The "no frills, no gremlins (hopefully)" cross-stitch cafe

Elizabeth_Braun

Just an interesting 'poll', which thread brand do you prefer, stitchers all?

I have the full Anchor set and they're my 'go-to' set normally, but I also have a few dozen DMCs to plug colour gaps. You wouldn't think with about 450 shades that there would be any gaps, but it's amazing how different some of the greens, blues, browns and purples are!

Flat_Eric

Thanks for the thread sorting tips. I'm thinking of investing in some really useful boxes but not sure which size?? I don't want them too big as that means more scratching heads when I want to find threads....

I'm hoping to do some stitching tomorrow

Flat_Eric

Elizabeth_Braun wrote: »

The main question really is, what do you expect to use your threads for most of the time? Will you be working designs that require you to put your hands on certain shades by number, such as in cross stitch designs? Or are you just likely to pick them up strictly by colour, such as working your own pieces?

Something else to consider is whether downsizing your storage will meet your needs in terms of ease of use. For instance, I used to store a number of non-stranded cotton threads in boxes in a craft tote on my room floor, but that meant 2 to 4 steps to get at each item, whereas where they are now in drawers at arm level, it's just one step and much more user-friendly. If you're not too worried about space concerns, it may be worth leaving the threads be. I should think it over for a goodly while and see how you feel after a couple of weeks (if you haven't already!)

Hope that's of some use to you!:o

Yes very helpful. thank you. :T Most of my stitching projects/plans are based on spotting something I see in a magazine I like and then going on an emergency hunt for the threads so I can stitch it without delay!! I'm not really a freestyle/designing my own projects person and I am terrible for sticking to the thread colour it says! I like the idea of the really useful boxes but not sure which size to buy and need to be careful I don't try to be too organised with sorting them and end up having to buy lots of boxes!! I think I could do just as well with having them stored neatly in bags as you kindly pictured and then storing in one of my wicker baskets.

Elizabeth_Braun wrote: »

Just an interesting 'poll', which thread brand do you prefer, stitchers all?

I have the full Anchor set and they're my 'go-to' set normally, but I also have a few dozen DMCs to plug colour gaps. You wouldn't think with about 450 shades that there would be any gaps, but it's amazing how different some of the greens, blues, browns and purples are!

I like both dmc and anchor. I think anchor has a softer feel to it and dmc more bolder?

flowerofscotland

Flat_Eric wrote: »

I've got a bit of a plan to sort my stitchy stuff mainly my threads. At the moment I have two five drawer plastic storage towers. The threads are sorted according to number sequence eg a drawer for white to 434, a drawer for 435 to 747 etc etc. Repeat for anchor. I'm thinking of downsizing the current storage towers to boxes with lids I'm not sure though and unsure whether to store as I do at the moment ie by number or I wonder by colour? I would welcome suggestions/ideas. Thanks xx

If you mainly stitch using designs from magazines and charts then filing by make and number is the way to go as it is easy to pick the numbers you need.
If you mainly stitch your own designs or change colours a lot then sorting by colour families would probably be best

Just my thoughts

flowerofscotland

Flat_Eric wrote: »

Thanks for the thread sorting tips. I'm thinking of investing in some really useful boxes but not sure which size?? I don't want them too big as that means more scratching heads when I want to find threads....

I'm hoping to do some stitching tomorrow

You might find this site interesting

http://www.storage4crafts.com/shopx/home.php

flowerofscotland

Elizabeth_Braun wrote: »

Just an interesting 'poll', which thread brand do you prefer, stitchers all?

I have the full Anchor set and they're my 'go-to' set normally, but I also have a few dozen DMCs to plug colour gaps. You wouldn't think with about 450 shades that there would be any gaps, but it's amazing how different some of the greens, blues, browns and purples are!

I mainly use DMC and a have a full set (although I couldn't find one colour I needed at the weekend - must have taken it out to kit up a project and not replaced it :mad:) This is mainly because when I started cross stitching again I bought a lot of charts from US designers who rarely use Anchor.

I agree there are differences in the 2 colour ranges. Anchor seem to have more "skin" type colours. I also prefer to use Anchor black as I think it gives better coverage - I bought a cone of it years ago. Apart from that I can't say that I notice any difference when using them

I have a lot of Anchor skeins though not a complete set and if a design calls for Anchor I will try to use those where I think it might make a difference e.g. I have kitted up a lovely design of geraniums and the few colours of DMC I pulled out as equivalents just weren't the same at all.

mothernerd

flat eric don't know if it will help but I have a lot of my threads stored in stationery drawers - can get them from stationer's but last lot came from Tessimos.

