HOW TO CREATE QUILTING DESIGNS WITH SILK THREAD

How to create quilting designs with silk thread. There are times when using silk thread is absolutely worth it; just as quilters know to use the highest quality fabrics for a durable quilt, higher quality threads will raise the bar for your quilting. Silk embroidery thread can be used in the same way as cotton embroidery thread: use two strands on 14 thread Aida or over two threads on 28 threads.

Silk was traditionally used for swatches, black, church embroidery, Chinese and Japanese embroidery; think silk-embroidered handbags, evening gowns, even men’s waistcoats from the Jane Austen era. Silk thread has been used for centuries and is the perfect thread for historical reproductions or just connecting with history through embroidery. Since the silk thread is so fine, it can be pulled very easily. There are several solutions. One is to hold the end of the thread as you pull the needle through the fabric.

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BEST DIFFERENT TYPES OF SILK THREAD – HOW TO CREATE SEWING DESIGNS WITH SILK THREAD

How to create quilting designs with silk thread. With so many different types of silk to discuss, all with their own uses, quirks and qualities, it’s not easy to know your way around a whole range of silks. For most silk lovers, it’s enough to know that the most commonly used commercial silk, mulberry silk, embodies everything the fabric is known and loved for. However, if you’re as interested in the variety of silk as you are in the miraculous properties of silk, we’ve filtered our favorites into a reasonably large list to introduce you to each one.

• Mulberry silk

The silk selected here at Ginger lily makes up about 90% of the silk produced worldwide, and for good reason. Beautifully soft, luxuriously smooth and with a subtle natural sheen, silk has become a favorite for its look and feel. Known for its health and beauty properties, including its natural temperature regulation and hypoallergenic properties, silk has become the go-to choice for designers looking for a versatile, high-quality type. To find out more about why silk has achieved such a global level of popularity, read on our Complete Guide to Silk, where we take a closer look at the production of this type of silk, its unique history and more.

• Spider silk

Spider silk, a type of silk that has acquired an almost mythical quality due to its regular appearance in fantasy novels and movies, is an incredibly solid substance that has intrigued researchers around the world. As the name suggests, spider silk is produced by species of spiders that can produce and spin silk. While insects themselves use their silk to build webs and catch prey, spider silk’s impressive properties, such as steel-like tensile strength at a fraction of the weight, mean it has potential for human use. Despite the properties that make spider silk so exciting, it is particularly difficult to extract and process in significant quantities. So it’s highly unlikely that we’ll see spider silk pajamas or bedding sets anytime soon.

• Sea silk

Unlike traditional silks such as mulberry and tussar silk, which are produced by bollworms, sea silk is not produced by any terrestrial species, but a specific species of Pinna nobilis, a Mediterranean species, produces natural fibers called byssus that anchor to the sea floor. . It is these threads that, after harvesting, turn into the beautiful and naturally chestnut silk that is now so rare. To give you an idea of ​​how rare and sought after sea silk has become, one that made from the material was auctioned in New York in 2019 with a high estimate of between $5,000 and $8,000.

• Tusar silk

A beautiful type of silk traditionally used to make sarees, tussar silk, is produced by several species of silkworms belonging to the moth family. These silkworms often live on trees in wild forests and their silk is mainly harvested in countries including China, India, Japan and Sri Lanka. Although silk is the most similar of the types of silk we’ve discussed so far, tussar silk is considered less luxurious due to its more textured appearance and natural golden color, which, while beautiful in its own right, makes it difficult to dye. Additionally, tussar silk is also not as durable as silk, making it a less practical choice for silk traders.

• Eri Silk

Not as soft as silk or fine as sea silk, eri silk is known for its thermal properties. Shared to some extent with silk, which also naturally regulates temperature, eri silk is able to keep the wearer warm in winter and cool in summer, but it still has not become the silk of choice for fabric production. This is largely due to the elasticity of this type of silk and its heavier weight, which makes it almost wool-like to the touch. Although this makes it somewhat less luxurious than other silks, it is particularly suitable for blending with other materials such as wool and cotton, so it is often the first choice for making silk-blend items such as curtains, throws and blankets. .

