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As I have said in other threads, I'm gathering bits and pieces to restitch some christmas themed samplers.

They call for a few speciality threads

Kreinik #4 braid in metallic gold. I have a #4 braid in another gold shade and PTB in a bright gold so am planning to use this.

Caron wildflowers in the colour Holiday - this is a range of reds and greens. I'm not a huge fan of the variegation in this one - it just seems a bit harsh for me and I have a skein of waterlillies in the shade Cardinal so I was planning to substitute that - I dont think it will be too monotonous?

Wildflowers in Pineforest - this is fine I can order this when I get my fabric

#8 perle in dark red and dark green (498 and 890) again not a huge problem to get hold of.

It also calls for a #12 perle that I am struggling to source. a few places online have it listed but they are all out of stock. its a pale gold colour with a lovely sheen and is for scotch stitch so I dont want to use a #8 or 10 if I can help it as it will be too bulky.

Is there something that I can easily substitute for this? I have a few satin threads but not sure if I have any gold ones but would a DMC satin be a good substitute? any other speciality threads?

I will try and post some pictures of my brass charms tomorrow - they arrived this morning and some are HUGE compared to what I was expecting and some are teeny! (my fault for not checking the descriptions carefully enough) I see some fudging of the patterns in my future!

thanks folks!

Which brand is the #12? I think I may have a DMC in a pale gold colour but would have to check.

Hi Mabel - its DMC #12 colour 676 which is a pale gold.

Im happy to purchase and substitute something else but I'm not sure what to substitute with!

Perle #12 seems to be getting a bit rare, but there are threads (often the hand-dyed or over-dyed ones) that have the same sort of feel and thickness. One I've been using recently are those by Paintbox Threads - they do both plain and variegated threads and although a fair few are marked out of stock at the moment, this one might be a good 676 substitute (perhaps a little too pale)

Just checked, I have a nearly full ball of #12 676 - happy to send you some, or even the ball if you send back what you don't use!

You can find this thread here (a lacemaker, so fine threads are a thing): https://www.jofirthlacemaking.co.uk/vie ... p?id=10025. (Just realised she also does Bocken linen thread... hmmm)

A reasonable substitution for this DMC thread (which is described, apparently, as yellow ochre) is Anchor 891 -- which may be no easier to source, of course.

I'm with you regarding Caron "Holiday", but I have used "Cardinal" and it's a lovely subtle thread.

Mabel - thank you for that but I know I will need a fair bit of the thread - I will be making 3 samplers!

Also you are an enabler - I have been drooling over those threads - I am very tempted by the silk version in one of the yellow shades. The cotton versions are currently out of stock according to the website but the silks might be a little too fine.

Thank you Serinde - that one hasnt come up on my google searches so far.

I have a full set (I think) of regular anchor so its good to know that will work in an emergency, but I think a perle is the same thickness as either 2 or 4 strands of 'regular' floss?

thank you both that has really helped!

Well as I said I have pretty much a whole ball, and it's really just sitting there in my stash, so if you have trouble sourcing it think of me as your back-up plan

well I emailed paintbox threads a week ago asking about stock etc and havent had a reply but everything looks to be back in stock so I think I will go ahead an order.

I just cant decide between the cotton or the silk. The cotton is more true to the original thread but I love the sheen on the silk. I am a little concerned it will be too fine for the 25ct lugana. Of course I could alter it to 28 count which may help, but then the other threads may be a bit bulky.....

Help ladies and gents! All opinions welcome!

Go for the cotton and 25 ct lugana

OR

The silk and 25 ct lugana

OR

the silk and 28 ct lugana

Let me know what you think! I'm hoping to get all the remaining bits ordered by the weekend!

I haven't tried either of their stranded threads, just the perle #12, but if the silk is very fine could you use two strands/double it up and use it on the 25ct?

Thanks Mabel,

they say its a fine weight silk, each strand equivalent to 1 strand of DMC cotton. I think the perle is slightly thicker and has slightly more texture to it.

I could easily twist two strands together to make it a bit thicker. This thread will be used for scotch stitch and im a little concerned about splitting the thread though......

for Scotch stitch I wouldn't twist it, I think, but use it with a laying tool to keep the strands lying flat - but that's a personal preference as to look/effect.

Thanks Mabel! Im leaning heavily towards the silk at the moment its so pretty and shiny

only me again

Can someone check my calculations please?

these pieces are 3 and a quarter inches square on 25count fabric. I am planning to stitch them all on one piece of (vertical) fabric with some decorative stitches in between if I have space (unlikely - I am trying to cut costs and use what I have in my stash)

That means I need a piece of fabric roughly 9 inches wide (3.75 stitched area plus 3 inches either side) by a minimum of 25 inches long on 25 count (5 'panels' of 3.75 a piece ( round up to 4 inchesx 5 is 20 inches) with 2.5 inches spare top and bottom)

I would have to buy a piece special as I dont have any 25 count. I can easily do this if I have to.

I DO have some 28 count white Jazlyn and what I think is 28 count something in a cream/offwhite but much stiffer.

If I were to use this each panel would be around 3 and a half inches square .

SO I could get away with a piece 8.5inches wide (width is fine all pieces are 9 inches wide plus) and I could get away *just* with a piece that is 20 inches long (but would have less space to play with)

I know the perle would be a bit bulky but I think I am ok with that.

I would also do some test stitching/ the border of the panels first to be sure they would fit.

There is a lot of 'dead' space on these pieces so I am not too worried about them being smaller I just want to make sure my rudimentary calculations are correct before I commit and buy threads but no fabric

Your width calculations sound OK to me (as long as you're fine with 2 inches spare fabric on either side instead of 3 - otherwise you'll need 3.5 plus 6 = 9.5) but not sure 20" length would be enough - 5x3.5 = 17.5, plus 2.5 either side is 22.5. Otherwise it's just about whether you think you'll be happy with the look of it!

I KNEW something didnt seem right Mabel thanks!

I even used 2 different calculators to try and figure it out but they both came up with 20.5 inches - I must have put a wrong number in somewhere.

I think I shall stitch the border or each panel and see what that looks like and whether im happy with it.

If not I may just order a piece. Lakeside's converter tells me 70cm is about 28 inches so I can order a 50x70cm piece when I order the perles in either 25 or 28 count and that should work fine