Does embroidery thread come in different thicknesses?.

Every stitch you see above you can learn here.В (I mostly used stem stitch and satin stitch. Next to it, you can compare it to stitches made withВ six-strand cotton floss (stitched there with all six strands 'cause I like big stitches). I embroidered these guys with just 2 strands of the silk floss. I had no big plan, just drew some flower shapes directly on my fabric (that's a linen), and filled them in. Just get a slimmer needle, strip down to 2 ply and give it a try.

I can't possibly do anything well enough to justify embroidering with silk.' Feh. You may tell yourself, 'Oh, I'm just a beginner. How can you resist? Oh, and I had to get a picture of this, hanging in their showroom (because embroidered handwriting and notes are my favorite): Something that caught my eye, was this pillow kit, designed by Nathalie Dentzer for Au Ver Г Soie: YouВ can embroider with the very same threads HermГЁs sews into their beautiful, legendary scarves.

If cotton is used, the edge of the scarf will crinkle and curl. But they must be hemmed with silk thread, not cotton. HermГЁs ('air-mezz') world-famous silk scarves are known for being meticulouslyВ hemmed by hand. For decades, the finest couture houses have turned to Au Ver Г Soie for silk threads.В (Who else had been in this room and stood at this counter?)Д«ut the most exciting was learning about their relationship with HermГЁs: One of theВ best parts was learning about the company's history with French couture.Дior. (Here's a brief video of Nathalie explaining this color card.) It was like a museum, filled with glass-front cases of old products, advertisements, color cards and embroidered bits and ends everywhere. The showroom we were standing in had been their same client showroomВ since 1860. Since 1820, they have been manufacturing the finest silk threads. Nathalie (who is extremely camera-shy) is the great-granddaughter of the founder of Au Ver Г Soie, and she runs it today with her brother. Their showroom is open only to wholesale accounts, and we said we were there to talk about bringing Au Ver Г Soie to Sublime Stitching. We were greeted warmly and after explaining who we were and why we were there, Nathalie excitedly made the connection of having also seen me on Instagram. They opened the door without a word, and up a winding, red-carpeted staircase we went. Do we dare enter? Dare IВ buzz? We don't have an appointment! Will someВ frozen-faced Madame be incensed that I disturbed their very important thread making with my silly American ways? So we had lunch and decided to simply go over there. We realized then that the Au Ver Г Soie showroom was just a few blocks away from where we were. Bring them back home with me, stitch around with them some and add them to my collection of threads. My go-to palette: two greens, three red to pinks, a bright blue, yellow or gold and white. I set up by the light of the front window, and began laying out my favorite colors on a gorgeous old floss cabinet: Where to begin? Why are some skeins, and others spools? Which green do I like best? How should I start? I was presented with a typically French, sweetly messy jumble:

Oh! I bet they have some of their threads here at Ultramod!В 'Excusez-moi, do you have Au Ver Г Soie?' For the first time I was helped by the owner himself, Jean-FranГ§ois Morin, who pulled out some drawers for me. I had come across Au Ver Г Soie's account via Instagram earlier in the year completely by chance. You find yourself just ambling around with your mouth open, wanting a little bit of everything. The walls groan with boxes of buttons and notions, needles and ribbons. Ultramod is the oldest haberdasheryВ in Paris, having opened their doors in 1850. Well, I was in Paris last winter visiting family and friends, after many years of being away, and I never miss a visit to this magical place: So, how did this relationship with Au Ver Г Soie begin? Perfect, soft little shimmery skeins and glimmering spools. (Is this the onset of true embroidery madness?) It's as if IВ just want them to stay as they are. I'm not, and I did! (You can see my first attempt below.) Don't think you have to be the finest of embroiderers to work with silks. Like anything new, you have to jump in and try it. Have you embroidered with silk before? Doesn't it sound decadent? ItВ is.Д«ut don't be intimidated. What's the connection?Д®ach of these fabled couture houses, and many others,В have incorporatedВ these pure silk threads from Au Ver Г Soie ('oh vair uh swah' which means 'the silkworm') inВ their creations, and now, so can YOU. Chanel, Dior, HermГЁs, Jean-Paul Gaultier and you.

Embroidery thread