Pearl .v. Stranded

[ajoyes22]

Hello,
I accidentally ordered Anchor pearl cotton instead of my usual Anchor stranded cotton and have started a design using the stranded cotton. Does anyone know if it is ok to use one strand of the pearl cotton, rather than two strands of stranded cotton?
I really want to get on and finish the project so don't want to waste time (and money) ordering more thread if I really don't have to.

Thanks in advance.

[rcperryls]

Hello and welcome to the forum from South Carolina! I think if you like the way it looks in your project you can use the Pearl. It would depend on what size Pearl cotton you are talking about as it comes in different sizes. I have used 3,5, 8 and 12. They are different in thickness. There are lots of specialty threads that are used in cross stitching and sometimes they are mixed and matched for different design reasons. Are you only using the Pearl threads? Or are you using regular floss for other colors? Again, as with almost all things cross stitching, it is probably a personal decision you need to make. I'm sure that some of our members with more experience with different types of threads than I have will be able to give you more information. Posting a picture of your project might help. Good luck!

Carole

[NeedleAndFork]

I wouldn't do that. The way that the perle cotton is spun is done so for it to be used the way it is. If you try to untwist the strands to separate them it will weaken the plies to where they probably won't withstand the stitching process.

If you look at a single strand of stranded DMC, you'll see it is made up of two very thin plies that are twisted around each other. The way it is formed is that first each individual ply is twisted from the prepared cotton, and then two of those plies are twisted together in the reverse direction of the original twist. What this is doing is untwisting the original twist at the same time as twisting the two together. If this is done correctly, forming a 'balanced thread' then the fibers in the original plies will no longer be twisted at all, but all run totally parallel to each other and if you tugged on them, they would fall apart the same way a cotton ball does. The only thing holding them together is the twist from the two plies being assembled into one.

Perle cotton is the exact same thing, just on a larger scale. This means that if you separate the plies, you're left with a single ply that is untwisted and will fall apart very easily.

I did a search and found this image - click to see it full size - it really shows the direction each of the indivisual fibers lie.



The top one is stranded DMC, while the bottom is perle cotton. You can see clearly in the larger image that all the individual teeny tiny cotton fibers run parallel to each other - there is absolutely no twist to them any more. If you separate them, odds are you'll introduce a bit of twist back into each ply in the process, but it likely won't be enough to hold it together, nor will it be very even thoughout the length of the strand. And it will form a very twisty strand that will be hard to work with.

In addition to cross stitch, I also a spin my own yarns - can you tell? Now to combine the two and spin floss to stitch with. I've been playing with the idea already!

TL;DR version - don't do it!

[NeedleAndFork]

*sigh*

I just went back and read the original post after that big long one I wrote and realized you're asking about using 1 strand of perle instead of 2 of stranded, not about separating the perle to make it thinner.

In that case, in theory you could do it - I'm not sure if the perle is the same thickness as 2 strands of stranded. But the end result will look different. And if you're talking about mixing and matching perle and stranded in a single project, I wouldn't do it simply because the way each is spun gives it a different finish so you'd be able to see the difference between the two in the finished piece. Also, the stitches will be a bit more puffy because when you use 2 strands of cotton they tend to lay side by side, while the perle is a round thread, so it will have a higher profile than 2 thin strands besides each other which takes up a flatter space.

[littleturtlegirl]

I don't have an answer, but I wanted to say welcome to the forum from Virginia!

[cairee]

pearl cotton behaves differently than stranded cotton and looks diferent when stitched. I wouldn't sub pearl for stranded in a cross stitch project.
as for stranded cotton to pearl cotton approximate sizes

#12 pearl = 2 strands
#8 pearl = 3 strands
#5 pearl = 5 strands
#3 pearl = 8 strands

even with that, a number 12 pearl is still twisted. and would lay different from 2 strands of embroidery floss.

[Mystonique]

I have used pearl in place of stranded cotton but only because I wanted a different effect. It does look and feel noticeably different in the project.

[Serinde]

Don't suppose you can return them and get what you actually wanted in the first place? Most places are really sensible about exchanges like that.