Organize your embroidery floss (first steps)

 Embroidery floss comes packaged in little skeins confined by brand and number bands. These come off, so you lose the information, and if you are trying to make a pattern or merely maintain your inventory, it’s irritating to try to keep band and skein together. And the skein is prone to tangle.

There are various cardboard or plastic bobbin schemes available, but the using bobbins results in folds every inch or so on the floss, and I don't like them. The plastic DMC bows are ugly and expensive. 

For this methods, you need some rings or paper clips, and scissors, and a few safety pins.

Step 1 Wind off and cut

In a kitten-free location, remove bands from ONE skein at a time. Clip the number portion of the band and slip it onto your ring.

Comments

[kimsfocus]

Thank you! I just started embroidering and have been struggling with what to do with the floss - I was getting ready to go to Hobby Lobby or Michaels and see if they had a kit or something then decided to look and see what others are doing and I came across this! I have everything I need right here at home! Money saved! Thank you!

[ChrysN]

I have one of those nasty tangled floss balls, I'll try this, thanks.

[craftyv]

The full skeins don't bother me much, it's the left overs that I find difficult to keep sorted. I save them all because you never know when you might need a colour.

[Rhyolight]

It's something. Eternal struggle. My real trouble is that I misplace things and then I get another and I end up with with way too many different thread stashes. And never the right color of pink.

[craftyv]

Great Ideas: I do think being organised is a state of mind or a characteristic. I have a "system" set up but find I don't automatically turn to it, when Ive finished a piece, to neaten up. You have inspired me again to get sorted. I love the word "Flossery" or was it "Flossory"? Just to add. Iv'e been using large thread pins that are used for knitting, (such as Aran or Argyle) where stitches are held temporarily. They are large, smooth and useful. I get mine for almost nothing from garage sales, opp-shops and bargain stores.