Cross stitch and embroidery

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Threads and floss cards - help! (lemmy.world)

submitted 1 day ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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Good evening, everyone!

I've done a search through this group and I'm not able to find anything on my topic question, so I'll create a post.

How do you organised your threads? I bought these plastic floss cards from Spotlight, and at first I thought they were a good idea because they'll last longer than cardboard ones, but I'm having troubles with the threads coming undone.

4-6 strands on one seems to hold well, but when there's only two, they start to unravel.

Any tips on how to manage this? Or should I start over with something else? I'm contemplating tiny pieces of painters tape to keep them together. I don't even know if I'm wrapping them correctly.

Also tried trusty Google, but I don't think I've used the right key words. A lot of results are not giving me what I need.

Thanks in advance. 🤗

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[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 hours ago

I tried those as well, but gave up immediately. I just use little squares of card, with two nicks cut in one end. Wind the thread / floss around and tuck the loose end in the nick to hold it. Works much better. I also find it's much quicker to unwind thread from - it doesn't have those blobs on the corners, so you can just pull the thread to the side and it unwinds.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

I use these bobbins too, and while they do come undone a little, I don’t really worry that much. I just tuck the loose thread under the wound part… I am eyeing how you’re using the two notches and might switch up. That looks much better and more secure.

I do store all my bobbins in a fishing tackle box tray, they fit really good and the trays have dividers so I can keep them in order.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 hours ago

I tried a few different ways, but I definitely found that this worked the best. I might give it a go and tuck the end under the wound bit, too.

The tackle box is a brilliant idea. I just don't have enough thread right now to justify one, and the craft shop ones specifically for thread organising are so expensive. 😢 Originally thought of getting a big metal ring to hold them together, but with this thread issue, it'd be a nightmare.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Whoa this is s great idea though! So much better than cramming it into a big plastic bag like I do. I'm excited to try this out

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 hours ago

I have both, haha. I cut the length of floss I can handle, and leave the unneeded stuff wrapped up like how you get them from the store. "working" floss is wrapped around bobbins.

Plastic baggies for both.

I went to Spotlight again today, and found this interesting tool:

https://lemmy.world/pictrs/image/a236be2c-2209-4442-8c2b-74daa4d65905.jpeg

I don't have that much floss to need one of these. 😂

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I have the same bobbins / cards for the same reason. It has been a few years and none of them are showing signs of aging. Almost all of mine have a lot more floss on them though (my privilege is showing). Not sure if my technique is what you’re doing or if it’ll work for you, but here is what I do: I tend to start the floss in the bottom 2 slits (once in each one) and then I wrap it on the main part of the bobbin. When done I try to still go back and hit both slits again, but this time 2 times each if possible.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

I suppose I could put more thread on the bobbins, but how do you manage the remaining 2/4 strands if you only use 2 out of 6?

(I have poor terminology, sorry.) So we generally use two strands to stitch, and each floss (?) has 6 strands (?), right? What do you do with the 2/4 that you don't use for the current project? Do you wind it back on the bobbin?

My problem is that the last bit wrapped around the two bottom slits will still unwind to some degree, the 2/4 ones being much more of a mess than a full 6 strander.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 hours ago

See the little hole cutout at the top of the bobbin? I usually take the same bobbin that all of my 6 strand floss of the same color is on and I then loop it through the top. And if it’s so long it would get annoying I wind it around the rest top to bottom. I’ll see if I can take a picture of it later because I’m not sure I’m doing a great time explaining.