Renaissance threads

I am doing a series of needlepoint Halloween ornaments from Renaissance
Designs and decided to do them in Renaissance threads - Sprinkles, Ultra
Sprinkles and Pure n Simple. Gorgeous colors and lots of glitz and pure
$%&* to work with. They unravel, frizz, shred, catch on everything they
touch and so on. At best I lose 1/3 of each thread and I am using 12"
lengths. Sometimes 1/2 becomes unusable. I am using a needle that is
larger than usual so they get as little wear going through the canvas as
possible.

Anybody got any suggestions? Besides throwing them away? Since I have
a lot invested in them I hate to do that.

Pat in Illinois

Pat,

Try getting a bottle of Fray Check. Dip the end of your thread in that
(the method I use is to put a few drops on a piece of waxed paper and
then dip the end), and that should help the unraveling problem. You only
need to dip one end, the "working" one. You can find fray check at Hobby
Lobby or Wal Mart. I think it's usually shelved with the sewing or
quilting supplies. Here's a picture of what it looks like.
http://craftersmarket.net/fraycheck.html

Hope this helps!

Cris

If you are using a double strand, try taking a single strand and putting it
throught the needle to make it double that way, and then work both loose
into the pattern at the same time. That way you can still use a shortish
piece, but it becomes shorter with the folding - wastes a bit, but makes it
easier. I did a whole snowflake using the same metallic thread that way.

Catherine

"Cristilyn Schoenborn" wrote in message
nk.net...
Pat,

Try getting a bottle of Fray Check. Dip the end of your thread in that
(the method I use is to put a few drops on a piece of waxed paper and
then dip the end), and that should help the unraveling problem. You only
need to dip one end, the "working" one. You can find fray check at Hobby
Lobby or Wal Mart. I think it's usually shelved with the sewing or
quilting supplies. Here's a picture of what it looks like.
http://craftersmarket.net/fraycheck.html

Hope this helps!

Cris

Quite a few people here have reported good results with Thread Heaven for
unruly threads.
Dawne

Pat in Illinois wrote:
I am doing a series of needlepoint Halloween ornaments from Renaissance
Designs and decided to do them in Renaissance threads - Sprinkles, Ultra
Sprinkles and Pure n Simple. Gorgeous colors and lots of glitz and pure
$%&* to work with. They unravel, frizz, shred, catch on everything they
touch and so on. At best I lose 1/3 of each thread and I am using 12"
lengths. Sometimes 1/2 becomes unusable. I am using a needle that is
larger than usual so they get as little wear going through the canvas as
possible.

Anybody got any suggestions? Besides throwing them away? Since I have
a lot invested in them I hate to do that.

You have my symapthies, Pat. Those are beautiful threads but
astoundingly frustrating to use. I have no sugestions for you but will
be watching this thread as I have a needlepoint UFO that uses them.


Karen E.

Catherine Milton wrote:

If you are using a double strand, try taking a single strand and putting it
throught the needle to make it double that way, and then work both loose
into the pattern at the same time. That way you can still use a shortish
piece, but it becomes shorter with the folding - wastes a bit, but makes it
easier. I did a whole snowflake using the same metallic thread that way.

Catherine

"Cristilyn Schoenborn" wrote in message
nk.net...

Pat,

Try getting a bottle of Fray Check. Dip the end of your thread in that
(the method I use is to put a few drops on a piece of waxed paper and
then dip the end), and that should help the unraveling problem. You only
need to dip one end, the "working" one. You can find fray check at Hobby
Lobby or Wal Mart. I think it's usually shelved with the sewing or
quilting supplies. Here's a picture of what it looks like.
http://craftersmarket.net/fraycheck.html

Hope this helps!

Cris




Catherine has the right idea...at least that's how I deal with these
unruly threads. To make it extra clear; you thread the single thread
thru the needle and even up the two cut ends together. On the wrong
side anchor these ends under 3 or 4 threads then you stitch with the
"folded" thread through the eye of the needle. Presto no loode ends to
ravel and the "worn" part of the thread is at the eye and gets cut off
when you use as much of the thread as you can. Rachel in Scottsdale

Unfortunately I can only use a single strand because of the canvas size.
I will try the Fray Check method, haven't done that one yet. Then
will find some Thread Heaven. Then will have a small bonfire and say
the heck with it.

The irritating thing is that the threads come off the hank already
unraveled at least 2 inches, especially the Pure n Simple, which is
neither.

Pat in Illinois

Alan Duke wrote:
Catherine Milton wrote:

If you are using a double strand, try taking a single strand and
putting it
throught the needle to make it double that way, and then work both loose
into the pattern at the same time. That way you can still use a shortish
piece, but it becomes shorter with the folding - wastes a bit, but
makes it
easier. I did a whole snowflake using the same metallic thread that way.

Catherine

"Cristilyn Schoenborn" wrote in message
nk.net...

Pat,

Try getting a bottle of Fray Check. Dip the end of your thread in that
(the method I use is to put a few drops on a piece of waxed paper and
then dip the end), and that should help the unraveling problem. You only
need to dip one end, the "working" one. You can find fray check at Hobby
Lobby or Wal Mart. I think it's usually shelved with the sewing or
quilting supplies. Here's a picture of what it looks like.
http://craftersmarket.net/fraycheck.html

Hope this helps!

Cris




Catherine has the right idea...at least that's how I deal with these
unruly threads. To make it extra clear; you thread the single thread
thru the needle and even up the two cut ends together. On the wrong
side anchor these ends under 3 or 4 threads then you stitch with the
"folded" thread through the eye of the needle. Presto no loode ends to
ravel and the "worn" part of the thread is at the eye and gets cut off
when you use as much of the thread as you can. Rachel in Scottsdale