HOW TO RECOGNIZE ARTIFICIAL SILK – HOW TO CREATE STITCHING DESIGNS WITH SILK THREAD

• Price – Rayon items will usually cost less. If the item is cheap, then it is generally likely that it is not real silk.
• Color – Silk usually reflects some light and will be coated, meaning the color will not look ‘flat’ and shimmer. If the silk coloring looks like a flat block color, then it is artificial.
• Smell – An extreme but reliable method of distinguishing real silk from artificial silk is to take a few strands of the material and set it on fire. Real silk has a very strong odor when burned.
• Invisible Flame – When burning, true silk also burns with an invisible flame and will stop burning once the source of the flame is removed. We do not recommend burning any clothing and should only do so in a safe and controlled environment; however, we have included it here because it is a known testing method.
• To the touch – As a naturally temperature-regulating material, silk can retain warmth. This can be tested by rubbing a piece of silk between your fingers for a while to warm it up. However, rayon does not react in this way and the material remains at the same temperature.
• Referred to as Satin – Although often confused, silk and satin are not the same, satin is usually presented as a less luxurious alternative to real silk as it is a synthetic fabric. Learn more about what makes them different in our Silk Pillowcase vs Satin Pillowcase blog.
• Ring Test – Stretching silk through a ring is a traditional way of checking its authenticity. The ring will slide smoothly over real silk, while fake silk often clumps or catches on the ring.

WORKING WITH SILK THREAD – HOW TO CREATE QUILTIN DESIGNS WITH SILK THREAD

How to create quilting designs with silk thread. Pull it tight against the eye of the needle. Tie a knot at the other end of the thread and you are ready to sew without having to worry about the thread falling out of your eye.

Another problem you may have with silk thread is that it seems to fray more easily and eventually break. I find that a thimble makes all the difference. One of my favorite thimbles is the antique Dorcas, which is silver with a steel core. It’s fairly strong and durable, but that ended up being a problem because the thread frayed right where my thimble touched the eye of the needle, causing the thread to actually “cut”. When I switched to my Tommie Jane Lane all sterling thimbles there was much less fraying. Some people also use a leather thimble, which is also kinder to the silk thread.

The next thing I do is bring the end of the thread almost all the way down to the fabric. Then each time I pull the needle through I let the tail slip through the eyelet just a little bit. When the tail is short, I return it back to my work and continue the process. That way there isn’t always one section of thread between my thimble and the eye of the needle.

The color of the thread may not exactly match the fabric. I like to choose a thread that is a bit darker or that blends in with one of the darker colors in the print. These are the six colors I use for the seven fabrics in the applique motif. I use black for the dark purple because the purple fabric has black lines in it. I chose bronze for the orange fabric, burgundy for the fuchsia and darker red, gold for the gold fabric, and red for the bright red and dark tallish green for the green print.

While the impressive variety of silks means that every specific use has the corresponding best type of silk, here at Ginger lily there is no better type than mulberry silk. Durable and versatile enough to be dyed, spun and woven into an endless array of beautiful designs, all while retaining the naturally luxurious qualities for which silk is praised, silk is the most widely used type of silk in the textile industry.

FEATURES OF SILK THREAD – HOW TO CREATE STITCHING DESIGNS WITH SILK THREAD

How to create quilting designs with silk thread. Silk is considered one of the most luxurious and strongest fabrics on the planet. This glittery substance is known for its slippery and smooth texture. It has many unique properties and uses that set it apart from other fabrics. The queen of fabrics that comes from the cocoon of the silkworm, silk is a natural protein fiber that accepts various types of weaving methods and dyes. It can be mixed with other fibers to create a versatile and strong fabric. Here are some of the unique properties and uses of silk.

• Silk is composed of 80% fibroin, a protein substance, and 20% sericin, a silk gum.
• Silk is a strong natural fiber with good tensile strength. This strength comes from the continuous length of the fiber.
• Silk is an elastic fiber that can be stretched from 10% to 20% of its original length without breaking.
• Silk has a medium resistance to creasing and is able to maintain its shape even when ironed.
• Silk has a elasticity and elasticity that gives it an excellent ability to blend.
• Silk has good absorbency, which makes it comfortable to wear in warmer environments. Silk clothes are comfortable in summer season and warm in winter season.
• Silk fabrics do not attract dirt thanks to their slippery and smooth surface. Accumulated dirt can be easily removed by dry cleaning or washing with mild soap.
• Silk has a good affinity for dyes.
• Silk is mainly used in the manufacture of garments such as shirts, trousers, ties, dresses and sarees.
• Silk is widely used for the production of various home decorations that create a shiny, elegant and beautiful result.
• Woven silk fiber is sometimes used to construct bicycle covers and parachutes.
• Decorate every room in your home with a shimmering silk fabric that is the epitome of pure dandy.

CONCLUSION

How to create quilting designs with silk thread. However, as with many types of silk, the quality of silk can vary, so it’s important to pay close attention to the number of mums if you’re looking to buy something made from silk. The measure of silk density, mum, is the best way to tell the quality of an item, with one mum meaning you can expect to find 4.340 grams of silk per square meter of this fabric. At Ginger lily, all our silk bedding is made from a minimum of 19 matte silk, with the exception of our sheets, which are made from 22 matte silk. This means you can expect to find at least 82 grams of silk in every square meter of bedding. It is among the highest quality silks you can find, so you can expect all Ginger lily silks to be as beautifully soft, smooth and shimmering as possible.