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Post by zed on Jan 24, 2014 11:37:45 GMT
Can anyone explain to me how to 'use' threads, or why they're wound how they are?
Sometimes, I can just pull the end of embroidery thread and it comes out fine, even when it's left in its little paper tubes. But with coton perle, why is it twisted like that and how do I undo it so it doesn't get all tangled?
It's like I'm doing it wrong, though occasionally (and accidentally) get it right. I untwist it, untie it, and it opens out into a large loop. Sometimes the loop is neat, often it is like I some how cris- crossed some part of it, and I can't just unwind what I need or wind it into a ball because the ends go under or over some other part. It's really flamin' annoying.
How do I use cotton thread like a normal person and not a demented cat?!!!!
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Post by lyn on Jan 24, 2014 12:43:58 GMT
Watching with great interest for an answer to the perle unwinding.
Signed: another demented cat.
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Post by Pandagirl on Jan 24, 2014 18:49:51 GMT
That's a great question. I'm no expert, but my guess would be that each manufacturer uses a different type of equipment and treat it like a trade secret. Manufacturers are like that. :-) I'm curious if someone finds an answer. What are you trying to do Zed? Is this for finishing with the blanket stitch or something else? If there is one particular brand you find works for you, I'd stick to that one. I've never thought about it, but figured I was a klutz. ;-)
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Post by MTRuth on Jan 24, 2014 19:00:37 GMT
Here is one way to do it that is recommended by Mary Corbet of Needle 'N Thread. www.needlenthread.com/2009/02/thread-organization-tips-for-embroidery.htmlIt involves cutting the thread into shorter sections. I would not do this before you dyed the thread though. She has some other ideas about thread organization as well. Is this after dyeing or are you talking about already colored commercial threads? Dyeing makes everything more difficult and there is a way to tie the threads before dyeing so there will be less "demented cat" problems but it still can get tangled. Not sure that was very helpful.
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Post by Pandagirl on Jan 24, 2014 19:03:10 GMT
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Post by Pandagirl on Jan 24, 2014 19:06:14 GMT
Ruth, we must have been posting at the same. Your information was much more detailed. Hopefully it will help Zed and I learned something new! Thanks.
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Post by MTRuth on Jan 24, 2014 21:40:30 GMT
I guess we were posting at the same time. Your first link has lots of information about thread. I'll have to read all the way through it later. Mary Corbet's site has really good information about anything embroidery.
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Post by zed on Jan 25, 2014 12:00:12 GMT
So the only way is to cut them? I'm guessing that my floss is a 'pull skein', these are the ones that seem to be in a normal loop anyway. I've had the 'mess up' happen on DMC thread and on thread I've bought that has been hand dyed/twisted. I get the feeling I'm messing up when I untwist and get to the loop stage, I don't know how, the only thing I can think of is I somehow cross over the threads somewhere or don't untwist properly. It's really annoying when you have to keep pulling thread under or over instead of just unwinding a normal loop. When I dye mine, I'm going to wind it neatly around card or something. Thanks for the links
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Post by MTRuth on Jan 25, 2014 19:01:56 GMT
I think that it getting twisted is a pretty normal happening. It usually is worse after you dye the threads.
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Post by Shepherdess on Jan 26, 2014 1:08:51 GMT
so the consensus is it's not you. Aren't you glad you are in a large boat with a lot of people you like. When you make a skein of yarn you are supposed to put figure 8 ties in at least 3 places to stop it tangling when you dye. If you wind them onto cards to dye they are likely to self resist and you will get white or light spots. How many yards are in the little skeins? Might be easiest to sit down and re wind them all one evening and get all the frustration over at once.
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Post by zed on Jan 27, 2014 11:14:38 GMT
The thing is, these threads all come looking nicely twisted and shiny, if I knew how they were wound it should be easy to undo. Oh, I meant after, I dye mine, I'll wind them around card, Ann Most of the ones I buy are 20 or 25 metres. I would sit and re wind them, if I could but it seems they either unwind easily or get in such a tangle it's too impossible to bother. I have one which is either a perle 8 or 12 and is such a bird's nest I think I'll just leave it or cut it up and felt with it.
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Post by jufergu on Jan 28, 2014 22:33:17 GMT
It does take a lot of your time to wind those threads onto a card after you buy them. But I try to do this as soon as I bring them home. I don't want to start a project and be fussing with the nests. I throw some white threads in with my snow dyes sometimes and just enjoy looking at them while I wind them on the cards. There is something about hand embroidery pieces that are just worth the effort, don't you think? I especially like embroidery done on felt. Don't think there is any easy answer.
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