Embroidery - the luxurious art of needle craft (Part 3 - Embroidery tools)

I. Embroidery Fabric

Fabrics used for embroidery are available in different thread counts and are available in cotton, linen, and blends. Your selection of fabric will depend on what you are planning to make and the embroidery technique you are using. Here's a basic run-down of the most common embroidery fabrics you will find in stores.

• Even Weave Fabrics are best for surface embroidery, while loosely woven fabrics are ideal for counted thread, pulled thread and drawn thread techniques. 
  The fibre content for even weave fabric can be cotton, linen, rayon and polyester blends - or even hemp or bamboo. Even weave fabrics are available in a wide range of colours, and the thread counts range from a fine, 32-count linen to a more rustic 18-count.

• Aida cloth is popular with cross stitch embroiders due to it's easy-to-count square pattern, but it can also be used for counted thread, Assisi embroidery or surface embroidery techniques. This cloth is woven with grouped fibres forming easy-to-follow squares in the fabric. With cross stitch, one stitch is worked over each square. Aida is available in a wide range of solid colours, as well as background printed, patterned or textured varieties. Fibre content can be cotton, linen or rayon and it ranges in size from 11-count to 22-count (the count being the number of squares per inch of fabric).

• Hardanger fabric is a 100% cotton 22-count even weave fabric. It originated in Norway and is woven with a double thread. Each double-thread group is counted as one.
  Hardanger can be used for hardanger embroidery, black-work, cut-work, and counted thread techniques. When using hardanger fabric for cross stitch, it is worked over 2 thread groups, resulting in a count of 11 squares per inch. It is available in a limited selection of colours.

• A wide range of ready-made and by-the-yard towelling fabric is available for embroidery and can be used to embroidery both contemporary and retro projects.

II. Embroidery Needles

The type of needle you choose for your embroidery project depends on what type of embroidery you’re doing, but for those who embroider a lot, there are five categories of needles that you should have on hand.

• Crewel needles are also called “embroidery” needles. Crewel needles have a medium-long eye, a shaft slightly thinner than the eye (the eye bulges slightly at the top of the shaft), and a sharp tip. They’re used for general surface embroidery, crewel work, gold-work, white-work, and practically any embroidery technique that requires a sharp needle. Their sharp tip makes them perfect for piercing tightly woven ground fabric and their slightly longer eye accommodates embroidery threads of various weights. Crewel needles come in sizes 1-12, with 1 being the largest and 12 being the finest.

• Tapestry needles have a long eye, a shaft slightly thinner than the eye (the eye bulges slightly at the top of the needle), and a blunt tip. Tapestry needles come in sizes 13-28, with 13 being the largest and 28 being the finest. They are used primarily for counted thread work (cross stitch, black-work) and needlepoint, or any needlework on fabric or canvas that has open holes that determine where each stitch is placed. The blunt tip of the tapestry needle helps us avoid piercing the fabric threads while we stitch. Tapestry needles are also used for whipping or lacing embroidery stitches. Whipping or lacing stitches involves passing under and around stitches that are already worked on the ground fabric, but does not involve passing in and out of the fabric often. The blunt tip of the needle helps us avoid snagging the foundation stitches.
  

• Chenille needles have a long eye, a shaft slightly thinner than the eye (the eye bulges slightly at the top of the needle), and a sharp tip. Chenille needles come in sizes 13 – 28, just like tapestry needles. Size 28 chenille needles are relatively new on the market, and they accommodate very fine threads. In large sizes (lower numbers), the chenille needle has a thick shaft. Size 13-18 chenille needles will seem positively huge to an embroider who’s used to working with finer needles. Chenille needles are used in surface embroidery, crewel embroidery, chenille embroidery, and any time you want a large, long eye to accommodate your thread, and a sharp tip to pierce your fabric. In fact, many crewel embroiderers prefer chenille needles for crewel work because the eye is easier on the wool thread and the sharp tip and large shaft make a good hole in the fabric so that the wool thread can pass through relatively unscathed. The long eye of the chenille needle also makes it ideal for stitching with speciality threads (braids, metallic, chenille thread, and other fibres) that have a tendency to shred.

• Milliner needles – also called “straw” needles – have a smaller, roundish eye, a shaft that is the same thickness as the eye (the eye does not bulge at the top of the needle) and a sharp tip. Milliner needles are quite long compared to the other needles listed above. Milliner needles are ideal for any type of stitch where the thread is wrapped around the needle several times and the whole needle has to pass through the wraps. Bullion knots, cast-on stitch, drizzle stitch, and even French knots are easier when worked with a milliner needle. The longer shaft of the milliner needle makes it easier to wrap the thread around the needle many times.

