Originally posted 2003-12-07 07:35:51. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
If some wonderful elf comes by and gives you a gift certificate from your LNS for new threads, it helps to know the general characteristics of fibers so that you can know what to expect from a new thread.
In general fibers can be classified into four large groups, according to their source: animal fibers, plant fiber, synthetic fibers and metals. Animal fibers, like silk and wool, come from the products of animals and are made from protein. Plant fiber (like linen and cotton) come from different parts of plants and may only need to be processed a little or undergo extensive processing to become suitable for making into thread. Synthetic fibers are made from man-made materials and, if you want to be precise, include metallic threads. Real metal “threads” are made of very, very thin wire which is manipulated in different ways.
Wool: Coming from the sheared coats of sheep or goats (Cashmere is from goats), the softness of wool depends partly on the breed of sheep (Merino) or the age of the sheep (Lambswool). Most wool used for needlework does not specify this information. Wool has little sheen, is slightly stretchy and takes colors well. Many people find wool “scratchy” although this is partly due to the breed of sheep and the methods used for spinning the thread.
Silk: Coming from the cocoons of silk worms, silk is extremely strong for its thickness and weight. Depending on how her silk is gathered it can be very smooth or quite rough. Generally silk has a nice sheen which is more or less depending on the type of silk. Silk takes dyes extremely well and is noted for the brilliance of its colors. Some kinds of silk snag easily and can be difficult to use if your hands are rough. Silk also has microscopic hooks which come out of the fiber and these can be irritating to some people (this is more noticeable in silk fabrics).
Silk and wool mixed together makes an outstanding thread for embroidery.
Cotton: I always think of cotton as a chameleon fiber. Depending on the type of cotton it can be almost silky and shiny or it can be rough and rustic. If you look at cotton yarns, you will find them covering a wide variety of styles.
Linen: Linen is one of the oldest fibers around and comes, after extensive processing, from the flax plant. Linen is not all that commonly used for needlework these days, but people who use it generally love it (I’m one of those). Linen thread often has areas which are thicker or thinner than most of the thread. This contributes to it characteristic look. It is also slightly shiny, almost slick. It takes dyes very well.
Other plant fibers include hemp and flax.
Rayon: This was the first man-made fiber and although it has a plant as its source, I’m classifying it as a synthetic. Rayon threads for needlework are extremely shiny and extremely slick. Like silk, they take color well, and like silk, they have a shine. However, rayon is more shiny than silk and looks different. Sometimes rayon threads are labeled as “art silk” though these can also be silk threads. The less rayon threads twist, the more shine they will have, so using a laying tool enhances these threads greatly.
Nylon: Nylon is made from plastic and is most commonly found in stockings. Nylon threads for needlework are most commonly found as “barbie-doll pantyhose;” long sheer tubes of color which unravel easily but give neat translucent effects.
There are many other synthetic fibers and as our choice of threads grows more of these will become available. A characteristic of all synthetics is that they are difficult to dye. This has to do with the chemical structure of the tiber.
Metallic threads are made from different amounts and kinds of synthetic metals combined with other synthetic fibers to make a stitchable thread.
Metal: If you are going to do goldwork, you will use threads made from real metal. These threads, most often gold, are very thin wires which are turned in various ways to get the different types of threads. They are too expensive to be pulled through canvas and so they are only stitched onto the top of the canvas. Working with
metal threads requires specific tools (because metal will dull scissors quickly) and techniques. If you are interested in goldwork, it is very worthwhile to take a course to learn these things.
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