Silk Road Needle Arts
St. Petersburg, Florida
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Threading a
Needle--
Don't laugh. When first confronted with how to get all
of that Persian yarn or plies of floss into that small needle, it can be a
challenge. (We sell a number of needle threaders which will simplify the task.)
Some other methods--
Cut and fold a small piece of paper (small enough to go through the eye of the
needle); enclose the thread within the paper and insert it through the needle.
Wrap the thread very tightly around the eye of the needle and pinch it; slide
out the needle and wiggle the pinched loop through the eye of the needle. This
sound difficult, but once you get the hang of it, it becomes fairly easy.
Thread Length--
Once you have become an experienced stitcher, thread
length will become second nature. In general, you should not stitch with a
thread longer than 18" in length; for some of the specialty threads, especially
metallics and silks, a shorter length is recommended.
What are some of the problems with stitching with too long a thread length?
Thread will twist and become knotted easier.
Wear and tear--the entire length of the thread must pass through the ground
fabric with each stitch. Each pass places wear on the thread.
Those with a high sheen will tend to be dulled
Yarns with a high loft will tend to be flattened
Stitches at the end of the length will become smaller, creating unevenness in
the work.