DMC or Anchor?

[sarahm]

I know this question has probably been asked lots of times and the answer will of course vary from person to person but I would still like to hear your opinions. I bought 2 charts off Ebay a while ago but hadn't kitted them up because I don't have a stash from always doing kits. I found out today that I have won a £25 voucher from Sew and So for submitting a review So... I have decided to use the gift code to help kit up these charts. I have both the Anchor and DMC codes for the charts but having only used Anchor (and Dimensions) in the past, I'm wondering what DMC is like.

All opinions appreciated!

[karen4bells]

I've always had great luck with DMC floss--it's what I use almost exclusively as it's much easier and much cheaper for me to buy in the US. I've never noticed a lot of difference between Anchor and DMC to be honest

[rcperryls]

I started with DMC and have continued with it and been satisfied. I haven't really used any other brands. DMC has always been the easiest to get also except for really unknown brands that came in packages and weren't convertable on the color charts. I guess I have seen anchor but not very often.

Carole

[Lenne]

*chants* DMC! DMC! Hehe

[MaggieM1750]

Heres my 2¢

It seems that most of the charts I have are charted with DMC. DMC is easier for me to get. So thats the reason I buy DMC. I'm in the US, perhaps its different in the UK.
I heard things about Anchor black and whites having better coverage.. so I picked up a few skeins when I was at a shop that sold Anchor. So far, have only used the black- and I do like it better than DMC black. I have no idea about other colors.. I was only after black and white.

But.. since you have "free money" and there's not much of a difference between brands, buy whichever one will be easier for you to get when you don't have a gift card to use up.
Congrats on the gift card.. that is quite generous for feedback.

[Mrs Milkybar Kid]

I have a full set of Anchors and a rapidly exapanding collection of DMCs due to my HAED addiction and not wanting to convert the charts over to Anchor! I can't see any difference between the brands to stitch with personally.

Anchor has 444 standard colours and DMC 465 (I think - don't quote me on that!) so DMC has subtler shading. Most designers use DMC - there are certain designers that use Anchor (cutsey designs like Margaret Sherry and Newton etc) but these can be easily converted into DMC anyway. If I had my time again I would probably stick with DMCs, they are easily available and if you do get bitten by the HAED bug then you will have some stash to draw from!

Let us know what you decide to spend your 'free money' on!

[BizzieLizzie]

I heard things about Anchor black and whites having better coverage.. so I picked up a few skeins when I was at a shop that sold Anchor. So far, have only used the black- and I do like it better than DMC black.

I've noticed in my current project that DMC black has less coverage but I thought it was my imagination!! The charts I get only list DMC so that's what I use most and am perfectly happy with it other than the thin strands of black. Also, there's a thread on this forum somewhere about washing projects and DMC got plenty of praise for its colourfastness. I can't comment on that, though, as I'm too scared to wash mine!

[helbel]

Congrats on the voucher win!

I find DMC and Anchor of a similar standard and am happy to use both. Thus is your position I would look at what would suit you best long term, e.g. are you likely to do a HAED? if so buy DMC. Or are you going to work up to getting a complete Anchor set? if so get Anchor.

[blubel]

I started off stitching with anchor because it was the only brand my local shop sold so i've stuck with it for years. I have some DMC threads and as others have said there is not really that big of a difference, its down to personal choice

[Nanna2Five]

Always DMC, my Mother was a big time cross stitcher and she always used DMC so I guess it is in my blood LOL

[pashteli]

en defeinitiva DMC is bether, i always use Dmc because its colors are more resistentes.

[dwitt]

Always DMC, my Mother was a big time cross stitcher and she always used DMC so I guess it is in my blood LOL

I guess that is why I never questioned which brand to use either... mom ALWAYS had DMC

[LadyS]

I had Anchor since it was more easily found in Brasil. Once I moved here I started collecting DMC since it's cheaper here. Like others said I don't find any difference working them, but some DMC colors look brighter, and black and white Anchor has A LOT more coverage and are softer, while DMC is a shinier black with bad coverage.

So I'm now collecting DMC but will continue having a stock of black Anchor as well.

[stitchingmae]

I too am like Maggie, DMC is easier for me to get and a local fabric store has replaced there DMC with Sullivan...Sullivan puts DMC numbers on their skiens and it is even organized in DMC order. Can be a little fooling if you aren't familar. I do have some DMC black that Maggie sent me, I haven't had a chance to play with it yet. It feels the same as the DMC to me, not sure how it stitches though. There are a bunch of conversion pages that will give you the DMC equivalent to the Anchor and vice versa.
I think it's just preference, price and accesibility that makes people decide between the two.

The sullivan that I have seen appears more.....brittle?? Stiff?? than the DMC that I am used to, and the colors can vary from very similar to VERY different when compared to the DMC colors.

My aunt and mom were DMC lovers and that is all I have every really known, I am still working on my full set of DMC.

[dalronix]

The sullivans ....and the colors can vary from very similar to VERY different when compared to the DMC colors.

My local craft chain in Australia (Lincraft) sell Sullivan's cotton and needlepoint wool and I've noticed, too, that despite them having DMC numbers the colours do differ quite a bit on some of them.

(EDIT: I'm wondering now if it's the same Sullivans because both the floss and the wool says that it's made in Australia.

http://www.sullivans.net/prod_needlecraft.asp" target="_blank"

Another EDIT: Same company by the look of it

http://www.sullivans.net/links.asp" target="_blank )

[stitchingmae]

The sullivans ....and the colors can vary from very similar to VERY different when compared to the DMC colors.

My local craft chain in Australia (Lincraft) sell Sullivan's cotton and needlepoint wool and I've noticed, too, that despite them having DMC numbers the colours do differ quite a bit on some of them.

(EDIT: I'm wondering now if it's the same Sullivans because both the floss and the wool says that it's made in Australia.

http://www.sullivans.net/prod_needlecraft.asp" target="_blank" target="_blank )

The logo looks the same and the address appears to be the same although ours is this
http://www.sullivans.net/usa/" target="_blank

[dalronix]

Following on my post above, I was looking closely at a bag of Sullivan's embroidery floss that I bought recently and it's led me to a newbie question:

What, if any, is the difference between embroidery floss and stranded cotton?

[BizzieLizzie]

I've always thought they were just different names for the same thing, but I'm happy for the other stitchers to correct me if I'm wrong.

[Mrs Milkybar Kid]

I'd agree with Bizzie Lizzie and say there is no difference! Mabel will tell us if we are wrong.........

[meerkat]

I started with Anchor because my first ever kit had Anchor thread ,then I stitched with DMC for something else and liked that too. The Anchor black gives better coverage IMO it is not as 'thin'as DMC, but having converted quite a few of my own photos and tried both Anchor and DMC in the chart illustrations I have found the DMC shades are truer to my photos and more subtle. I still use my Anchor thread though for some other projects. I have a few skeins of Anchor that belonged to my Great Grandmother,I keep them in her sewing pouch.