Threadaholic Alert: SIlk Wrapped Purl

Stitching Fox in South Carolina now carries Silk Wrapped Purl.  It looks like a coiled spring and is couched with the matching thread onto your canvas or cut into short lengths and attached like a bead if a bead was shaped like a U.  Use the right side arrow to glimpse some of the colors available.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DYD0MT2jUa6/?img_index=1

Silk wrapped purl is a thread created for stumpwork, particularly those adorable 17th Century reproduction caskets.  These are some of the ways it can be used--

https://thistle-threads.blogspot.com/2018/11/how-are-silk-purls-used.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MykPnuTwra4

It comes in various thicknesses. Stitching Fox sells size 4 packaged with the matching couching thread.

https://www.stitchingfox.com/products/silk-wrapped-purl?_pos=1&_sid=63e622000&_ss=r

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright May 8, 2026 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Threadaholic Alert: Silk Wrapped Purl

Ruth Schmuff at Bedecked and Beadazzled has silk wrapped purl sampler kits to order to play with.

https://bedeckedandbeadazzled.com/product/silk-wrapped-purl-sampler/

You can see what Ruth did with her snippets if you check out the thistle tops in this class she taught--

https://bedeckedandbeadazzled.com/2024/05/who-wants-to-play/

Looks like a cheap way to add dimension to your butterflies, flowers, Halloween costumes, etc. on your next painted canvas.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright June 1, 2024 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

How to Make and Use Silk Wrapped Purls

Thistle Threads' blog has a short article on how silk wrapped purls are made.  
http://thistle-threads.blogspot.com/2018/11/how-are-silk-wrapped-purls-made.html

It is a fascinating process, but labor intensive.  Here is what you end up with—threads that are perfect for creating stumpwork in the 17th Century style.  And much more!  Only your imagination's the limit when it comes to using this stuff.
https://thistle-threads.myshopify.com/collections/silk-purls

Here is now silk purls were used in the 17th Century.
http://thistle-threads.blogspot.com/2018/11/how-are-silk-purls-used.html

By the way, this Thistle Threads article shows the sizes of silk wrapped purls available, plus is shows the new silk check that Tricia had made from leftovers.
http://thistle-threads.blogspot.com/2018/11/new-sizes-of-silk-wrapped-purls-and.html

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright November 14, 2018 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Another Peek Behind the Scenes at Suppliers UPDATED

Tricia Nguyen is well-known among the needle set for her 17th Century reproduction casket and mirror classes.  She's also an engineer and familiar with the challenges of making threads and fabrics for the use of needle artists.  The latest challenge has been to get the nice linen needed for her classes.  You will be amazed to read about the long shelf life of linens and how that dye lot change you are annoyed with might have occurred because environmental laws changed ten years back.
https://thistle-threads.blogspot.com/2018/05/old-white-linen.html

UPDATE:  Here's a bit on how silk wrapped purl is made.
http://thistle-threads.blogspot.com/2018/11/how-are-silk-wrapped-purls-made.html

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright May 22, 2018 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Suzie Runs Wild!

Suzie at Enriched Stitch has two new threads (Silken Straw and silk wrapped purl) that she is running wild with! Look out, Maggie hand painted canvas~ Suzie is on the rampage with threads!
http://astheneedleturns.com/wednesday-wips-3/

If you live in the Connecticut area, stop by the shop and see what other wild things Suzie's up to with this piece.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright February 25,  2015 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

A History Lesson (or Two)

I've noticed a lot of articles on the WWW about historical embroidery recently, enough to gather together here for you to browse if how our spiritual stitching ancestors worked interests you. First of all, ever wonder how sequins are made? The folks stitching the reproduction 17th Century embroidered jacket have photos of the raw materials that make up the spangles they are going to attach to their piece.
http://thistle-threads.com.mytempweb.com/blog/index.php/2009/05/making-spangles/

And they say that the silk purl that is being reproduced for the project may be available commercially. Another thread-hurrah! I'm sure those who like reproduction embroidery are thrilled but I must say the variety of new threads available makes me drool, too. We really are lucky that the interest in hand embroidery is strong enough to make new threads available to us.
http://thistle-threads.com.mytempweb.com/blog/index.php/2009/04/silk-purl-another-ripple/

As you know, I live in an area where there is a lot of interest in samplers, either modern takes or historical reproductions. I am starting to understand that stitching samplers is a kind of time machine, taking the stitcher back in time to another era and way of thinking, stitching and living. You can see some of this appeal in an article by Needleprints, an English sampler design company, describing a visit to some of the areas where samplers have originated.
http://needleprint.blogspot.com/2009/05/in-1847-sarah-pugmire-finished-her.html

Do you love Japanese Embroidery? Have you always been puzzled by the flowering trees depicted in Asian embroidery? Which is a cherry tree? Which is a flowering plum? What do these images mean? Then you will want to read Coral-Seas' explanation on her blog. Look for21 April to read about Cherry Blossoms and 9 April to read about Plum Blossoms.
http://japanese-embroidery.blogspot.com/

To jump to still another era, this Dutch museum has a display of embroidered slippers from the late medieval period. It is an amazing browse, even if I can't read Dutch.
http://m-silkwork.blogspot.com/2009/04/embroidery-at-rijksmuseum.html

I hope you enjoy learning about our past as much as I do.

Jane/Chilly Hollow
Main blog at http://blog.360.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

For the Traditional Needlepointer

Beverly R. sent me a note about this post on the style blog Mrs. Blandings which describes a lady who needlepoints rugs a' la Mrs. George Bush Sr.
http://mrsblandings.blogspot.com/2009/04/gros-point.html

The blog led me to this website which reproduces the Seasons magazine article referred to. Note, clicking on images enlarges them and the text to readable size. (At least it did for me--this might depend on the computer software you have.)
http://www.seasonsmagazinedigital.com/seasonsmagazine/2009spring/?folio=64

I've also got a great lesson from Judy Harper on how to create letters for your Christmas stocking. What is more traditional that stitching holiday stockings for friends and family?
http://fairy-crafts.blogspot.com/2009/04/names-on-stockings-how-to-tutorial.html

If you read Needlepoint Now magazine you will have seen an article about a lady who takes old needlepoint pieces and makes them into wonderful pillows. You can read the article online at her blog (click on the magazine cover photo) and see photos of her latest pieces. There's are links to the Boutique where you can buy a remade piece of your own, or at least enjoy the lovely finishing, as well.
http://cest-chouette.blogspot.com/

Continuing my theme of traditional needlepoint, here is a link to a museum in Holland with lots of photos of old needlepoint and other types of stitching. You don't need to read Dutch to enjoy the photos.
http://m-silkwork.blogspot.com/2009/04/embroidery-at-rijksmuseum.html

Finally, silk wrapped purl may be available again as a thread after centuries. You can read a bit about it here on the blog of the lady who is reporting on the reproduction of the Plimoth Plantation embroidered jacket. I've seen the new Gilt Sylke Twist which reproduction sampler and embroiderers are drooling over. This is another thread in our tool kit which will be fun (although probably expensive) and a doorway into our stitching ancestors' lives.
http://thistle-threads.com.mytempweb.com/blog/index.php/2009/04/silk-purl-another-ripple/

Many thanks to Beverly R. who started me down this path of looking for links for those of us who appreciate traditional needlepoint! Wish I could have thanked you in person but your Replay function on the Yahoo 360 message system is turned off.

Jane/Chilly Hollow
Main blog at http://blog.360.yahoo.com/chillyhollow