Sparkly Clouds & Violins
I have finished page five of Nocturne! There is one more page of clouds to stitch to complete the first row. Awhile back I decided to try Petite Treasure braid PB10 thread from Rainbow Gallery. This page full of sparkly cloud stitching was a great opportunity to test out the PB10 and compare it with the Kreinik #4 032 (very fine braid) metallic. I found they were not all that different to stitch with. However, I did prefer the feel of the Treasure Braid because it frayed less when trying to thread it onto the needle and therefore I felt there was more integrity to the thread. At a subtler level the Treasure Braid also seemed to sit slightly neater in the stitching because the integrity of the thread seemed sturdier.
I also found the tones in each were slightly different and they both caught the light differently. The Krienik has an orange/gold tone running through it (which is absent in the Treasure Braid) and the Treasure Braid has a hot pink tone running through it (which is absent in the Kreinik). I slightly favored the tones in the Krienik, even though these differences are only really noticeable looking at the thread close up. Although the Treasure Braid did noticeably have more sparkle/shine from a distance and I like sparkle! I think it's also worth mentioning that you get twice the amount of braid per unit with the Treasure Braid so it's definitely good value.
Megan's Metallic Test: Metallic 1: Kreinik #4 032. Metallic 2: Petite Treasure Braid PB10
The above sample was stitched on 25 count Lugana fabric using tent stitch. First I tented with one strand of DMC 3770. Then I tented over the top of the 3770 with one strand of metallic thread (any light DMC thread in your pattern could be used for this purpose). I stitched them separately to ensure the metallic thread sat on top. I did tests without the 3770 underneath and in my opinion the the results were not as nice. The stitching looked duller without the 3770 and the coverage did not seemed as full.
So after all that talk on sparkle, lets get to Nocturne!
Previous progress:
Some mid page sparkle (I continued stitching with the Treasure Braid after testing both metallic threads):
Page five finished: 
Please feel free to share your experience stitching with metallic threads! I would love to know which metallics you prefer using! ;)
I also found the tones in each were slightly different and they both caught the light differently. The Krienik has an orange/gold tone running through it (which is absent in the Treasure Braid) and the Treasure Braid has a hot pink tone running through it (which is absent in the Kreinik). I slightly favored the tones in the Krienik, even though these differences are only really noticeable looking at the thread close up. Although the Treasure Braid did noticeably have more sparkle/shine from a distance and I like sparkle! I think it's also worth mentioning that you get twice the amount of braid per unit with the Treasure Braid so it's definitely good value.
Megan's Metallic Test: Metallic 1: Kreinik #4 032. Metallic 2: Petite Treasure Braid PB10
The above sample was stitched on 25 count Lugana fabric using tent stitch. First I tented with one strand of DMC 3770. Then I tented over the top of the 3770 with one strand of metallic thread (any light DMC thread in your pattern could be used for this purpose). I stitched them separately to ensure the metallic thread sat on top. I did tests without the 3770 underneath and in my opinion the the results were not as nice. The stitching looked duller without the 3770 and the coverage did not seemed as full.
So after all that talk on sparkle, lets get to Nocturne!
Previous progress:
Some mid page sparkle (I continued stitching with the Treasure Braid after testing both metallic threads):
Page five finished: 
Please feel free to share your experience stitching with metallic threads! I would love to know which metallics you prefer using! ;)
That was very interesting about the metallic threads.
ReplyDeleteI don't work with them very often. I don't like the way it works...
I did finish a JanLynn piece ( the Kiss) that had some, but I had lots of trouwbles with it.. So if not necessary, I wouldn't work with them voluntarily.. But it does look beautiful.
Thanks Natascha, the metallic thread is a bit fiddly to work with so I can understand why you might want to try avoiding it where possible! I just looked the JanLynn chart up and it's gorgeous:)
DeleteHi Megan. i had this issue with metallics when I was stitching Nightwish about two years ago, I found the kreinik a little more thiker than treasure, and I like more coverage, also in my country is very dificult to find these metallics only are DMC, and in the online shop that I bought my supplies (123 stitch only are kreinik) so I decided to stay with it, I think I got used to using kreinik and now is not hard stitching with it, also I made some specialty stitches with it and I don't have any problem, but reading your opinion now I feel curious about the sparkle theme with the treasure braid, I will make a test and see how it works two years later for me :) Your progress is great, amazing job!!
ReplyDeleteHi Karen, I was using the Krienik #4 very fine braid (will amend post to make that clearer). I actually found both threads to be about the same gauge thickness or very similar. It is difficult to buy the metallics locally where I am as well. Shipping from 123 stitch to Australia is also pricey . I think it's perfectly fine to stick with the Krienik if that is what you prefer! If you are interested in trying the Treasure Braid again I found a seller on eBay Canada who sells the PB10 for a bargain price. If you do a search on eBay for Treasure Braid she should come up. Her eBay name is samdaggit and I do keep recommending her because she was so lovely to deal with and has such great prices :)
DeleteI will search for the ebay buyer and try again with the treasure braid, Thank you Megan :)
DeleteMegan I just checked my stash and I confused the treasure braid with another metallic brand that is " Rainbow glissen gloss" and this metallic is thinner than kreinik, I found only one treasure braid but as you said it is more sparkle, now I have a problem... 15 kreinik spools in my stash but now I want Treasure Braid jejeje maybe some shopping time on ebay :)
Delete15 spools!!! Sounds like your all stocked up with metallics, lol. You're funny Karen :) It's $6.25US for 2 cards of Treasure Braid (which includes shipping) or you can get 8 for about $20US... Do keep in mind you will only need about 7 cards of Treasure Braid to have the same amount as your Kreinik stash ;)
DeleteI just made my order of 5 cards, I think the price was fair, I will keep stitching nocturne and nightwish with kreinik, but for future projects I will use Treasure :)
DeleteAwesome Karen! That sounds like a good plan and all that stash will keep you stitching for awhile :) Now all you need to do is find a project to try the Treasure Braid out on! I'm slowly catching up to you with Nocturne... I think you're about three pages ahead at the moment! Can't wait to see more of your stitching :)
DeleteIt's inyeresting seeing the differences im more of a kreinik girl but I don't have much experience with others.
ReplyDeleteI don't have much experience with different metallics either... I want to try out the DMC light effects next though :)
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