Floss Grain?

Hi Gang

Debi and I ran across an interesting little tool this morning.

It looks like the wood handle from a hand fan, one side had a stiff
but very dense velour material affixed to the upper end.

The purpose of the tool is to determine the direction of the grain of
each strand of floss. A section of floss after separating the strands
is laid across this velour and drawn across it. In only one direction
will it pull easily, in the other direction it will drag and dig into
the velour.

Supposedly, a 6 strand skein of floss has 3 strands running in one
direction and 3 strands running in the opposite direction.
Embroidery and cross-stitching is supposedly easier and less harmful
to the floss if the needle is threaded such that the floss flows
through the material it is used on.

Huh?

Don't we fold back the floss and only feed it out of the eye of the
needle as we consume it during usage?

Don't know about you guys, but to me, this sounds like SUPER overkill!

TTUL
Gary

And away we go ------------------------

"Gary V. Deutschmann, Sr." wrote
in message ...
Hi Gang

Debi and I ran across an interesting little tool this morning.

It looks like the wood handle from a hand fan, one side had a stiff
but very dense velour material affixed to the upper end.

The purpose of the tool is to determine the direction of the grain of
each strand of floss. A section of floss after separating the strands
is laid across this velour and drawn across it. In only one direction
will it pull easily, in the other direction it will drag and dig into
the velour.

Supposedly, a 6 strand skein of floss has 3 strands running in one
direction and 3 strands running in the opposite direction.
Embroidery and cross-stitching is supposedly easier and less harmful
to the floss if the needle is threaded such that the floss flows
through the material it is used on.

Huh?

Don't we fold back the floss and only feed it out of the eye of the
needle as we consume it during usage?

Don't know about you guys, but to me, this sounds like SUPER overkill!

TTUL
Gary

am (Gary V. Deutschmann, Sr.)
had some very interesting things to say about Floss Grain?:

Debi and I ran across an interesting little tool this morning.
It looks like the wood handle from a hand fan, one side had a stiff
but very dense velour material affixed to the upper end.
The purpose of the tool is to determine the direction of the grain of
each strand of floss. A section of floss after separating the strands
is laid across this velour and drawn across it. In only one direction
will it pull easily, in the other direction it will drag and dig into
the velour.
Supposedly, a 6 strand skein of floss has 3 strands running in one
direction and 3 strands running in the opposite direction.
Embroidery and cross-stitching is supposedly easier and less harmful
to the floss if the needle is threaded such that the floss flows
through the material it is used on.
Huh?
Don't we fold back the floss and only feed it out of the eye of the
needle as we consume it during usage?
Don't know about you guys, but to me, this sounds like SUPER overkill!

*If* floss has a grain [I understand there's much debate about that
question], I think it would be kinda moot in my case, since I'm a loop
starter. :-)

--
"The universe is quite robust in design and appears to be
doing just fine on its own, incompetent support staff notwithstanding.
:-)" - the Dennis formerly known as (evil), MCFL

From: "Lucille"

And away we go ------------------------





ROFL!!!

And to think it was brought up again as a joke!

As I recall anyway! lol

Caryn
Blue Wizard Designs
http://hometown.aol.com/crzy4xst/index.html
View WIPs at: http://community.webshots.com/user/carynlws (Caryn's UFO's)

There can't be a debate. Textile engineers and manufacturers of threads
tell us there is no such thing. Who am I to argue with that? I'm
neither a textile engineer nor a manufacturer of any sort. I have to
believe what the experts tell me - conspiracy theories notwithstanding.

Now, there may be a "grain" with some of the eyelash threads, velour
threads and other novelty threads. I don't know. I haven't tested them
nor have I asked a manufacturer or an engineer. I would guess you would
use them in a direction that they behave for the stitch you're trying to
work.

Dianne

Seanette Blaylock wrote:

*If* floss has a grain [I understand there's much debate about that
question], I think it would be kinda moot in my case, since I'm a loop
starter. :-)

Why did the old DMC labels have the 1 label with the hand so you used that
side if there wasn't a grain. 1 of the first things I learned at a seminar
was floss had a grain and if you used the other side it tangled.
Donna
"Dianne Lewandowski" wrote in message
...
There can't be a debate. Textile engineers and manufacturers of threads
tell us there is no such thing. Who am I to argue with that? I'm
neither a textile engineer nor a manufacturer of any sort. I have to
believe what the experts tell me - conspiracy theories notwithstanding.

