DMC Thread Bundles: Are They Worth the Investment for Serious Cross Stitchers?

With the recent closures of JoAnn’s in America, cross stitch forums and social media have been awash with images of stripped shelves and thread hauls. However, there has been one constant in these images; DMC thread packs.
I’ve personally mostly stayed away from these, but are they a good thing for a cross stitcher to buy, or a mere curiosity?

I should start by being more specific. DMC tends to ‘bundle’ threads together and call them things like packs. There have been a few names over the years, but by and large, they can be grouped into three types:

• New or Full Sets – These include Coloris, Etoile, DMC linen threads and that crazy expensive gold DMC thread.
• Themed Packs – A selection of the standard DMC threads, usually themed and normally include a pattern as a freebie.
• “Kit” Bundles – The newest type of packs, which are normally themed around an online guide and are all the threads you need for the pattern/guide.

 
Each of these different packs has its advantages, and frankly, some are definitely worth it; depending on what type of stitcher you are.
Let’s go through them one by one.

New or Full Sets

When new sets of threads come out, like the ‘new’ 35 from 2018, these threads are usually bundled up together and sold in something like a tin or fancy pack. During this launch window, these packs are a great way to pick up threads. However keep your eye on the prices, as at some point post-launch, they end up being more expensive.

At this time, the packs get rereleased in more common plastic packaging; and where you need to steer clear! Even under offer, these threads are terrible price-wise; always go for the individual threads. And if you want to try types of threads like Etoile or Metallics, then go for a single thread and try it out. After all, metallic threads are hard to use and most stay clear.
 
I would make one small caveat to this though; if you live outside of the US, the US-only threads are worth picking up as a pack; simply due to how hard it is getting them separately outside the US.

Themed Packs

These are the bread and butter of DMC thread packs. They have a selection of between 6 and 12 threads, and include a seemingly random set of DMC threads. We’ve thought many times about why these threads are selected, and we simply can’t work it out. But they usually have similarly toned colors.

But the big thing is the price. We know that DMC thread price varies massively, and for most of the world, the price is usually a good way to buy threads; so long as you want them all.
A great way to build up your threads if you’re on a journey to all DMC threads, but if you even own one of the threads in the pack already, it doesn’t make sense to buy them.
 
There is always an exception though. In this case, the exception is when stores (almost always brick-and-mortar stores) have discounts. These discounts are usually sign-posted on places like Reddit’s /r/crossstitch, and most think about only the individual threads. But the packs are also often discounted, and usually higher than the individual threads. In this case, you can pick up a pack for the price of 4 threads, which could be a saving of over 8 threads; well worth it, even if you have a few of the threads already.
 

“Kit” Bundles

These are the newest form of kits that DMC has started offering, which are essentially a kit, but without the pattern. The pattern instead comes from an online course such as the Jessica Long Holiday Wreath.
As a relatively new idea, we’ve not been able to see any of these packs in physical stores, or even the best online cross stitch stores, but you can get them direct from DMC thread’s website.

I personally like this idea, it’s a great way to get new people into cross stitch, or embroidery in general, but for the average cross stitcher, it just doesn’t make financial sense. Unlike the themed packs, these usually have a second brand or name that goes along with them, meaning they are often much more expensive than just buying the threads from DMC direct, let alone a different store with an offer.

DMC Cones

There is one other way to get DMC thread at a steal of a price (other than discounts), and that’s DMC thread cones. These cones have massive loads of thread on them, and if they’re a highly used color like 310 black, they can make you a literal $100 saving. They only come out in 17 colors though, and can be sometimes hard to find!

Were you able to make a saving with the end of JoAnn’s stores? We’d love to hear for an upcoming blog!
 
Happy stitching,
Lord Libidan
 

 

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s included in a typical DMC bundle?

Typical DMC thread bundles include 6 to 100 thread skeins, normally of 6-strand solid colors. They can sometimes also include metallic threads, variegated threads and the newer Etoile threads and Coloris threads.

Are DMC bundles cheaper than buying separately?

In most cases buying DMC thread bundles can offer a slight improvement in cost per skein, but it is usually not worth buying threads in this way.