When it comes to thinking of the days gone by one picture that tends to come to mind is that of ladies sitting in their parlors with a hoop in their laps as they created a work of art in thread. While the art of embroidery was once used as a way of bringing a unique and creative touch to otherwise plain items, this medium of sewing found a niche as a way of relaxing. However, this art has now been revitalized to the point that machines are now available specifically for embroidery work. No matter what the reason is for choosing expression through embroidery, the importance of making certain that a piece withstands the test of time to be passed down holds no less priority for the artist.
A large part of insuring the longevity of an embroidered piece is to use quality materials. Both the canvas and the embroidery thread should be of the best possible quality to achieve optimum results. The best possible thread to use for embroidery projects is silk thread. This type of thread is extremely popular when it comes to embroidery for several reasons.
One of the biggest reasons for the popularity of silk thread in embroidery is because of the array of brilliant colors is can be found in. The availability of such a variety of colors can be attributed to silk’s ability to absorb more dye content. The end result is a vibrantly colorful thread that brings not only color, but life to an embroidered piece.
Another reason for the popularity of silk thread in embroidery is because of its ability to be sewn so smoothly. This type of thread combines the strength of polyester with the durability of cotton for a lasting project while also offering a sheen to give an embroidery project a glow all its own.
Just as there are specific threads for machine and hand sewn projects, this too is true of embroidery thread. Because embroidery has become such a popular medium there are machines dedicated to just this task, but the good news is there is embroidery thread available for these machines. Silk embroidery thread comes in, not only various colors, but also different weights. The specifications of the project undertaken should be checked to determine the right weight thread, but a general rule is that the 30 to 50 weight range are good for machine embroidery.