Embroidery thread is

yarn Yarn is a long continuous length of interlocked fibres, used in sewing, crocheting, knitting, weaving, embroidery, ropemaking, and the production of textiles. '' Thread'' is a type of yarn intended for sewing by hand or machine. Modern ...

that is manufactured or hand- spun specifically for

embroidery Embroidery is the art of decorating Textile, fabric or other materials using a Sewing needle, needle to stitch Yarn, thread or yarn. It is one of the oldest forms of Textile arts, textile art, with origins dating back thousands of years across ...

and other forms of

needlework Needlework refers to decorative sewing and other textile arts, textile handicrafts that involve the use of a Sewing needle, needle. Needlework may also include related textile crafts like crochet (which uses a crochet hook, hook), or tatting, ( ...

. Embroidery thread often differs widely, coming in many different

fiber Fiber (spelled fibre in British English; from ) is a natural or artificial substance that is significantly longer than it is wide. Fibers are often used in the manufacture of other materials. The strongest engineering materials often inco ...

types, colors and weights.

Type of embroidery thread

Threads for hand embroidery include:

Crewel yarn

*Crewel yarn (also known as crewel wool or French wool) is a fine 2-ply yarn of

wool Wool is the textile fiber obtained from sheep and other mammals, especially goats, rabbits, and camelids. The term may also refer to inorganic materials, such as mineral wool and glass wool, that have some properties similar to animal w ...

or, less often, a wool-like acrylic. Strands may be separated or combined; it is commonly used for delicate embroidery.

Embroidery floss

*Embroidery floss or stranded cotton is a loosely twisted, slightly

glossy Gloss is an optical property which indicates how well a surface reflects light in a specular (mirror-like) direction. It is one of the important parameters that are used to describe the visual appearance of an object. Other categories of visual a ...

6-strand thread, usually of

cotton Cotton (), first recorded in ancient India, is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus '' Gossypium'' in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure ...

but also manufactured in

silk Silk is a natural fiber, natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be weaving, woven into textiles. The protein fiber of silk is composed mainly of fibroin and is most commonly produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoon (silk), c ...

linen Linen () is a textile made from the fibers of the flax plant. Linen is very strong and absorbent, and it dries faster than cotton. Because of these properties, linen is comfortable to wear in hot weather and is valued for use in garments. Lin ...

, and

rayon Rayon, also called viscose and commercialised in some countries as sabra silk or cactus silk, is a semi-synthetic fiber made from natural sources of regenerated cellulose fiber, cellulose, such as wood and related agricultural products. It has t ...

. Cotton floss is the standard thread for

cross-stitch Cross-stitch is a form of sewing and a popular form of counted-thread embroidery in which X-shaped stitches (called cross stitches) in a tiled, raster graphics, raster-like pattern are used to form a picture. The stitcher counts the threads on a ...

, and is suitable for most embroidery excluding robust canvas embroidery. Extremely shiny rayon floss is characteristic of Brazilian embroidery. The strands of embroidery floss can be separated, and may be used alone or in combination with one another. Historically, stranded silk embroidery threads were described as ''sleaved'' or ''sleided'' in the 16th century.

Filoselle

*Filoselle is a historical term for embroidery floss made using the leftover waste from reeled silk.

Matte embroidery cotton

*Matte embroidery cotton (or its French name, ) is a matte-finish (not glossy) twisted 5-ply thread.

Medici

*Medici or ''broder medici'' is a fine, light-weight wool thread formerly manufactured by DMC Group.

