Hobby Lobby Artiste Thread

[Scoop183]

I just ordered some Hobby Lobby Artiste thread online (free shipping for orders over $50 AND all the pretty colors - I couldn't help myself, LOL). 

This will be my 1st time using Artiste and it got good reviews on the site.  Assuming someone here has used it, I thought I'd ask for your thoughts.

[Bailey4]

I like it.  They have some colors and even some sizes like 5 that I can't find commonly.  I use it for doll's clothes so I don't know it that makes a difference but I have nothing but positive experiences with it.

[Granny Square]

I have used a couple of balls of it (Hobby Lobby only came to my area a few of years ago).

The first time I used it was on a doily, I bought it because I wanted a different color green than I found at the local stores that carried Aunt Lydia thread.  I was not impressed.  The quality is inferior to Aunt Lydia's in my opinion, but I would still use it.  Let me clarify:

I sometimes re-design parts of doilies, and on this particular doily I wanted to add green leaves.  Redesigning means changing your mind and ripping out failed attempts (usually) often more than once, as I did on this project.  The first iteration was fine thread-wise, but then I got a brainstorm on to improve the leaves. and I ripped it out and started over a couple of times as different 'leaf brainstorms' hit.  The thread got pilly and 'shreddy' after a few rip-outs, it was almost as if the thread wasn't mercerized.  It's still in the doily with my final leaf version, but I was disappointed that it didn't hold up well. This has never happened with other brands of thread I've used.

As I said above, I would still buy and use this brand in the future if I needed a color I couldn't find in another brand, but I'd be careful about designing with it.  I'd probably 'mock up' the design with Aunt Lydia's

Edited January 28, 2023 by Granny Square
added words for clarity

[NCcountrygal]

I don't have a label on it (one sitting nearby) but pretty sure it was an Artiste brand from HL Though I think it's acrylic.  It's soft, tighly woven and I enjoyed working with it.  I used it on a doll dress and maybe adoily.  Memory is out the door today.

[Granny Square]

If anyone is curious, below is my doily with the aforementioned leaves.  The pattern is here, it's free but you have to create a sign-on (it's an Annie's Attic site, they don't spam you).  The non-leaf part of the pattern that is green was no problem with the Artiste thread, as that was per pattern and there was no ripping needed.

Originally the pattern center was an open hole above the pumpkin's short stems.  As you can see I added the vine of leaves in the center (after trying and ripping other ideas that didn't work).    I didn't have a lot of leeway since I was working inward, so the leaves couldn't be very big, and I wanted it to be a connected vine.  edit, yikes, sorry the photo is so big.

NCcountrygal, you posted as I was typing my edit.  I didn't keep the ball band, but the site says it's 100% mercerized Egyptian cotton.  I agree the 'feel' was nice, it was softer than Aunt Lydia's, but I think that's part of the 'less sturdiness' of it.

 

Edited January 28, 2023 by Granny Square

[Lacycrochet]

59 minutes ago, Granny Square said:

If anyone is curious, below is my doily with the aforementioned leaves.  The pattern is here, it's free but you have to create a sign-on (it's an Annie's Attic site, they don't scam you).  The non-leaf part of the pattern that is green was no problem with the Artiste thread, as that was per pattern and there was no ripping needed.

Originally the pattern center was an open hole above the pumpkin's short stems.  As you can see I added the vine of leaves in the center (after trying and ripping other ideas that didn't work).    I didn't have a lot of leeway since I was working inward, so the leaves couldn't be very big, and I wanted it to be a connected vine.  edit, yikes, sorry the photo is so big.

NCcountrygal, you posted as I was typing my edit.  I didn't keep the ball band, but the site says it's 100% mercerized Egyptian cotton.  I agree the 'feel' was nice, it was softer than Aunt Lydia's, but I think that's part of the 'less sturdiness' of it.

 

That is gorgeous, beautiful work on that.  You should be showing off your doilies more, would love to see them.

[Lacycrochet]

I have never seen that thread before.  After a quick search I found it isn't available in Canada and they don't ship internationally either.  Too bad, I wouldn't mind trying it.

[Granny Square]

Thank you!  That's too bad they don't ship internationally.

