How to use embroidery floss: separating strands, starting without knots, tangles

TUREFF• •0

Stranded cotton, often called embroidery floss, is the thread most people use for surface embroidery. A length of it is made of six fine strands loosely twisted together, and most of the time you do not stitch with all six. Handling it well makes your stitches smoother and saves a lot of frustration.

Cutting the right length

Cut a length about the length of your forearm, from fingertips to elbow. It may feel short, but a long thread tangles more, rubs against the fabric more often and frays and loses its sheen before you reach the end.

Separating the strands

Pulling several strands out at once is the most common way to end up with a knot.

Cut your length and find one end.
Pinch the end and separate out a single strand.
Hold the rest of the bundle and pull that single strand straight up and out. The remaining strands bunch up below it and then fall back straight.
Repeat, one strand at a time, until you have as many as you need.
Lay the chosen strands side by side and put them back together.

Taking them out one by one and recombining them makes the strands lie flat, which gives smoother coverage, especially in satin stitch.

How many strands to use

There is no fixed rule, but some common guidelines:

One strand: fine detail, tiny lettering, delicate lines, facial features.
Two strands: general outlines and most lettering.
Three strands: bolder lines and many fills.
Four to six strands: chunky, textured lines, large French knots and quick coverage.

Make a small test line on a scrap with different numbers of strands to see the difference on your fabric.

Starting without a knot

A knot on the back can show through light fabric as a bump and sometimes pulls through. A few common alternatives:

Loop start: works when you stitch with an even number of strands. Take half the number of strands you want, at double the usual length, and fold them in half. Thread the cut ends through the needle so a loop hangs at the other end. Bring the needle up from the back, leaving the loop behind; make your first stitch, and on the back pass the needle through the loop before pulling it snug. The thread is now anchored without a knot.
Waste knot: tie a knot and take the needle down from the front a short distance away along the line you will be stitching, so the knot sits on the front. Stitch towards it, covering the thread on the back, then snip the knot off.
Holding the tail: leave a short tail on the back and hold it in place with your finger while you work the first few stitches over it.

Many people do use a small knot on pieces that will be framed or backed. It is a choice, not a rule; avoid it on items that will be washed often or where the back will be seen.

Ending a thread

On the back, weave the needle under several stitches you have already made, ideally in the same colour, then trim. For extra security, change direction and weave back once more. Avoid trailing thread across empty fabric where it might show.

Avoiding tangles and twists

Let the needle drop: every so often, let the needle and thread hang freely from the work so the thread untwists itself.
Do not pull too fast: draw the thread through in a smooth motion and watch the last bit form.
Slide the needle back down the thread if a loop starts to form, to undo it before it knots.
Keep the thread short and change it when it starts to look fuzzy.
Some stitchers use thread conditioner or run the thread lightly through beeswax. Test it on a scrap.

Keeping floss organised

Wind loose skeins on to card bobbins and write the colour number on each.
Store them out of sunlight to avoid fading.
Keep a little of each colour from a project in case you need to repair or extend it later.

How do you start your threads? Share your method, or ask about a tangle problem, in the comments.