Showing posts with label metallics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label metallics. Show all posts

Sunday, July 12, 2026

Another Threadaholic Alert: Tiny Starry

Moondrake Company has a new thread called Tiny Starry.

It is a variegated thread with a tiny bit of metallic, sized for 13 count canvas.  It is 75% Merino wool, 20% nylon and 5% Silver Stellina Sparkle (whatever that is).  Each skein contains forty-three yards.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright May 9, 2026 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Saturday, February 7, 2026

Tips for Stitching with Radiance Metallic UPDATED

The Wool and The Floss posted a video showing how to handle the untwisted ends of Radiance Metallic.

If you can't see this because you don't have a Facebook account, Melissa says you can just ignore the fraying and cut off the ends, use Fray Check or fingernail polish dabbed on the end to seal it, or use the hot tip of a thread zapper to cauterize and seal the thread.

She also mentions that metallic threads have no "give" so you need to use stretcher bars for your piece since they don't block back into shape.  This is true for all metallic threads, by the way, not just Radiance.

By the way, Melita played around a bit with Radiance she had left over from an ANG Seminar class she took.  She doesn't say what size Radiance she used but I'm guess it's Radiance 18, not Radiance Mini (which is the smaller size).  By the way, I love stitching with Accentuate!  

UPDATE:  Vicky of The Stitching Fox shows how to use wax on the tail of Radiance and explains it has a pop top, just like Kreinik.

UPDATE #2:  Third Coast Stitches has a great article with videos on how to stitch with Radiance.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright September 28, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Saturday, November 22, 2025

Storing Kreinik

The Sun City Stitcher shows off how she organizes Kreinik spools and cards.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright July 11, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Thursday, November 13, 2025

Taming the Wild Metallic (Radiance)

Sharon has been experimenting with the new Radiance metallics on her current Ann Hanson Santa.  

Bascially, she waxes the end of the thread she put in the needle's eye.  It helps keep the thread from unraveling.  If your favorite shop doesn't carry beeswax, you can order it online.  Shops that carry metallic threads for goldwork are great sources, or you can order from places like S&J Needleworks.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright August 29, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Thursday, November 6, 2025

A Look at Au Ver A Soie Metallics

Stitch-Stash gives us a look at the Au Ver A Soie metallics, which come on a spool and are a twisted mix of metallic and silk.  Each spool has ten meters (nearly 33 feet).  The shop carries the size 8 in both individual spools and six packs of shades of red, blue, gold, green, purple, etc.  Spools are $5 and six packs are $30.

If you want a deep dive into this thread, read what Mary Corbet has to say about it.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
 
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright August 23, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Thursday, October 30, 2025

How To Wrap Your Mummy

Kreinik highly recommends their 1/8 inch ribbon in color #100 White for mummy wraps.  If your mummy is tiny, go to the thinner 1/16 inch ribbon in the same dead white.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright August 24, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Thursday, May 29, 2025

Kreinik Metallic Now Has 15 Yards Per Card

Kreinik has announced that their size 4 Very Fine Braid and their size 8 Fine Braid now come 15 yards to a card.

The cards originally had 12 yards for the size 4 braid and 10 yards for size 8 but they've increased the yardage to 15 yards for both sizes.  No word on other sizes of their metallics yet.  By the way, Kreinik spools of size 4 had 12 yards and the other sizes (including size 8) had 11 yards.  So this is a nice upgrade.

Please be patient as the new owners of Kreinik work out how to make the metallics on the new equipment they bought and how to package and sell it to our wonderful shops.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright March 26, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Thursday, May 15, 2025

Can't Find YLI's Metallic Ribbon Floss?

Suzanne says that if you need YLI's Metallic Ribbon Floss but can't find it, you can substitute YLI's Quilt Highlights Metallic.

Quilt Highlights Metallic comes on a 100 yard spool.  Metallic Ribbon Floss comes on a 14.76 yard plastic frame.  You might need to share with all your stitching friends if you go the Quilt Highlights Metallic route!

Thanks for the tip, Suzanne.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright February 2, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Friday, April 25, 2025

Threadaholic Alert: Radiance Metallic UPDATED

The Meredith Collection has instroduced a new metallic thread called Radiance Metallic.  You can order from M's Canvashouse or your favorite shop.  Labors of Love and Stitch-Stash also have it.

