Don't fear the floss! When a pattern calls for embroidery floss we immediately grab our pearl cotton because we hate pulling the thread from the skein, separating it and hoping it doesn't tangle into a ball of snarls.
But............. the benefits of using strandable threads are great for so many reasons. here are some tips that make using it a breeze. I have taken some pics of the steps I take and put descriptions on each. Happy stitching!
DMC comes in so many colors its always possible to match your fabric!
Hold the floss near the skinny label, i have it positioned at the top! Never remove the labels! The tail of thread that comes out of the larger label end, with the number on it, will pull out easily and not tangle with the rest of the skein.
After cutting the length you want, flick the ends of the floss to separate them. Pull only one thread out at a time! Very important tip............
As you are pulling, and this is the scary part, the thread in your hand that is holding the rest of the floss will curl all up and look like its knotting up! Breathe!!
When the pulled thread is separated, give the rest of the floss a shake and it will fall into a long strand again. Lay the single strand aside, smooth the rest of the floss out and repeat for the number of strands you are going to work with!
Combine the strands you are going to stitch with, thread the needle and start sewing!
This is blanket stitch using two strands. It lays very nicely along the edge and wool and gives a great accent look without being a show off! This is particularly nice when you are adding embellishing stitches to the piece. A lot of people use a whip stitch instead of blanket stitch. Either way is a nice finish. Also, try using only one strand with a whip stitch. It practically disappears!
