Uncommon Embroidery Floss

I have used several different Madeira threads: silk, cotton, rayon, and many of their machine threads which I also use for embroidery. All are beautiful, handle well. I'm surprised they don't have a larger audience here in the States.

Dianne

Naomah wrote:

I'm not ... brick and mortar shops are closing all over; the ones that are left are sticking to what they think their clientele wants instead of exposing us to new things.

After all, many shops have used many different thread manufacturers that aren't all that "popular". New threads are always coming on the market. Madeira has been with us a long time. They're nicer than soie d'Alger. I've been selling their silk threads for 12 years. What happened was that designers never/rarely used them. These threads never caught on in the U.S. except in the machine department where they are highly regarded. If you have a source of machine thread near you, try them. Interesting threads and interesting results.

Dianne

Have emailed you off-list

Gill

Naomah wrote:

When I stitched the hummingbird bell pull for my DSis, I did the birds in rayon and the flowers in silk. That was the first time I used Madeira fibers. I had to use several of their machine embroidery rayons to get a fairly close match for some taupe colors. I have also used the silks in some classes at CATS and it is lovely floss. My biggest complaint is the way it is packaged. I guess I'm just used to a regular skeins (like DMC, Caron, etc.) or the Rainbow Gallery cards. But when I kit up a project, I still pull out my Madeira along with my other flosses to search for the colors I need. CiaoMeow >^;;^<

PAX, Tia Mary >^;;^< (RCTQ Queen of Kitties) Angels can't show their wings on earth but nothing was ever said about their whiskers! Visit my Photo albums at

I was in the shop the other morning for a stitch in and wanted some spare floss to grid a piece of linen. And I found some light blue Presencia in the scrap basket. I asked the store owner about it and she said she liked it when she worked with it.

Donna in Virginia

At the risk of starting another political discussion, I've got to say that I live in a very conservative area, even when it comes to stitching. The embroiderers I know are very hesitant to use anything other than what a designer specifies. My local Joann's does carry the machine threads but I'm currently in a non-stash enhancing mode but those threads sound very appealing.

I can readily understand why people are hesitant to change brands, which inevitably results in changing colors . . . which most people are loathe to mess around with. It always seemed a shame to me that more designers didn't pick up on them. They are used in Australia for many designs.

I know that some people feel the packets are a nuisance, but I like them. We all work differently.

Since the machine threads are fine, you can use them for detail which might be otherwise overwhelming with a regular strand of floss. Such as fine cross stitches on trellis stitch on a delicate design. I love the variegated ones for certain areas. Do try them out when you're in the mood.

Dianne

Oh Dianne, you've given me an idea. Now for the time to try it.

C

IMNSHO (translation for those not up on 'Net speak -- in my not so humble opinion), Brits and Australians are way more creative than we are in the designs that they produce. I'm not much of a fan of traditional, primitive or cutsey although I don't mind doing something that could be termed "cute" occassionally.

I totally agree! Why is it so hard to get the stuff here do you think?

Madeira kinda varies in popularity by region. In defense of stitcher's not trying new flosses, the U.S. has seen some really crappy (fuzzy, uneven, break easy) entries into the floss market--after slaving over a project many stitcher's have sworn off using anything other than DMC/Anchor/JP.

In defense of local shops, what fibers get carried are absolutely based on what designers call for in patterns (and that's hard enough to keep up with--nevermind paying monthly rent by the square footage for the space the fibers take up). It's not coincidence that patterns released at the just-over February Nashville market deliberately use some of the new fibers/colors or have kitted the more unusual fibers to introduce stitchers to the product.

Some guild/group members and other entrepreneurs have had blowups with local shops who weren't interested in stocking their hand-dyed/crafted fibers (some actively post in this newsgroup and other forums over the years as to how rude and horrid the shop people were in retaliation)--even established companies like DMC introduce patterns-that-use when introducing new products. When one shopowner nicely suggested to one would-be-salesperson that they should attend the needlework markets with their product, contact designers, try putting out some introductory kits and when introducing product not require large minimum orders of full line by shopowners ... bad blowup leading to boycott by local EGA chapter.

At our now closed shop, once upon a time owner was determined not to get Crescent Colours or any other new line of overdyed due to shop space ... and then came all these great patterns using, lol.

I'd love to see some of those introductory kits. IF they came with decent fabric!

I would suggest because too many people only do cross stitch. Although I see lots of cross stitch supplies in the UK, I also see the wherewithal for doing other needlework and shops are not composed of row upon row of cross stitch patterns.

Anybody can go right ahead and yell at me, but I sincerely believe that is why, over here there is a mania for cross stitch only. I am not saying it is wrong, but rather, that is why LNS do not offer much that isn't required for cross stitch.

Also, in Oz, they have great mags showing different projects, here mags don't survive unless they are 99% cross stitch, even the good ones that start eventually cave. That's why I no longer subscribe to any of them.

Now, off to bridge, guess my chair will feel warm all afternoon :)

I totally agree - and have felt that way for years. IF you can find crewel/needlepoint/surface work, it's flowers,flowers and cats in baskets smelling flowers. And the needlepoint is all strictly tent stitch/basketweave.

I know the manufacturers are in a bind - they don't want to make what won't sell, but all they make is (to me) exceedingly BORING. And I don't think Linea was a good idea - too abstract, not preprinted, etc. The IDEA was good (pick your own design, what to put it on and own colors), but people need to be led by the hand to try something abd the best way to do that is to have it all kitted up and ready to go.

Example: I have done a couple of Matisse pictures in surface work. I

*know* I can get them in XS. But why doesn't someone put out a kit or two of famous paintings in surface work? With a couple of interesting fibers!

I could go on and on, but you get the idea.

I wish I had the time and money to start up something like this - or that DMC or Janlynn or SOMEONE would listen to me!

Linda

My LNS specializes in hand-painted canvases, counted canvas designs, and really sumptious threads. She offers lessons several nights a week and hosts trunk shows. None of the needlepoint works she has displayed are only tent stitch and I've seen her work on stitch guides and picking threads with customers, sometimes for hours at a time. But you know some people around here (here being Salem, not rctn) complain that she's too expensive and they'd rather buy floss at Walmart.

You can't have it both ways. If a body wants to buy stuff on the cheap, a body has to be willing to go without help, which might mean forgoing the more difficult techniques. I'm afraid most Americans are more concerned about price than quality, and that ends up affecting the rest of us.

Elizabeth

What you say is correct except that not all of us are so fortunate as to have a local shop. When my LNS existed, I was happy to spend the extra money and take her advice on threads and techniques, but alas she's gone and it's just not the same when you must use the net for anything special.

I'm reluctant to put down big bucks for something I can't fondle.

L

Amen. I know how to do crewel and embroidery, and wouldn't mind doing more of them, but the designs that call to me are designed for XS.

Yes that is certainly another reason. I will say in their defence that they seem incapable of seeing the difference, I have heard people saying the skirt they bought in Wartmart was exactly the same as the one in a better store, of course it wasn't, but they don't see that.

Or my classic at a Craft Market. Man selling nice stained glass, two women ahead of me loved it, but muttered about too expensive. Three stalls further down was plastic stained 'glass' - the sort you buy the plastic, melt it and pour in ready to go molds. They were in 7th heaven because it was just like his stuff only the price was better arrrrrgbgghhhhh~