AY Honors/Plastic Canvas/Answer Key

Embroidery thread, left to right: No. 5 perle cotton (coton perlé), matte cotton embroidery yarn, tapestry wool, cotton stranded embroidery floss

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

Threads for hand embroidery include:

• Embroidery floss or stranded cotten is a loosely twisted, slightly glossy 6-strand thread, usually of cotton but also manufactured in silk and rayon. Cotton floss is the standard thread for cross-stitch. Extremely shiny rayon floss is characteristic of Brazilian embroidery.
• Perle cotton, pearl cotton, or French coton perlé is an S-twisted, 2-ply thread with high sheen, sold in three sizes or weights (No. 3, 5, and 8, with 3 being the heaviest).
• Matte embroidery cotton or French coton à broder is a matte-finish (not glossy) twisted 5-ply thread.
• Medici or broder medici is a fine, light-weight wool thread formerly manufactured by DMC Group
• Crewel yarn is a fine 2-ply yarn of wool or a (less often) wool-like acrylic
• Persian yarn is a loosely twisted 3-strand yarn of wool or acrylic, often used for needlepoint
• Tapestry yarn or tapestry wool is a tightly twisted 4-ply yarn

Threads for machine embroidery are usually of polyester or rayon (less often cotton or silk).

References

• Reader's Digest Complete Guide to Needlework. The Reader's Digest Association, Inc. (March 1992). ISBN 0-89577-059-8

External links

• Machine Embroidery Threads - Polyester embroidery thread, rayon thread & metallic embroidery thread.