Threadaholic Alert: Fine Merino Wool Collections from AFE

The Royal School of Embroidery sells color sets of fine Australian merino wool (think crewel weight) from the Japanese thread company AFE.  There are seven sets of colors, all beautiful and all hand dyed in Japan.

https://royal-needlework.org.uk/product/fine-merino-crewel-wool-colour-packs-by-art-fiber-endo/

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright November 17, 2024 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Threadaholic Alert: A Comparison of Crewel Wools WITH MORE

Mary Corbet has started a series about crewel-weight embroidery wool.  She's starting out by comparing what Appleton crewel, Fine d'Aubusson wool, Heathway, and DMC's Eco Vita are like when just cut from their skeins.  You'll see how thick they are, learn the number of colors and shades available from each brand, and compare prices for each.

https://www.needlenthread.com/2024/03/crewel-threads-a-close-look-at-wool-embroidery-threads.html

Here's how each of the four stitch up.  Remember, the examples are done on cross stitch fabric, so what you get on needlepoint canvas will be a bit different.

https://www.needlenthread.com/2024/03/wool-embroidery-threads-stitched-news.html

Next, Mary uses her four wools in long and short and satin stitch so you can see how they look when stitched in these filling stitches.

https://www.needlenthread.com/2024/03/wool-thread-comparisons-fillings.html

Mary is continuing her exploration of crewel wools with five more:  Bella Lusso (Fleur de Paris), Simply Wool (Gentle Arts), La Nollin (formerly Renaissance Dyeing), Overdyed Italian Wool (ThreadworX's overdyed Bella Lusso), and Array Wool (Zollie). Hang on!  It's going to be fun!

https://www.needlenthread.com/2024/04/more-wools-for-crewel-embroidery.html

The next crewel weight wool Mary is exploring in depth is Array Wool from Zollie.  It's originally intended for weavers.

https://www.needlenthread.com/2024/04/wool-on-spools-array-wool-hooks-fillings.html

Mary continues to look at Array Wool, Bello Lusso, ThreadworX, Renaissance Dyeing, and Simply Wool brands of crewel wools.

https://www.needlenthread.com/2024/05/wool-comparisons-5-more-for-your-consideration.html

Next up, Mary introduces a lovely crewel wool from Australia's Gumnut Yarns.  I've been lucky enough to buy some of this and it's got lovely, lovely colors.

https://www.needlenthread.com/2024/05/delicious-colors-fibers-gumnut-yarns-up-close.html

https://www.needlenthread.com/2024/06/gumnut-yarns-stitched.html

By the way, Mary's creating an article index so you can find all the crewel wool articles easier.

https://www.needlenthread.com/2024/04/wool-embroidery-threads-article-index.html

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright March 2, 2024 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Threadaholics Alert: Thread Gatherer's La Brume

Stitched Up Needleworks mentioned a new wool/metallic thread from Thread Gatherer called La Brume.

https://mailchi.mp/stitchedupneedleworks/introducing-labrume?e=07414d94b0

Each skein is 10 yards of fiber and is non-dividable.  It appears to be the diameter of crewel wool although I've not seen it in person.

https://threadgatherer.com/collections/la-brume

Thread Gatherer's Instagram says it's thicker than their Silken Pearl Five.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Ct1xFosgE6E/

You can also purchase some via Thread Gatherer's Etsy store.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheThreadGatherer?section_id=22508522

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright February 22, 2024 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

A Review of DMC's Eco Vita Wool

Mary Corbet has stitched a bit with DMC's new Eco Vita crewel wool, which is a naturally dyed organic wool.  You can see photos of some of the colors, Mary's stitching on linen, and get some idea of whether this is a thread you'd like to try.  Mary promises more information on Eco Vita later.

https://www.needlenthread.com/2024/02/preliminary-stitching-on-a-wee-wool-project.html

Frankly, I love Appleton's crewel, so "cranky" isn't a term I'd apply to it.  But everyone has a different take on threads.  A lot depends on what you are stitching with it.  I think Eco Vita would make a lovely belt in muted colors, maybe something with Medieval animals and motifs on it.