Now, there may be a "grain" with some of the eyelash threads, velour
threads and other novelty threads. I don't know. I haven't tested them
nor have I asked a manufacturer or an engineer. I would guess you would
use them in a direction that they behave for the stitch you're trying to
work.

Dianne

Seanette Blaylock wrote:

*If* floss has a grain [I understand there's much debate about that
question], I think it would be kinda moot in my case, since I'm a loop
starter. :-)

Donna D. wrote:

Why did the old DMC labels have the 1 label with the hand so you used that
side if there wasn't a grain. 1 of the first things I learned at a seminar
was floss had a grain and if you used the other side it tangled.

That could have everything to do with how the skein is wrapped and
nothing at all to do with grain.

Elizabeth
--
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~living well is the best revenge~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The most important thing one woman can do for another is to illuminate
and expand her sense of actual possibilities. --Adrienne Rich
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Dr. Brat" wrote in message
ink.net...
Donna D. wrote:

Why did the old DMC labels have the 1 label with the hand so you used
that
side if there wasn't a grain. 1 of the first things I learned at a
seminar
was floss had a grain and if you used the other side it tangled.

That could have everything to do with how the skein is wrapped and nothing
at all to do with grain.

Elizabeth

I thought the hand on the label indicated the direction in which you should
pull the floss out so that it didn't tangle. More folklore?

Felice

Hi Donna

That was so you pulled the floss from the skein from the INSIDE of the
hank.

TTUL
Gary


"Donna D." verbositized:

Why did the old DMC labels have the 1 label with the hand so you used that
side if there wasn't a grain. 1 of the first things I learned at a seminar
was floss had a grain and if you used the other side it tangled.
Donna
"Dianne Lewandowski" wrote in message
...
There can't be a debate. Textile engineers and manufacturers of threads
tell us there is no such thing. Who am I to argue with that? I'm
neither a textile engineer nor a manufacturer of any sort. I have to
believe what the experts tell me - conspiracy theories notwithstanding.

Now, there may be a "grain" with some of the eyelash threads, velour
threads and other novelty threads. I don't know. I haven't tested them
nor have I asked a manufacturer or an engineer. I would guess you would
use them in a direction that they behave for the stitch you're trying to
work.

Dianne

Seanette Blaylock wrote:

*If* floss has a grain [I understand there's much debate about that
question], I think it would be kinda moot in my case, since I'm a loop
starter. :-)

Because they are called "pull skeins". If you pull from that end, you
don't (theoretically) get tangles because of the way they wound the
skeins. And just try to find that buried end wrapped inside the skein.
This was made for the ease of the needleworker, not because thread has
grain.

Nowadays, it doesn't really work all that well. :-) It's hard to let
go of these notions, especially when some favored guru repeats them.

Don't take my word for it. Write to DMC and ask if there is a grain to
their floss. I did. They told me, "NO!" And they're not the only ones
I asked.

There's tons of folklore out there when it comes to sewing and
embroidery and probably lots of other endeavors as well.

Dianne


Donna D. wrote:

Why did the old DMC labels have the 1 label with the hand so you used that
side if there wasn't a grain. 1 of the first things I learned at a seminar
was floss had a grain and if you used the other side it tangled.
Donna
"Dianne Lewandowski" wrote in message
...

There can't be a debate. Textile engineers and manufacturers of threads
tell us there is no such thing. Who am I to argue with that? I'm
neither a textile engineer nor a manufacturer of any sort. I have to
believe what the experts tell me - conspiracy theories notwithstanding.

Now, there may be a "grain" with some of the eyelash threads, velour
threads and other novelty threads. I don't know. I haven't tested them
nor have I asked a manufacturer or an engineer. I would guess you would
use them in a direction that they behave for the stitch you're trying to
work.

Dianne

Seanette Blaylock wrote:


*If* floss has a grain [I understand there's much debate about that
question], I think it would be kinda moot in my case, since I'm a loop
starter. :-)