Linen threads & Floss

For the last several years I've carried colored linen thread at Pennsic.... nice large spools that are measured in grams rather than yards or meters. There is a fairly good range of colors which lend themselves to use by reenactors, living history participants and use in historical costuming for hand sewing as well as bobbin lace makers. It is imported from Sweden, made by Bockens, one of the best known and liked linen thread makers.

I know that this linen thread is used in lace making but I like it for hand sewing. It is a wet spun linen thread and is a 35/2 weight. Draw it through beeswax and it works beautifully well for hand sewing.

In fact, I learned at Pennsic while talking with my customers that handsewing with any thread is better with a little bit of beeswax. When doing silk or linen thread embroidery, the trick seems to be to use shorter lengths and a bit of beeswax. I was told that the beeswax keeps the threads from snarling (and they do snarl at me) and frizzing; the wax doesn't show or stain and will wash out in the first washing or simply disappear. As I listened, I thought to myself: "I know that..." , "Of course!", " That's why quilters use wax.", etc.

'Knowing' is so much different than using. I'm now using my wax knowledge and giving my swearword vocabulary a rest. Here are more "helpful" hints:

* Shorter threads.... another time saver.
* Thread the end that comes off the spool first....less tangling.
* Unwind the thread by pulling it so the spool turns...don't pull it off over an end.

Below, on this page, is a color chart of the linen thread I'm now carrying year round. As you can see, it is labeled linen lace yarn. There are some colors of thread that my distributor can't get so I've crossed their numbers out. They theorize that the company no longer makes them because of lack of demand.
Trying to get the actual colors of the linen threads to reproduce exactly right has taken me three hours and I still don't have it.

The bright red 1007 isn't really scarlet.
The yellow is saffron... not orangey.
The unbleached 470 has more yellow in the tone.
Purple 128 is a bluer tone with 1310 respectively bluer also.
In fact, take a little red away from all the colors and you will be closer to true. But do you think I could get that with any of the three programs I tried? Heck no.

Now I have linen embroidery floss 40/2 and linen embroidery floss 16/2 in many colors and will put the color cards up as I can.

PRICES: size 35/2... all colors: $8.95 per spool (1/2 oz) approx. 145 yd.

"UNCOLORED" linen thread:

Still trying May 2007...I'M SORRY...I'm out of stock of quite a few of these now. My supplier is going out of business and I'm trying to contact the manufacturer in Sweden. Please email me to see if I have what you need in stock or if you want me to special order something for you. [Linda(at)classactfabrics(dot)com]

size                          unbleached             1/2 bleached             bleached
35/2                            7.50                       8.00                       8.50
40/2 (328yd)      out of stock 8.00            8.50                      9.00
50/2 (410yd)               8.50                        9.00                     9.50
60/2 (498yd)               9.00                        9.50                     10.00
80/2 (328yd)               8.00                        8.50                      9.00
90/2 (372yd)               8.50                        9.00                      9.50
120/2 (590yd)             9.95                       11.00                     11.50

11/24/04