New to thread- need advice please!

[vatonc1]

Hi all! I have just begun thread work and completed a few small projects(bookmarks, doilies)! I read through some of the other thread related posts and picked up some great ideas (especially to make practice squares to get my tension right) I still have a few questions though...

 

Most important is- is there a better brand of thread for a newb to use (size 10 please) I seem to remember previous posts that some brands split or were not quite as "user friendly" for beginners. I'm not sure what brand I have currently, (it was some my mom never used) but it feels kind of stiff and doesn't slide off the hook quite the way I would like it too.

 

I suppose that's my greatest issue with using thread so far- it doesn't seem to flow off the hook (and through the other stitches) like yarn does which then, in turn, slows the whole procedure down...is this something that I will just have to get used to- or is there a better quality thread I should look into?

 

Thanks for all the help!!!:cheer2 2:cheer2 2

[xantha]

I'm still pretty much a thread newbie myself, but I always go back and refer to the thread crochet and snowflakes site that has reviews of many thread types and what is best about different kinds and which threads are better for beginners.

 

I've been pretty happy with Aunt Lydia's Classic Crochet thread and with Coats Knit Cro Sheen. I also have some Opera and it is just heavenly! But I am glad I didn't try to start with it.

 

I hated Southmaid! It split and just always looked grubby.

 

HTH!

 

-jess

[Julie]

I like DMC Traditions, it's pretty good. I can get my hands on the JP Coats Royale a little easier, and a better range of colors in stock at Michaels than at Walmart. My preference though, is the DMC Cebelia. It's twice the price of the Traditions or Royale, but VERY nice.

[xantha]

I can't find Traditions anywhere!! My AC Moore has a ton of Opera, which I like about as much as Cebelia (I just ordered some Cebelia but I can't find it locally either).

 

I have so many stores nearby and yet my thread choices are awful. None of my LYSs or my JoAnn's carry thread, so I am stuck with Michaels/AC Moore (no Walmart or KMart anywhere near here; I'm too close to the city).

 

[Julie, maybe you know... Is the Royale is the same thing as the Aunt Lydia's Classic Crochet Thread -- only branded special for Michaels?

 

They're both Coats&Clark, the colors are the same, it looks exactly the same, and the price is the same... but Michaels is the only place I've seen the Royale and haven't seen the Classic Crochet Thread. I've never seen the Royale anywhere other than Michaels either.]

 

-jess

[Julie]

Is the Royale is the same thing as the Aunt Lydia's Classic Crochet Thread -- only branded special for Michaels?

 

I don't know for certain, but I don't think so. I do believe I bought some at Joanns Etc too. I bought a ton for color rather than for brand when I first started using thread, so I've got all kinds in tons of colors. At least it is cheap! I just checked, and one of the bags of thread I have is a Joanns bag, with the Royale, some Carons thread and a few Aunt Lydias. I may have migrated them around in a couple of bags, but some of the Royale is variegated and I bought a ton of the variegated at Joanns one day. So I'm fairly certain it came from there. Not scientific by a long shot though.

[Julie]

Oh yeah! I need to add, I've had a heck of a time finding the Royale online anywhere else than the Michaels website. For whatever that is worth.

 

My Walmart usually carries about six or seven colors of the DMC Tradition - white, cream, pink, yellow, blue, green and a multi colored pastel one. Rarely I can find a black one there.

[crochetrae]

I may be a little late joining in here, but this thread thing has almost become a hobby of mine trying to figure out. I originally thought when Michael's first started carrying Royale that it was made for them. I am now finding it at JoAnn's too so I guess not. I'm sure it's the same as Knit Cro-sheen. I compared the #s and even bought one of each and combined on a doily and there was no difference in feel or how it looked! Not even a dye lot difference! The Knit Cro-sheen is definitely much better than Aunt Lydia's. The shiny thread is easier to work with because it doesn't drag like the cheaper thread, i.e. South Maid.

 

To learn with Knit Cro-sheen or Royale is fine. If you make an heirloom, definitely spend the money on DMC Cebelia. It's better quality than the Traditions. I've not had the good fortune to find Opera, but I know some thread designers consider it the best, even over DMC Cebelia. I only wish Cebelia had the color selections Royale has. Royale has the best selection of colors and right now I'm really into color!

