I’ve been working on a new embroidery project and was using up some thread offcuts which were all different lengths.
It got me thinking - how do you know how long to cut your embroidery thread?
If the floss is cut too short, it can be frustrating because you run out before you’ve even got started. If it is too long then as you pull it through the fabric it twists on itself and tangles or, the embroiderers worst nightmare, knots.
Some stitches, such as satin stitch, are thread hungry because the amount of thread used on the back of the work is the same as the front of the work. If you only use shorter lengths of thread you will spend as much time rethreading as you do stitching!
Other stitches such as French knots or Bullion knots are very difficult to unpick if you get a tangle so I tend to use shorter lengths to avoid this as much as possible.
In terms of the type of thread, there are some threads such as metallic threads or silk where the eye of the needle wears the thread each time you pass the needle through the fabric. For these types of thread, I tend to use shorter lengths to minimise the wear.
Personally, I’ve figured all this out through trial and error and plenty of practice but here are some ideas to help you out:
use the length of your fingertip to your elbow
pull from a skein of thread twice
measure a length of between 40 to 60 cm
The best way to know how long a piece of thread should be is to try it out for yourself and figure out your own preferences.
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