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Hi all

What is the cheapest way to build a collection of DMC threads? Is there anything like a starter pack available anywhere with commonly used colours? Or is it a case of seeing what you need and building it bit by bit?

I have seen a full set of DMC threads advertised for £170 - presumably if you can afford to buy all in one go, this would be a good way to do it? If not, suggestions please!
Q

I built mine bit by bit and overall managed to pay way less than retail on the nearly complete set I have now. I don't know about specific places to buy since I'm not in the UK, but I'd suggest starting by getting yourself a floss checklist or app to keep track of what you have. Also, decide how you want to store/organize your floss. Personally I'm a bobbin girl, so once I owned more than a handful of floss, I went ahead and bought 4 boxes since that's what I figured it would take to store the full set. This way I could figure out just once where each bobbin went, and just leave empty gaps to be filled in as I completed my set, rather than constantly rearranging each time my collection outgrew a box.

I'd say the best way to build your collection is a combination of buying what you need and shopping the sales. I started off by buying what I needed for my first HAED when I found someone offereing a pretty good price per skein on ebay, and then after that keeping an eye open for good deals. I found two different sources, one on ebay and another locally where someone was clearing out some stock and was selling DMC cheap - so each time I handed them my list of colors needed, told them I had $20 to spend and I'd take as many skeins out of my list of colors needed that they could supply me within my budget. This is where having a checklist comes in handy - you need to know what you already have so that you don't end up buying duplicates (except when needed of course. I've gone through several skeins of red, black, and white in the last year, making christmas ornaments) Then I wait till the craft stores are running sales on floss, and look ahead to what the next projects I want to stitch are and buy any colors they need I don't have in my stash yet, as well as a few additioonal colors that are still needed if it's in my budget. Doing this over the last year, I've managed to nearly complete my DMC set - I just have a handful of colors left, and I'm holding onto a Micheal's gift certificate I earned a while ago, waiting for the next time DMC goes on sale. This time I should be able to complete the full set. Of course, by then it'll be time to start replenishing some of the colors I have that are running low, but that will be a much cheaper to maintain than building the set to start with.

£170 for all 447 colours works out at about £0.38p each.

In the last week I have ordered 25 skeins from a shop recommended here called Cross Stitch Heaven ( http://www.cross-stitch-heaven.co.uk/" target="_blank" target="_blank ). I have not yet received the order, but at a price of £0.39p + postage (came to £0.43 p each for the threads I wanted) it seems not bad. Another alternative is e-bay, seller westbbc who sells threads at between £0.42 and £0.49p each dependant on quantities. Would give a link to a PYO thread they do, but for some reason ebay.co.uk doesn't want to talk to me at the moment. This seller sells thread marked 'DMC, Not for sale in the EU'.
Edited to add, E-Bay will now talk, so a possible link is: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5-34-CROSS-ST ... 1075148480 for a variable quantity.

Regards,

Richard

I have the entire range of Anchor Threads. I built them up over a period of time as I needed. Some I've never used!!!

I think I would build up a set of threads gradually if I were you. You can still use places like Cross Stitch Heaven, Ebay or http://www.xstitch4u.com/" target="_blank Cross stitch 4 U ( I use them a lot)
I think that's better for the budget and you'll not end up with some colours you will never use.

The Cross Stitch Heaven order arrived last night, just 2 days after I was notified of despatch & was completely correct. I will certainly use them again.

Regards,

Richard.

Thank you all so much for taking the time to answer. This is such a generous forum.
Q

I collected mine over the years and now have more or less a complete collection of DMC apart from the newest ones. I bought what I needed for projects and then when I had spare money I bought ones from the list that I didn't have yet.