The question of how to use DMC’s metallic threads often raises its head. They aren’t as nice to use as the normal cotton range, but they give your project a little something more. No wonder cross stitchers look for a way to cheat the system, or at the very least, try to avoid all the pain and heartache.
But there is a better solution. A solution that has actually been around since 2013 when the sub-brand launched; DMC Diamant threads.
Unlike their metallic 6 ply cousins, the Diamant range is a viscose sheet wrapped with a metallic polyester coating and then covered in a thin layer of silicone. The advantage of this production method is that the thread at the end is smooth and supple. I’m going to repeat that in words a little nicer to hear; they aren’t like scratchy hard to use metallic threads.
Sadly, for a long time, these Japanese made threads were only really sold in Europe, but lately we’ve been seeing more and more of them in the US and Australia. And we propose, they’re better than any DMC metallic you can find.
The Benefits
The real benefit of Diamant threads is that they are a smooth thread. They act much more like a standard cotton thread (although slightly stiffer), and therefore, don’t have the same issues that normal metallics or light effects do.
Metallics tend to behave a bit like a wire with thorns all over it, whereas Diamant acts more like a thread that’s been starched too much. You can use smaller needles, it doesn’t catch on the needle or fabric, it glides through the fabric much easier, and it’s by far a nicer stitching experience.
The Negatives
Whilst I’m making out the Diamant threads to be amazing, there are two negatives to speak about.
The first is a simple size or gauge issue. Diamant thread is larger than the standard embroidery floss of DMC. This changes how you use the thread rather drastically, and we’ll cover that later, but just know that Diamant isn’t like standard
thread. But then again, DMC metallics aren’t really either.
The second big issue is the color selection. When Diamant first came out, it only had 4 colors, and whilst these have expanded into 14, there still isn’t a great deal of choice. Most are various shades of metal, which are nice, but limited in their use, with a black and white, red and green to round off the set. This doesn’t stop them offering a Diamant color card though. To me, the metallic range is much deeper in choice. I think this might change as more and more people use Diamant threads, but for now, its a little unloved.
How To Use Them
As I’ve already stated above, there is a different way to use Diamant threads. But before we say how, we need to talk about the two types of Diamant thread. Diamant, and Diamant Grande.
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I want to be super clear here; you want to use Diamant thread; NOT Diamant Grande. In essence, the difference is that Diamant Grande is twice the thickness of Diamant thread. For cross stitch, it’s just not suitable.
So, with that out the way, let’s talk about how to use it. So Diamant thread is slightly thicker than a standard floss of thread. In fact, it’s twice the size. This means that when you normally stitch with 2 threads of floss, you will only use one thread of Diamant. Thankfully, Diamant flattens more than normal threads,
meaning the overall look will be very similar to using two threads anyway.
All the other ways to make cross stitching with metallics easier still apply, but with Diamant, it’s much easier from the get-go.
The Alternatives
It would be remiss of me, in a post all about metallics, to not speak about alternatives. And whilst the metallic thread world at first seems narrow, there are some good alternatives that don’t get as much focus as they should.
DMC Metallics
We start with the standard for most cross stitchers when choosing metallics, with DMC’s range. We’ve compared the Diamant threads to these in the post above, but they aren’t all bad. Sure, they can be hard to use, they knot, twist weirdly, break needles, pull and cut fabric and feel rough in the hand. But they come in colors.
The biggest negative about Diamant threads is the lack of colors. I think as time goes on DMC might change the range to include more depth, but right now, it doesn’t have any. Therefore, if you want a colored metallic, DMC metallics are a good starting place. But maybe not the best option.
The DMC Golden Skein
Another option, all be it extremely unlikely, is the limited edition DMC golden skein. I used this thread on my Golden Zelda Cartridge cross stitch and I can tell you that it’s great to use. Sure, it costs an absolute bomb, its limited edition, and it looks the same as any other gold thread, but we like to cover our bases.
Kreinik Threads
However, the best option in my mind, by far, is Kreinik threads. This isn’t to say I’m a Kreinik fanboy or anything, in fact, I actually own more DMC metallics than I do Kreinik threads. The reason I’m saying Kreinik is better is down to their options, which you can see on our Kreinik color chart. Kreinik deals exclusively in specialty threads. This means that they not only produce a great product itself, but they understand the differences each project can bring. This means they offer different thicknesses of almost all of their threads, meaning you can do a straight swap, blend or even blend different metallics together. I’ve used a whole bunch before, and I can you from my Skyrim ruined lexicon cross stitch that a subtle addition can really make a big difference.
If you’re looking for a Diamant alternative from Kreinik, the best I could see was either Kreinik Metallics #4 Very Fine Braid or Japan threads #5.
Have you tried Diamant threads? What do you think?