I was thinking more about the 'Egyptian cotton' thing, you see that in bed linens as being advertised as 'soft'; I wonder if maybe that has something to do with it acting different than 'regular not as soft' cotton after mercerizing. 

I saw some listings on Etsy, but pretty expensive compared to US/Hobby Lobby prices, $6.99 CAD (before shipping) versus $2.99-3.99 USD from Hobby Lobby ($6.99 CAD = $5.24 USD at today's rate).

[Scoop183]

I love that doily!  ❤

[Scoop183]

Thank you both for your thoughts on the Artiste thread.  When it arrives in the mail I'll make a doily and see how it compares to Aunt Lydia's.

[NCcountrygal]

4 hours ago, Granny Square said:

If anyone is curious, below is my doily with the aforementioned leaves.  The pattern is here, it's free but you have to create a sign-on (it's an Annie's Attic site, they don't scam you).  The non-leaf part of the pattern that is green was no problem with the Artiste thread, as that was per pattern and there was no ripping needed.

Originally the pattern center was an open hole above the pumpkin's short stems.  As you can see I added the vine of leaves in the center (after trying and ripping other ideas that didn't work).    I didn't have a lot of leeway since I was working inward, so the leaves couldn't be very big, and I wanted it to be a connected vine.  edit, yikes, sorry the photo is so big.

NCcountrygal, you posted as I was typing my edit.  I didn't keep the ball band, but the site says it's 100% mercerized Egyptian cotton.  I agree the 'feel' was nice, it was softer than Aunt Lydia's, but I think that's part of the 'less sturdiness' of it.

 

Apparently I had a sugar drop earlier. Yes, I can understand why it would fuzz from repeated agitation rip. 
Love how you added to that pattern design. 

[Granny Square]

Thanks everybody!  If anyone wants to make this pattern and fill the center in a similar way, I borrowed the leaf concept from this free pattern.  I'd originally  made the first few pumpkin stems a little taller and added 1 (bigger, different) leaf to 1 side of the stem, which didn't look bad, but I was thinking "but pumpkins grow on vines, there should be a vine connecting them!"  Plus, this way, if you want to actually USE it like doily and put a bowl or whatever in the middle, there's enough fabric in the center to protect the table.

I also stopped short of the total size of the doily by leaving the last round of pineapples off, except the final green edging.  It ended up at 14.5".  I also rearranged the stitch count a bit to remove the hole in the middle of the pumpkin, which in the original with googly eyes sewn on was the 'nose' I suppose.  

[Lacycrochet]

On 1/27/2023 at 6:54 PM, Scoop183 said:

Thank you both for your thoughts on the Artiste thread.  When it arrives in the mail I'll make a doily and see how it compares to Aunt Lydia's.

Remember to show it off, we would love to see it.

[Scoop183]

The new thread arrived so of course I HAD to start a new doily.   

It's a pattern I've done before so I can compare apples to apples as it were.  But so far I like the Artiste thread.  Right away I noticed that it's softer than Aunt Lydia's.  (That doesn't necessarily mean that I like it better, just that it's different.)

I have a ton of each kind so I'll be using them both for quite some time to come.

[NCcountrygal]

Please show off your finished doilies so we can all enjoy.

[Scoop183]

Petit Pineapple (about 9" across) and Summer Splendor (about 14" across) with Artiste #10 thread - Salmon.

I like the Artiste thread.  It was soft and flowed easily.  👍

[Bailey4]

I've been branching out to get colors for the doll's clothes as I can't always get the range of colors or sizes I need in Aunt Lydia's.

I recently stocked up in size 10 and they carry size 3 at Thread Art.

Creative Yarn Source also has a variety of colors in 10 and then spreads out to a variety of sizes 3-8 and 20, 30. 40, and 60

I mention this because I only found these places because people at Crochetville helped me find them.  I'm not a great judge of thread quality because doll clothes have different issues than doiles and unless it is just a bad issue like the thread splits constantly we all might feel differently about what we want.

[Lacycrochet]

Gorgeous doilies. That is a beautiful colour.  I really wish I could get that brand of thread here in Canada.

Edited February 18, 2023 by Lacycrochet

[Granny Square]

Lovely Salmon color doilies Scoop!