Set of three drawers big enough to hold A4 paper, sometimes available in patterns but I prefer 'brown cardboard colour' when I can get it. Some of them I have the organiser boxes inside - I find the lids come off after a while.

Very strong card - my current ones are 3 to 8 years old, but my previous set lasted for years and I had them from before I had children - my eldest is 29. Lots of use as I used them for stationery and craft items so small children pulling drawers in and out when they wanted to make something.

When my brother died a few years ago I lost my stitching mojo and spent a long time going through my threads, putting them all onto cards and sorting them into number order, anchor and dmc in separate boxes and then special threads and cheapos.

I also have a use up box can't throw anything away so little odd lengths go together and every so often I go through a pile of small projects and add eg a little bit of green for a cat's eyes (took ages to find the right green), an odd leaf or line that needs a particular colour.

The drawers work well when I am sewing also. I use one with the organiser tray full of oddments and then specific threads for a particular project in the spaces down the side and front (scissors etc as well) - holds it all together (used to help keep it safe from the cat by placing the pattern on top when I had to leave the room - nothing worse than coming back to find the cat sat in the middle of your precious sewing).

It is only recently that I have had the luxury of using the specific threads required. When I started (as a teenager) my threads were inherited from my grandmothers workboxes, then a stall on the market which did (big old posh) house clearances, sometimes had them at 5p each (early eighties). I bought all my sheets (including a linen one) and quilts from the stall when I was setting up home - £1 for a single, £2 for a double, often hotel quality pure white cotton.

Tended to start projects with whatever I had (often adjusting colours to suit a particular recipient.s home colours) and then buy what I needed when there was 'nothing suitable in my workbox. Have a good range now (but a lot from amazon job lots when people are downsizing). Might need to do that myself soon.

Sorry I haven't posted for a while. House renovations are taking priority and have only had one box of threads to work with since February - the attic stairs only got re-instated last week.

Have been struggling. I was doing most of the work myself (no other option) but got to the point where I couldn't go up ladders. Three weeks bed-rest (got some sewing done), 15 weeks physiotherapy and then a final diagnosis of severe arthritis in my right hip so am now awaiting a surgical consult (everyone is cheering me up by telling me I am too young and will not be allowed a new hip) and can do very little at the moment.

Was tempted by an issue of cross-stitcher recently and have done some of the 'garden' pictures - shed, wheelbarrow, carrots and the patchwork lion, although have altered it to make it more like Parsley from the 'Herbs' and used more greens (had a batch of maderia threads in olive and paler greens which did the majority of both projects with oddment of oranges/ pinks and turquoises doing the 'psychedelic' patchwork patterns - will go back and finish bits now I can access the rest of my stash.

I do read along but not much progress and not much to say (just written six months worth - may go back to lurking).

tricksie

Coxy11 wrote: »

Is anyone (South) going to Ally Pally? I'm going with my mum and a girl from my knit and natter group on the Friday. Not that I need anything mind..........

Coxy

Not this year I'm afraid. I'm off to Paris at the end of October so saving my pocket money for that!

Annie021063 wrote: »

Next project, I've already started it ( about 2 years ago!) not done much will post piccie soon

image by annie_w32, on Flickr

I did this last year and loved every stitch of it. My only advice would be to back stitch each page as you finish it. I put a little French knot to mark where I live but because the UK is so small on the map I think it was the size of Kent.

flowerofscotland wrote: »

You might find this site interesting

http://www.storage4crafts.com/shopx/home.php

Nooo don't open the link!!!!

JCS1

Elizabeth_Braun wrote: »

Just an interesting 'poll', which thread brand do you prefer, stitchers all?

I have the full Anchor set and they're my 'go-to' set normally, but I also have a few dozen DMCs to plug colour gaps. You wouldn't think with about 450 shades that there would be any gaps, but it's amazing how different some of the greens, blues, browns and purples are!

DMC for me, it was the only brand I could buy in my nearest town when I first started sewing at school. I find that Anchor knots more for me.

JCS1

Picked up from framers at lunchtime, they chose the mount and frame