The spools are $6.50 for 12 yards.  There are 102 colors.  Sir Needlepoint says the thread is spun, not woven like most metallics.  That might make it easier to stitch through fabric if you do surface embroidery but I'm not certain about that.

Stitch-Stash says there are three sizes: 
Mini which is the size of Petite Silk Lame but is all metallic with three or four? strands;
18 which is thicker than Mini and is meant for stitching on 18 count and has 18 yards per spool; 
and 13 which isn't out yet (coming Fall 2025) which is meant for stitching on 13 count.

Stitch-Stash did a video review.  Spoiler:  They love it!

It looks like each size Radiance has a different price with the smallest in diameter having the smallest cost but it's early days yet to be sure of that.  What's the Point? Needlepoint has posted a closeup photo of spools.  It looks like sewing thread a bit.  

UPDATE:  I asked Judith what she thought about the two sizes of Radiance she's using on her 18 count pig canvas.    To quote Judith for those without a Facebook account, she says, "I like both the Radiance 18 ct and Radiance Mini so far. I used the Radiance 18 ct for the vertical darning stitches on the far right side of the canvas, and the Radiance Mini doubled in the needle in the Movement Stitch on the top left and single for the Stem Stitch fireworks on the top right. The ends fray like crazy, but it’s something we’ve dealt with in other threads. It has a lot of body and holds its shape well. It isn’t difficult to stitch with and I do like it for effects. I am curious to see how other stitchers use it."

Looks like Radiance 18 covers well on 18 count canvas with vertical stitches but Judith used it doubled in the Movement Stitch.  Your mileage may vary as stitch tension and the stitch used affects how well a stitch covers.

UPDATE #2:  Lori at Waste Knot did a short video on Radiance.  Right now her shop only carries size 18.  She recommends you use a short tail in your needle's eye because it will fray a bit there.

UPDATE #3:  Lori at Waste Knot shows off Radiance on a project she's working with three shades of it.

Update #4:  Melita played around a bit with Radiance she had left over from an ANG Seminar class she took.  She doesn't say what size Radiance she used but I'm guess it's Radiance 18, not Radiance Mini (which is the smaller size).  By the way, I love stitching with Accentuate!  

Update ##5:  Stitches of Tulsa tells us that Radiance Mini has 18 yards per spool, Radiance 18 has 12 yards, and Radiance 13 has 8 yards per spool.  Thanks, Stitches!

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright February 25, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Thursday, April 24, 2025

New Scissors and New Thread Color

Mary Corbet has managed to get her hands on the new Dovo scissors in the style called Anne.

Dovo scissors were discontinued but the company has started to make them again.  Mary thinks she'll be able to get them fairly regularly now but don't dawdle if you want a pair.  Whoops!  Sold out already.  Ask to be on her wait list for the next shipment.

Mary also got a shipment of the Au Ver a Soie metallics in shades of purple, which are new--and beautiful!  You can pick up sets of various colors in her shop.  Right now Mary carries mostly size 8 (yes, just the same as Kreinik's size 8) although she does have a gold in size 4.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright February 24, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Tuesday, December 31, 2024

Vibrant Beauty: Winter 2025 Mystery

Ruth Schmuff has announced the Winter 2025 mystery class--"Vibrant Beauty" from Romantzart.

The classes are set for January and February 2025.  Stay tuned. I'll update this article with Ruth's progress reports here as the class dates come and go.  By the way, Ruth had an idea about how to reduce shipping costs starting with this mystery.

Ruth started with an open background and a new Color Dreams thread on the vase.  (Color Dreams is a line of overdyed floche that Ruth has made for her shop.)

Then she moved to leaves and flowers with a Ruth twist.

Then Ruth tackled all those black outlines in a very clever way.  The flower center she's finished is amazing, by the way.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright December 2, 2024 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Thursday, December 5, 2024

How to Fake Beads

Francie at the FrancieNeedlepoints Instagram account shows off her fake beading-

To summarize for those who don't have an Instagram account, Francie uses either Fyre Werks or Neon Rays Plus in cross stitches to give her stitching a beaded look without beads.