 

You'll quickly learn your own preferences just as the rest of us have! Good luck.

 

Susan Rae

[vatonc1]

Thanks for the link, I will definately check it out...also, I just got back from Wal-mart (no craft stores within a 30 mile radius ) and I was comparing all the brands- I agree with your comments on the southmaid, I think that may be what I have....it does look (and feel yucky:U ) I thought it might have just been old

 

thanks for the help!

[vatonc1]

I will check out those brands as soon as I can get to Michael's

Thanks so much for the tips!

[vatonc1]

I was just looking at the Opera- I think I may give it a try:)

[vatonc1]

Thanks for the tips, I plan to take a list with me to Michaels so I can compare brands!

You know, I guess I never thought about having thread favorites, for some reason I kind of felt like 'thread is just thread' with the major differences being color choice and size!!! Good grief!!! I never thought that about yarn though...I guess that shows how little I actually know about thread work! Please forgive my naievite.. and thanks for setting me straight!!! :cheer2

[vatonc1]

Jess-

I just checked out the website you gave me and guess what.... (I didn't mention one other concern I had with thread for fear that you all would think I was a little weird....but the thread I have seems to make my hands itchy)....well can you guess what I discovered????? STARCH!!!

Thanks so much for the website- I've already found tons of info and I don't feel like such a weirdo because of my "itchy hands" Ha! Ha!

[xantha]

I love that site for all things thread! It always seems that when I have a question, I can check here and there first and it gets answered.

 

:grouphug

 

-jess

[xantha]

Susan Rae -- it's funny because I swear I can find no difference between the Royale (which I can only get at Michaels) and the Aunt Lydia's (which is all AC Moore carries aside from a handful of colors of Opera). They're both shiny, both packaged almost exactly the same, etc. It's so strange! Now that they're all unpackaged I can't tell them apart!

 

I just ordered some Cebelia from Herrschners because I can't find it locally and I wanted some additional colors that AC Moore doesn't have the Opera in. We'll see how that goes...

 

The Opera was too slippery for me to attempt to learn with, so I don't think I'd recommend that for a complete thread beginner.

 

[since I've started working in thread, I've discovered two things: I work better with yarn and I get bored with yarn more quickly. Huh.]

 

I love the colors Royale has, too!

 

-jess

[Julie]

I originally thought when Michael's first started carrying Royale that it was made for them.

 

Now that you mention it that way, I thought so too. I even remember being a little irritated because they swapped out from what they were carrying to the Royale - and I hadn't even started using thread yet. I was a snob for no good reason!!

 

I bought tons of colors in the beginning for just that, the color. I didn't pay attention to brand, I just wanted all the different shades I could get my hands on. Once I actually started using it, I could definitely tell the difference between brands. It is a personal preference which one you use the most, but I think after a while you will want to go with the ones that aren't full of slubs and fuzz. I know I didn't put up with it for long once I started doing snowflakes.

 

Lately I find I'm thinking about thread a lot more than yarn. :thinking2 )

[xantha]

Er, I just re-read my post and realized that came across wrong.

 

After working with thread, I realize that when I work with yarn now, I work better with it than I did before I worked with thread. So working with thread has helped my yarn work!

 

In some ways I wish I had learned with thread first... but it sounds masochistic.

 

 

-jess

[xantha]

I totally agree with you about slubs + fuzz -- I have one of those huge things of Aunt Lydia's that I bought for snowflakes originally. I can't stand that thread now, for some reason the color Aunt Lydia's and the color Royale seem to be a lot smoother and slicker than the white Aunt Lydia's. No clue why.

 

I had never seen Southmaid anywhere, but I read all of the bad reviews and saw the LA pamphlets that used it. It looks grungy and slubby even on the spool! Ugh.

 

-jess

[crochetrae]

Okay, I'm convinced of it now. These American thread companies are just jerking us around. We don't have near as many choices as we think we have. Not in thread anyway, only in label!

 

Susan Rae

[cristal5522]

Hi,

I am relatively new to crochetville and log in occassionally to see what's new. When I read your question I thought you might like to try this thread. This is my website where I sell this thread. It is a high quality import, very soft and easy to work with and is available in 108 colors.

www.shirleyscrystalthreads.com

Let me know if you have any questions.

Shirley