Metallic thread in cross stitch: how to stitch it without the struggle
Metallic thread gives stitching sparkle: stars, snow, ornaments, golden edges. But it's harder to work with than stranded cotton: it's stiff, twists, frays and snaps in the eye. A few tricks make the work much calmer.
A short length
Cut metallic thread shorter than ordinary stranded cotton — roughly the length of your forearm. Each pass through the fabric wears the thread, and a long tail gets frayed by the end.
A larger needle
Take a needle one size larger than usual for your fabric: a bigger eye rubs the thread less, and a thicker shaft opens the fabric so the metallic passes through without snagging. To see which size is "usual" for you, see "Needles for cross stitch".
Lock the thread in the eye
Metallic thread slips out of the eye. A handy trick is to lock it:
- Thread the end through the eye.
- Pierce the thread itself with the needle, close to the end.
- Pull the long end — the thread tightens around the eye and won't slip out.
It's best to start and finish without a knot, under stitches on the back — see "How to start and finish a thread without a knot".
Don't let the thread twist
- Every so often, let go of the needle and let it hang: the thread untwists by itself.
- Pull slowly and don't tighten stitches hard — metallic lies better with a little slack.
Where metallic looks best
- Accents: a star, a highlight, an edge, a few sparks. A little sparkle shows more than a whole shiny fill.
- Backstitch and single stitches. Metallic works well in outlines and small details — see "Backstitch in cross stitch".
- With stranded cotton. You can stitch one strand of metallic together with a strand of cotton in the same needle: the sparkle is softer and the stitching easier.
Care
Metallic thread doesn't like a hot iron: press the work from the back through a cloth. If the piece will be washed, test the thread on a spare scrap first — see "How to wash and press a finished cross stitch".
About the author
This article was written by the Crossette team. We're building Crossette, a cross stitch tracker for iPhone and iPad. It's in development; to join the beta, see the Beta page.