Fyre Werks is a very shiny flat ribbon from Rainbow Gallery.

Neon Rays Plus, also from Rainbow Gallery, is also a flat ribbon-like thread with less sparkle than Fyre Werks but because many of the colors have metallic woven in, there is some shine.

Normally these two threads are used in long stitches to show off the metallic look but a tiny cross stitch fakes a very good bead!

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright July 8, 2024 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Friday, August 23, 2024

Kreinik's Discontinued Threads

Kreinik's Instagram reminds us that occasionally they discontinue a thread color because it doesn't sell or they can't get the materials to make it any more.

If you can't find a Kreinik metallic and worry it might be discontinued, here's the official list of everything that's not available now.

If your thread is no longer being made, check with your favorite shop to see if they have any.  They can also ask if there's any stashed away at Fleur de Paris.  Also ask all your stitching friends on social media.  Someone somewhere likely has a spool they'll give you.  Needlepointers are the nicest folks alive!

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright June 13, 2024 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Wednesday, April 3, 2024

How to Needlepoint with Chipped Pearl Purl: The Movie

Ruth Schmuff is updating her Instagram and YouTube pages with short tutorial videos which show you how to do all sorts of amazing things on your needlepoint canvas.  This video explains how to use chipped pearl purl, a metallic thread that you cut into bugle-bead like lengths and attach just like a bead.  These go on top of yellow felt to help support them, give them dimension, and add a touch of color if you don't managed to cover the entire area properly.

This is what pearl purl looks like.  It comes in a variety of golds, silvers and coppers.  I think I've seen purple, too.  It also comes in various diameters.  

When working with it, use either scissors especially designed for metal threads or use a pair of scissors that aren't used for anything else.  Real metal threads will dull scissors quickly.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright March 1, 2024 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Wednesday, March 20, 2024

Threadaholics Alert: Thread Gatherer's La Brume

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

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.

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

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

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.

Thursday, November 30, 2023

KC Needlepoint Explains Metallic Threads

I just stumbled across this article on KC Needlepoint's website that talks about the various metallic threads available today.  The shop talks about eight different brands of metallic and semi-metallic threads (i.e., threads that have a base thread mixed with a synthetic metallic) with stitched examples so you can get an idea of what they look like.  

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright November 18, 2023 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Sunday, November 26, 2023

Threadaholic Alert: Lumiere Metallic Yarn UPDATED

Susan Johnson of SJ Designs just announced a new thread--Lumirie Metallic Yarn.

Available in sixteen colors, Lumber is described by Susan as "a fine, soft thread that can be used alone, doubled, or blended with another fiber.  If you love new threads, this is worth playing with.

UPDATE:  Susan has new colors available, so now there are 22 in all.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright November 16, 2023 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Monday, October 3, 2022

Sparkle Threads: The Movie

The Pointing It Out podcast talks about sparkly and metallic threads.  They talk about Kreinik, Silk Lame Braid, Glisten, Entice, Neon Rays Plus, Sparkle, Fyre Werks, Frosty Rays, Flair, Accentuate, Fuzzy Stuff, Arctic Rays, Micro Chenille, Stardust, Snow, Crystal Braid, ThreadworX's overdyed Kreinik, Painter's Shimmer, plus they give tips stitching with them.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright August 27, 2022 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Saturday, April 3, 2021

Learning About Threads

Cathe of Needle in a Haystack has partnered with Fiber Talk to discuss commonly available threads.  
'The world is your oyster.  Play with the threads."

They also interviewed Danny Ravan about Rainbow Gallery threads.

(By the way if you want to learn more about Rainbow Gallery threads, watch this Pointing It Out podcast.)

It's fascinating!

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
 
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright March 23, 2021 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Sunday, December 20, 2020

Scissors Especially for Cutting Metallics

Needlepoint.com highlights scissors created especially for cutting metallic threads.

These are especially sharp and serrated, which you will find really helpful when it comes to cutting real metal threads for goldwork.  The serrations will help keep these threads (which are more wiggly than beads, believe it or not) steady as you cut.  Note that Kreinik's metallics aren't actually metallic threads, they are synthetics.  Doug Kreinik (who should know) says their non-metallics won't dull scissors.  

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright December 10, 2020 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.