Metallic embroidery threads

*Metallic embroidery threads are threads with metallic elements; these may be synthetic or real metal. Metallic threads range from a synthetic yarn with metallic elements worked in, to real precious metal threads that do not feature any yarn at all: **Bullion is a hollow metallic thread consisting of wire coiled into a spring, which does not retract when stretched. It can be cut into short lengths and worked like a large bead, and is not pulled through the fabric. **

Gimp Gimp or GIMP may refer to: Clothing * Bondage suit, also called a gimp suit, a type of suit used in BDSM * Bondage mask, also called a gimp mask, often worn in conjunction with a gimp suit Embroidery and crafts * Gimp (thread), an ornamental tr ...

is similar to passing thread, but is of a heavier weight. **Lurex thread is an imitation metal thread available in a wide range of colours and finishes. It is soft and easier to work with than real metal thread. **Passing thread (or Japanese gold/silver thread) is a yarn that features a round metallic thread (which may be real silver or gold leaf, or imitation) wound around a core of silk, linen or cotton thread. **Plate is a flat, ribbon-like strip of metal that is couched onto fabric using regular thread. **Purl is a finer, more closely-twisted version of bullion; it can also be cut into lengths and applied like a bead.

Perle cotton

*Perle cotton (also known as pearl cotton, or by the French ) is an S-twisted, 2-ply thread with high sheen, sold in five sizes or weights (No. 3, 5, 8, 12 and 16 (Finca), with 3 being the heaviest and 16 the finest). It is suitable for many different types of embroidery.

Persian yarn

*Persian yarn (also known as Persian wool) is a loosely twisted 3-strand yarn of wool or acrylic, often used for

needlepoint Needlepoint is a type of canvas work, a form of embroidery in which yarn is stitched through a stiff open weave canvas. Traditionally needlepoint designs completely cover the canvas. Although needlepoint may be worked in a variety of stitches, ...

. Each individual strand is 2-ply; the yarn can be separated or combined as required.

Silk floss

*Silk floss is available in two different types: flat, which has no twist, or only the slightest amount, and twisted.

Tapestry yarn

*Tapestry yarn or tapestry wool is a tightly twisted 4-ply yarn that is relatively hard-wearing. The strands cannot be separated, and it is similar in weight to

worsted Worsted ( or ) is a high-quality type of wool yarn, the fabric made from this yarn, and a yarn weight category. The name derives from Worstead (from Old English ''Wurðestede'', "enclosure place"), a village in the English county of Norfolk. T ...

yarn.

Machine embroidery threads

Threads for

machine embroidery Machine embroidery is an embroidery process whereby a sewing machine or embroidery machine is used to create patterns on textiles. It is used commercially in product branding, corporate advertising, and uniform adornment. It is also used in the ...

are usually of

polyester Polyester is a category of polymers that contain one or two ester linkages in every repeat unit of their main chain. As a specific material, it most commonly refers to a type called polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Polyesters include some natura ...

or rayon (less often cotton or silk).

Potential harm and testing

Threads, like

textiles Textile is an Hyponymy and hypernymy, umbrella term that includes various Fiber, fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, Staple (textiles)#Filament fiber, filaments, Thread (yarn), threads, and different types of #Fabric, fabric. ...

, can contain compounds that may be harmful to humans. Many

dye Juan de Guillebon, better known by his stage name DyE, is a French musician. He is known for the music video of the single "Fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction that involves supernatural or Magic (supernatural), magical ele ...

s have been shown to be

allergen An allergen is an otherwise harmless substance that triggers an allergic reaction in sensitive individuals by stimulating an immune response. In technical terms, an allergen is an antigen that is capable of stimulating a type-I hypersensitivi ...

ic and in some cases

carcinogen A carcinogen () is any agent that promotes the development of cancer. Carcinogens can include synthetic chemicals, naturally occurring substances, physical agents such as ionizing and non-ionizing radiation, and biologic agents such as viruse ...

ic. Testing for the presence of these dyes, and other residual substances, can be done at many commercial laboratories. Certification to the Oeko-tex standard may also be applied for. This tests the component for over 100 different chemicals and certifies the component according to human ecological safety.

References

Citations

Bibliography

*Reader's Digest ''Complete Guide to Needlework''. The Reader's Digest Association, Inc. (March 1992). {{embroidery Embroidery Yarn Embroidery equipment