• Speciality needles, especially curved needles, and for those who do a lot of beading on their embroidery, beading needles. Curved embroidery needles usually have a medium-long eye, like the eye of a crewel needle. Curved needles come in a few different sizes. Some are very large (used for upholstery), while some are much finer. The size used for most fine embroidery threads is a size 10 curved beading needle. Curved needles are used to secure threads on the back of embroidery, especially in situations where the fabric is very taut and the backs of the stitches are small and tight. A curved needle is easier to use than a straight needle, when trying to run threads under the backs of stitches in these situations. Curved needles are also very handy for finishing techniques, because they can pass in and out of areas where a straight needle won’t work. Beading needles are very fine needles with long, narrow eyes, long shafts, and sharp tips. For most embroiderers who add accent beads to their embroidery, a regular crewel needle in a size 10, 11, or 12 will usually suffice in place of a dedicated beading needle. But for embroiders who pick up a lot of beads on the needle, and who use very tiny beads, a beading needle will come in handy.

III. Embroidery Threads

Embroidery thread is yarn that is manufactured or hand-spun specifically for embroidery and other forms of needlework.

• Embroidery floss is easy to find, and comes in a huge range of colours.  The six individual plies of embroidery floss can be separated, so you can use the thickness that is best suited for your project by combining plies. 

• Silk threads have a soft hand and are a joy to stitch with - but these threads can be expensive. Silk threads for embroidery are available in embroidery floss, pearl and other weights, as well as fine ribbon. Use silk thread as you would any other thread.

• Use of Metallic threads to add glitz and glamour to your embroidery projects. Narrow weights of metallic thread can be stitch directly onto the fabric, while thicker or wired varieties should be couched to the surface of the project. Weights for metallic threads can be very fine and wispy to very thick and somewhat stiff.  Metallic are also available in floss, single ply or pearl cotton varieties. Colours include gold, silver and platinum as well as copper and antique or aged versions

• Pearl Cotton is a single ply embroidery thread with a lustrous, pearly finish due to a process called mercerization. Pearl cotton is available in a variety of weights or thicknesses, and depending on the weight can be available in a twisted skein or in a ball. 

• Satin and rayon threads are synthetic threads that are shiny like satin. These threads are usually packaged as a floss that can be separated or single-ply threads such as braids or narrow ribbon.

• Over dyed threads feature more than one colour in a single strand, and can be hand-dyed or mass-produced. Weights can vary, and over dyed threads are often produced in cotton or silk embroidery floss and in varying weights of pearl cotton.

• Wool threads come in a variety of weights, including very fine crewel wool, divisible Persian wool, and tapestry wool (most commonly used in needlepoint).

• There are many different types of ribbon that can be used for embroidery. These ribbons can be silk, cotton or synthetic and are available in varying widths, from a narrow 1/8 inch to 1/2 inch or larger.

• Floche is a size 16 mercerised, single-strand embroidery thread made from long staple Egyptian cotton. This lustrous thread has a soft, luxurious hand and is most commonly used in white-work, cut-work, openwork and needle painting.

• Novelty threads encompass a wide range of styles, textures, materials and supplies. They can be fuzzy, metallic, textured, leather, plastic and more!  Novelty threads are a lot of fun to stitch with and can add a fuzzy texture to a project including using a fuzzy thread for hair or beards, and other special effects.

IV. Embroidery Hoops

An embroidery hoop helps to keep your embroidery fabric nice and taut, so that your stitching does not pucker the fabric and so that your embroidery does not come out warped. A hoop is not absolutely essential for some types of stitching, but in general, especially for beginners, a hoop will help your embroidery look its very best. When considering an embroidery hoop, there are different types on the market. The plastic hoops at craft stores are fine for starting out. But eventually, you might want to graduate to a good wooden hoop. A good wooden hoop will have sturdy brass hardware on it that can be tightened with a screw driver, the two rings will fit together perfectly, and the wood will be very strong and as smooth as glass.

Besides hoops, there are various types of embroidery frames that can hold your ground fabric taut while you stitch a project. Stretcher bar frames, slate frames, scroll frames, and other types of frames are often used instead of hoops, but the hoop is less expensive and more portable.

V. Embroidery Scissors

Every embroiderer needs a good pair of embroidery scissors. Any scissors that cut well will do, but those that are designed for the job are so much better. Embroidery scissors require a fine tip to ensure accurate cutting in the embroidery projects.