I am not one who says silk is fancy and expensive and better than cotton so that’s what I’m using for my stitching. There was a time . . a time that seems so long ago but it was the very end of 2020, when I first got back into cross stitching after decades of having not touched it. In my previous stitching years, I only knew about DMC.
Let me say right off the bat – when I’m with other stitchers and they show their work, I don’t even notice if it’s silk or cotton floss or if it’s stitched on Aida or linen! I’m looking at the gorgeous stitching and overall design. I don’t think the fabric or floss that’s used is what makes the piece beautiful.
Where silk wins me over is how it feels when stitching. Again I’ll say – if all I have is DMC or if I want to stitch something on 36 count or maybe 32 count, I’m 100% happy to use DMC. I am not anti-DMC. With the January projects I started, I don’t know what I was thinking. I guess I wasn’t thinking.
First, I started the Blessing Sampler, which is Only Once by Sweet Wing Studio. The mistake I made with this one is that it’s 46 count linen (it was already loaded on a frame for another project and I have Vikki Clayton Silks for that project). I didn’t even notice it was 46 count til I started stitching. The holes are so tight on 46 count that DMC can be a bit tricky to use – especially if it’s Picture This Plus linen that is always a bit tighter than other linens. This one is PTP linen so I’m struggling a bit but I kept going with the DMC because I need to get it finished by the end of January and I already had the DMC here.
On this project, you may notice I changed the house color to lavender and instead of white doves, I will have bluebirds. The white floss just wasn’t showing up enough on my fabric.
The second project is Ann Morison by Hands Across the Sea, which I think is no longer available to purchase. As mentioned above, Picture This Plus fabric is tightly woven. I usually use 40 count on all linens but for PTP with DMC, I would use 36 count. This was another linen I already had on a frame for another project. The color was right but I didn’t check the count. I have the DMC floss and since I’ve started it, I will continue. 40 count I saw lot easier than the 46 count I’m using for Only once.
The third project for January is This is the Day by Plum Street. It is 36 count Picture This Plus and I had the Vikki Clayton silks for it. Ironic that the only one of the three I’m using silks on is the one that would have been fine with DMC.
There are several brands/types of silk floss out there. I’ve tried a few of them – not all. I like NPI and I really like Vikki Clayton silk. I find Vikki’s silks to be easier to use (bobbins rather thank skeins or hanks). Unless I have some rather deep scratches or scrapes on my hands, Vikki’s silks do not snag on my hands. The cost is quite reasonable. A bobbin with 8.7 yards is $3.00. It is a good bit more than DMC, usually less than $1 for 8.7 yards, but for me, it’s worth it. Best of all, Vikki is amazing to work with. If I need a color or a conversion, she’s on it quickly.
NPI is the silk I reach for when wanting silk and not using Vikki Clayton’s silk. It’s available here from Colorado Cross Stitcher and it’s $5 for about 5.5 yards. Sheri at Colorado Cross Stitcher is the best so I am always happy to order from her. Just to cause a bit of drooling, here you can order the entire collection of NPI silks. Gorgeous display!
These two stitching “wish I had done it differently” projects are my own fault for not paying attention to the linen count before starting. Learn from me! 🙂
What are your thoughts?