Saving and Wasting Thread

aoleary1791

I dont know about anyone else, but as a beginner cross stitcher (Ive been doing it a while but I havent gotten up the nerve to attempt any really complicated projects like HAED or a large kit from Dimensions), I work with small kits quite often. I ran into a little problem once where I nearly ran out of thread to use in the kit!


Ever since I find that I am pretty hoarder about my thread. I HATE to waste even an inch of it if I think I could get just ONE more stitch out of it! Im just curious if anyone else behaves this way, or if you dont, how do you save on thread and/or make sure you have enough?


For example - I missed a stitch in a pattern Im working on and rather than cut a new length from the kit and waste a ton of thread I filled it in with an adjacent color. But that is annoying to me almost as much as wasting the thread! I would really appreciate any tips or tricks to save thread or just hear about what kind of neuroses anyone has about their projects.


Thanks! :P

CraftyLouAnna

I use the loop method for starting, so cutting a small length of thread 3 inches long gives me enough to do a stitch without having to use a long length of thread.
I save all of my thread 3 inches and longer, just in case I have a stitch to do either here or there.   I know my odd bits and pieces can be used in other projects as well so they are saved.

CraftyLouAnna

I  put them on my homemade thread sorter which is  made of boxboard (cereal box or another light piece) and cut 1 cm slits on each side.   I do make these narrow enough to hold a 3" piece of thread that is  held in place by the slits across the  cardboard.  I can save these pieces since the DMC numbers are listed I can use them on my next project.  If its a kit I keep them separate as they are good for small projects like cards and Christmas ornaments.

LucyLocket

CraftyLouAnna that is really well organised.:lol

Lakeland

That is very nice!  I use Floss Away bags, so can put various bits of the same thread in one of those.

Lakeland

Floss Away bags are a trademarked little plastic zip top bag.  Do you have Amazon?  If so, you can search on there and find them.

Meeshee

I seem to have a lot of areas that just need one stitch of a single color, cant rember what they call that-confetti stitches maybe.  So I keep any floss that is long enough to make the single stitch and tuck under.  Sometimes I have to use another piece of floss to run under the stitches in the back and tuck it into the loop and pull it through.

lasice

Dimensions or another threads, that are long enought for use, I have all in one plastic briefcase. I use it for small charity project like bookmarks, pincushions, small projects... I have all DMC threads, so after work I give it back to stitch bows.

stitcherex

These are a few stingy things I do :
1) change to a petite needle.  I use a John James petite, which is shorter than the corresponding regular number.  I can stitch up to the last 1.5in of the thread.

2) if stitch using a double strand, start using the loop method as posted by @CraftyLouAnna.  When using a single strand, I start using the pinhead.  Scarlet Quince website has a good tutorial on this.

3) keep all threads measuring 3 in or more, they are good for those missed one or two stitches.  I put them with the main skein so that they dont get lost.  

Hope these help !

Rapsy

I have a big glass vase that I put all of my threads in.  When I just need to do one stitch, which often happens with HaED, I just go through that and find the color I need.  

I used to be incredibly frugal with my threads, but now I have a x-stitch store in my town (how lucky am I?) so I find Ive become quite wasteful.