A voice out of the past calls for help!

Reply to
Tia Mary

That's very helpful, Dianne, since I don't think shiny is called for in this case -- it's the Heritage Stitchcraft version of the Mayflower and I think a more muted look will be appropriate.

Felice

Reply to
Felice

Thanks, Tia Mary! I'll have to look into Splendor, particular since the color matches between the designated DMC and the Mori silks are not as exact as I would like. Good to hear, too, that 2 strands on 28 would work -- that's my preference, too -- especially on a Pearl Gray fabric.

I'm doing pillows for my two grands, with the Mayflower in the center and the border including the names of their direct ancestors back to the Mayflower. With luck, I hope to have them done by Thanksgiving. Hah!

Felice

Reply to
Felice

What a fun idea :-) I found out helping with some research for one child's history assignment last year that we may not be connected to the Mayflower (though it remains a possibility), but looks like we qualify for Ark and Dove (not sure yet about passage on the Ark and Dove, but descended from Lord Baltimore) and Filles du Roi (from Francoise Boivin). I'm not sure I'll ever have the motivation to assemble all the formal documentation, however!

Best wishes, Ericka

Reply to
Ericka Kammerer

Oh, DO IT! It can be tedious but you will derive great satisfaction when you've gathered all the necessaries. Les Filles du Roi sounds so exotic!

Felice

Reply to
Felice

I'm echoing Mary. I really like Splendor quite a bit, there's a great range of colors, and the price is reasonable. The 12 strands are packaged as 3 bundles of 4 strands, so you ply out one of the groups of 4, and then strip out the single strands you'll use. Splendor seems to be a slightly heavier silk than some of the others, and people doing canvas work love it. Just enough of a difference. After Splendor, in the solids I'm almost as partial to Soie Cristal from Caron.

I also like Needlepoint Inc silk, many sampler stitchers use this working on linen. I don't like it as much for canvas, it's just slightly thinner and on canvas 18 ct or 24 ct congress it makes a difference. I did a large piece on congress using NI, and had to vary between 2 and 3 strands depending on the color - the darker colors tend to thin more - something to do with the dyeing as it was explained to me (but of course I could be wrong).

I tend to like full coverage, so will generally use 3 strands on 28 count, 2 on 32. But, in the last few years I've gotten in the habit of doing a little test section in the corner to make a decision. And then it also may vary with the particular stitch.

The Silk Mori is nice thread. The Au Ver a Soie people made some changes to their processing a few years back, wanting it to be more colorfast. It's still the 7 strand situation, but I (not alone in this) find it to be kind of easily fuzzed. Having just spent some time working on a piece done entirely in beige AVAS & gold metallics, I'm not inclined to say it's a favorite.

Even though you didn't ask, I'll tell you that for hand-dyed/over-dyed or painted, I really like Gloriana, Waterlilies, tne new Planet Earth stuff, and am currently using some Pure Palette stranded silk. It's very subtly over-dyed. I do also have a fair amount of Silk'n'Colors, love the colors, but I think in hand the silk feels quite dry, almost crunchy.

Anyhow - my favorite standard is probably the Splendor - plus, it's easy to work with it off the cards ;^)

BTW - sorry to hear you've had such a tumultous health time, and glad you're back with us, and stitching!

Ellice

Reply to
Ellice K.

It does, doesn't it! For those who don't know the history, it's somewhat less glamorous than it seems, however :-) Back in the colonial days in France, there were a bunch of men (mostly soldiers and farmers/trappers) and not very many women. So, Louis XIV sent about 770 women to Canada between 1663 and 1673 to marry and help settle the colony there. The king paid for their passage and (for some) a small dowry. Many were orphans, and many were very young. We know Francoise Boivin was a fille du roi and a direct ancestor thanks to the work someone has done on my husband's patrilineal line. There are probably other filles du roi lurking in the tree as well, but I don't know about them.

Right now, there's no way I have the time to gather all the proper documentation, but perhaps someday I'll be able to! At least I've laid out the information I have so that someone else might be able to pick up where I've left off. I'm pretty confident that the links in the chain are valid. I was lucky and some people had done some excellent research on the key lines that went back to colonial times in the US (my side of the family) and Canada (husband's side of the family). My perception was always that family came from the midwest and west coast, and it's true that the more recent immigrants largely came straight to the midwest (and some moved rapidly to the west). We live in Virginia, so those branches seemed very far away. When I found that some of them came right back to Virginia and Maryland, and that there were graves and other landmarks nearby, it was almost disconcerting to think they were living right here! One ancestor owned a lot of the land that is currently Georgetown :-) Honestly, until we started hunting for this school assignment, I didn't know that we had any ancestors on my side who were here anywhere near colonial times. Six of my great-grandparents were immigrants, but apparently the other two had deep roots here. At any rate, I find the whole thing way too interesting and can fritter away hours chasing leads...which is a Bad Thing when the to do list is already way too long!

Best wishes, Ericka

Reply to
Ericka Kammerer

I have done the genealogy for my mothers side of the family. One of the ancestresses is Francoise DeCharmenil was sent to Quebec as one of the King's Daughters "Fille Du Roi". These women were sent during their child-bearing years to help populate "New France"/Quebec, with a dowry from the King,because there were so few women in place at the time. So a Fluer de Lys would be appropriate.

Bobbie V.

Reply to
bobbieviorritto

I'm thinking of using the paperwork we have for genealogy to join the DAR - we have some potential traceability to the Mayflower, but the best line documentation wise is a for a later arrival (two years after the Mayflower)

Cheryl

Reply to
Cheryl Isaak

Fascinating! I had never heard of this extraordinary group of women! Even if you can't get deeply into the genealogy yet, you might want to check Gary Boyd Roberts; list of Gateway Ancestors. A piece about his book "Royal Descents of 600 Immigrants" and a state-by-state list is at

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hunting!

Felice

Reply to
Felice

Ah, but what about those "late arrivals"? I've just recommended to Ericka, and now to you, Gary Boyd Roberts' list of Gateway Ancestors. A piece about his book "Royal Descents of 600 Immigrants" and a state-by-state list is at

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Reply to
Felice

I'll have to check it out--Alexander Magruder (Maryland) is one of my ancestors. Looks like his line goes back to Robert II of Scotland.

Best wishes, Ericka

Reply to
Ericka Kammerer

Whenever someone brings up the DAR to me, I cannot help but think of our across the street neighbor at the prior house. They had recently moved in, and when I met her, within 60 secs I knew that they had "moved up" from a few blocks away, that she had ancestors that came over on the Mayflower, and for the next 5 breathless minutes learned the family history of both sides, who went to Canada, who stayed in the colonies and how long they'd been members of the DAR...Evidently this was so critical to her that as our other friends met her, they also found the DAR membership to be virtually an introductory remark. So, somehow, while I treasure the history of our country and those that have contributed, I still have that Marian Anderson memory, and the neighbor's constant reminders in my mind.

However, it's always fascinating to learn of the family history, and if it makes you feel good to join the DAR, go for it.

Ellice

Reply to
Ellice K.

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