Thread is where most cross stitch questions start. What DMC number is this. Why has it been discontinued. How many strands should I actually be using. This guide pulls together everything on the site about cross stitch thread, from picking your first color to understanding why DMC does some of the strange things it does.
Every post tagged below covers some part of this topic, newest first. If you want a specific answer right away, start with the sections below.
Before you get into color matching and storage, it helps to understand what you’re actually working with. DMC stranded cotton is the industry standard, but it’s not the only option, and there’s more going on with a single skein than most stitchers realize. This section covers the basics: what floss actually is, how many strands to use, and how to tell one brand from another when the label has gone missing.
Start with how many strands of thread you should use, it’s the question nearly every beginner asks first. From there, embroidery thread or floss clears up the naming confusion, and how to identify threads if you don’t know the brand is worth bookmarking for secondhand stash finds.
This is the single most common reason people land on this site. Whether you’re matching a color from a pattern, converting between brands, or trying to find the right shade for skin or hair tones, the tools and guides below cover it.
The DMC color chart is the starting point for most people, and the closest DMC thread color lookup tool solves it instantly if you’ve got a color but not a number. If you’re working across brands, DMC to Anchor thread conversion and the embroidery thread conversion table handle that. For portrait and figure work, finding the perfect skin tone DMC threads and finding the perfect hair color DMC threads are two of the most useful pages on the whole site.
DMC discontinues threads more often than you’d expect, and it catches people out mid-project. This section exists so you’re never stuck without an answer.
The full list of discontinued DMC threads is the reference to check first. If your color isn’t there anymore, how to find replacement threads walks you through what to do next, and why were those threads discontinued explains the pattern behind DMC’s decisions, if there is one.
Once you’ve got more than a handful of skeins, storage and organization stop being optional. This section covers how to buy smart, how to keep track of what you own, and how to stop your stash turning into a knotted mess.
If you’re building a collection, the DMC thread inventory spreadsheet is the tool most stitchers end up using. For the buying side, where to find the best cross stitch thread deals and whether DMC thread packs are worth the investment are good starting points. For storage itself, how to properly store cross stitch threads and how to put cross stitch threads on a bobbin cover the two most common approaches.
Not every project uses standard stranded cotton. Metallics, glow in the dark, hand-dyed, and variegated threads all behave differently on the needle, and they all come with their own quirks.
If you’re using anything with shine, how to use metallic threads and make it super easy will save you some frustration. Why you should try hand-dyed threads is worth a read if you’ve never used them, and whether DMC dye lots are really an issue answers a question that comes up constantly.
Some of the most interesting content on this site isn’t a how-to at all, it’s the strange, oddly specific history of DMC as a company and a product line. If you’re the kind of stitcher who wants to know everything, this is for you.
Did DMC 868 ever exist is one of the most asked questions in the community, and DMC 974, the rarest thread and a detailed history of the DMC thread company go even deeper.
When the new 35 DMC threads came out a few years ago, DMC was in a rush to launch a whole series of new threads. From new metallics to their Coloris range, new threads were coming out from every angle. But the first of these was the Étoile Threads, a series of 30 more popular…
When it comes to rare DMC threads, there are a few that come to mind. The limited edition 24 carat gold 8m skein, the US only discontinued threads and the short-lived DMC linen threads. But there is one thread that is so rare that those others pale in comparison. So rare in fact that many…
Most stitchers know DMC threads by names as well as numbers, but the DMC company has never released an official set of names. Until now? At the start of June, DMC updated its website. There have been a few issues, such as free patterns requiring a credit card, many links breaking, and redirects not working…
UPDATE: 1 year on from reporting on this, it appears that Anchor have removed all embroidery spool threads from stores. It appears this experiment definitely failed! Recently the cross stitch world has been awash with opinions on Anchor Floss’ choice to move to spools in big box stores in North America, and away from the…