By the way, DMC has a short article about how to use Eco Vita on their website.

https://www.dmc.com/US/en/eco-vita-360?utm_source=Commonthread+Masterlist&utm_campaign=f47c5679d4-manual_weekly_Eco_Vita_Free_P_US_24_02_18&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_3a652561da-f47c5679d4-82831385&ct=t(manual_weekly_Eco_Vita_Free_P_US_24_02_18)&mc_cid=f47c5679d4&mc_eid=f7c1b12c64

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright February 17, 2024 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Threadaholic Alert: DMC's Eco Vita Wool

DMC is jumping on the ecology bandwagon with their new line of crewel wool called Eco Vita.

https://www.dmc.com/US/en/eco-vita_eu?utm_source=Commonthread+Masterlist&utm_campaign=85850195b0-manual_weekly_Eco_Vita_Launch_US_23_12_03&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_3a652561da-85850195b0-82831385&ct=t(manual_weekly_Eco_Vita_Launch_US_23_12_03)&mc_cid=85850195b0&mc_eid=f7c1b12c64

Eco Vita is dyed using plant material and available in sixty shades.  The wool is organic--but isn't all wool organic?  The mordants used to set the color aren't specified.  You can see all the colors here.

https://www.dmc.com/US/en/products/eco-vita-yarn

For a comparison, you can look at the crewel wool produced by Lanollin in France.

https://lanollin.com/en/collections/crewel-ultralace

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright December 3, 2023 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

All About Weeks Dye Works

The latest video from Needlepoint.com talks about Weeks Dye Works' solid and overdyed cotton flosses.  This is a six ply cotton floss that is a favorite of cross stitchers.  I didn't know that they were based in North Carolina (which is the Needlepoint.com headquarters).  I think that the plies are a tiny bit thinner in diameter than DMC's cotton flosses but there isn't much of a difference.

https://needlepoint.com/blogs/needlepoint-know-how/thread-talks-all-about-weeks-dye-works

If you want to see more of the Weeks Dye Works colors, here is their website.  They also sell perle cotton and crewel wool as well as fabrics and sewing thread.  I think their colors are often gently faded looking, which suits their primary customer base of reproduction sampler stitchers.

https://weeksdyeworks.com/

If you want to try some of the Weeks Dye Works products but your local shop doesn't carry this, you can shop for cotton floss here-

https://www.123stitch.com/weeks.html

They also carry the crewel wool...

https://www.123stitch.com/Weeks_Dye_Works_Crewel_Wool_Yarn.html

...and the size 5 perle cotton.

https://www.123stitch.com/Weeks_Dye_Works_Pearl_Cotton_Five_Floss.html

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright September 30, 2023 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

British From Sheep to Needle: Fiber Talk Interview

Fiber Talk's latest interview is with the owner and manager of Appletons Wool, founded in 1835. You can hear about the transition from the ownership of the Appleton family, the challenge of replacing old machines, changing the labels from the old white to colorful maroon and grey, modernizing the running of the company, moving the company from London to outside Oxford, etc.  Then you can hear how this entirely British wool fiber is purchased from a wool merchant in Yorkshire, turned into yarns and sold to stitchers, not to mention how the pandemic and their tight supply chain has driven their business, and why they can no longer moth-proof their wools.  You'll learn which countries buy crewel wool and which buy tapestry wool.  And more!

https://wetalkfiber.com/2023/04/29/fiber-talk-with-di-caldron-and-debbie-obrien-appletons-wool/

You can browse the company's website, look at their wool crewel and tapestry threads (which you can buy directly from Appletons now as of a month ago) and check out their tapestry kit lines, here.

https://www.appletons.org.uk/

Appleton crewel is my absolutely favorite wool thread so I loved hearing about the company and how it works.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright May 7, 2023 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.