Floss Overdyed by Needle Necessities

P.O. Box 4204
Crofton, MD 21114
Phone: 410-721-3245

E-mail Us

THREADWORX OVERDYED FLOSS

We are thrilled to now offer overdyed floss from a new company, ThreadworX. ThreadworX is using the same dye formulae as Needle Neccesities (now out of business). Only the color names and numbers have changed. You'll still find your favorite colors combinations.

You’ll love the exciting effects produced by using overdyed floss for your next smocking project. How we wish we could carry all 182 colors offered by ThreadworX! Listed below are our favorites and those we feel work well for smocking. Take a look—some of them are recent additions. The color names are very descriptive and the images are fairly representative, but color ranges with approximate DMC color numbers have been added to help in your selection. 20 yards per skein. $3.20 ea.

As Needle Necessities stock is depleted, it is being replaced with ThreadworX. You will see both sets of color names and numbers.

At the very bottom of the page is an Information Primer on smocking with ThreadworX overdyed floss. Feel free to copy and print it for your own use.

Now TWO ways to order:
1. VISA and Mastercard orders accepted by telephone, 1-410-721-3245, Monday-Friday, 10:00 AM-5:00 PM (Eastern Standard Time).
2. Send check or money order ($US, please) payable to CLASSIC CREATIONS, P. O. Box 4204, Crofton, MD 21114. Don’t forget to include shipping as noted at the bottom of this page.

Above, left to right
1001 SWEET PEAS pinky mauve to silvery lavender (3727/3042)
103 VERY BERRY med to deep mauves (3803/3687) -- ThreadworX 1005 CHERRIES
1031 RASPBERRY ICE lt to dk purplish pinks (3609/3607/917)
104 NURSERY RHYMES mint green/lavender pastels (369/ 211/3756) -- ThreadworX 1007 SOFT LIGHTS
1061 PARADISE icy lt blues (828/3456) -- ThreadworX 1010 ALOHA
110 BLUE IS BLUE pale to med blues (794/793/800/3747/341) -- ThreadworX 1015 ICE BLUE
1101 CLEARLY BLUE lt to med baby blues (3755/322) -- ThreadworX 1016 CRYSTAL BLUE
1121 “DILLY DILLY” pale bluish grey and aqua (3756/3761/3741) -- ThreadworX 1019 MOON DUST
116 ARCTIC NIGHTS royal to midnight blues (798/797/796) -- ThreadworX 1025 BLUE NAVY
1162 STAINED GLASS delft blues to garnet red (809/798/814) -- ThreadworX 10261 NATURE'S BERRIES

Above, left to right
1201 VANILLA CREAM warm pale beige creams (3865/3866/543) -- ThreadworX 10301 SAMSON
126 MULLED WINE taupes to wines (3032/841/3726) -- ThreadworX 1038 CHERRY COLA
1301 SALSA burnt oranges to med greens (3777/3826/3012/986) -- ThreadworX 1044 CHILI PEPPERS
1321 SPLENDOR IN THE GRASS shaded greens (368/367/987) -- ThreadworX 10471 GRASS IS GREEN
1343 ISLAND BUTTERFLY soft teals to greenish yellow (3849/3848/165) -- ThreadworX 10522 BANANA SUSANNA
135 BALI HAI rich seafoam greens, blues (993/992/991/798) -- ThreadworX 1053 DREAMSCAPE
1351 TIDEPOOL misty lt blues, greens (828/932/564) -- ThreadworX 1054 PACIFIC ISLANDS
1352 BIG SKY COUNTRY lt to med sky blues (747/519) -- ThreadworX 1055 SUMMER SKIES
1372 SOUTH PACIFIC aquamarine to green (943/701) -- ThreadworX 1059 MYSTIQUE
1391 WILDFLOWERS shell pinks, chartreuse, lt green/blue (224/3819/1816) -- ThreadworX 1062 PASTEL SUNSET

Above, left to right
1392 MERCY’S SPRING BOUQUET medium pastel rainbow (3689/210/772/341/598) -- ThreadworX 10592 WILDFLOWERS
1413 POLYNESIAN sage to yellow green with lavender (522/3348/155) -- ThreadworX 1068 HAWAIIAN FLOWERS
1471 PAINTED DESSERT muted lavender, copper, sage, gold (3041/3778/522/3046) -- ThreadworX 1078 PASTEL BOUQUET
149 HYDRANGEA muted plums to taupe (778/3727/316/642) -- ThreadworX 1081 SHORTCAKE
150 VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS pink to green to burgundy (224/924/902) -- ThreadworX 1083 ROMANTIC WEDDING
1511 JINGLE BELLS Christmas greens and reds (319/702/321/498) -- ThreadworX 1085 CHRISTMAS TIME
1521 RED HAT LADY red and purple (321/327) -- ThreadworX 1088 SOCIETY LIFE
1531 KRIS KRINGLE Christmas reds (347/666/3801) -- ThreadworX 1090 RED LIPSTICK
155 VOODOO FLAME bright corals to wine (957/956/351/3685) -- ThreadworX 1096 RENAISSANCE
157 COTTON CANDY lt to med pinks (605/604) -- ThreadworX 1099 SWEET INNOCENCE

	Above, left to right 1571 WATERMELON ICE shaded pinks (602, 604, 3804) -- ThreadworX 1100 HOT PINK 1572 BOUGAINVILLEA pinks and greens (604/3805/3345) -- ThreadworX 11011 HYDRANGEA 1612 SUNFIRE yellows and oranges (744/742/721/900) -- ThreadworX 1107 WILD FIRES 162 LEMON DELIGHT lt to bright yellows (745/726/742) -- ThreadworX 1108 LEMON MERINGUE 165 PARAKEET MONTAGE aquas, lt green, yellow to orange (598/368/745/3825) -- ThreadworX 1112 TEEKA 1741 ANGEL FACE shaded lavenders (554/553) -- ThreadworX 1126 RASBERRY CREAM 1751 PURPLE PASSION soft purples (no DMC equiv; Anchor 108 is base) -- ThreadworX 11291 GRAPE ICE 178 COVENTRY GARDENS soft greens to lavenders to blues (927/503/554/210/341) -- ThreadworX 11311 SUMMER FLOWERS 1781 ALPINE MEADOWS soft green, blue, mauve (503/932/3041) -- ThreadworX 1132 RAIN FOREST 1801 CHERRY BLOSSOM palest purpled pinks (3609/3608) -- ThreadworX 11351 COTTON CANDY

	Above, left to right 183 JEWELS OF THE NILE rich aqua, green to purples (996/991/924/552) -- ThreadworX 1138 MOSAIC 1831 CARNIVAL GLASS violet, blue, spruce green (327/3760/ 3814) -- ThreadworX 1139 TAPESTRY 1841 DESERT VISTA lt coral, green, mauve (758/3813/316) -- ThreadworX 1142 DESERT FLOWERS 190 FINIAN’S RAINBOW muted rainbow (340/402/3053) -- ThreadworX 1149 RAINBOW FAIRY 193 ANEMONE warm rusty corals to violets (3777/554/209) -- ThreadworX 1152 VERY BERRY 1931 CALYPSO bright rose, yellow, green, blue, violet (3804/742/702/322/553) -- ThreadworX 1154 BRADLEY'S BALLOONS 1941 PASSION FLOWER antique violet, green, beige (3041/3816/3023) -- ThreadworX 1156 BOTANIC GARDEN 1942 WOODBINE rich purple, grey to green (550/541/937) 195 CORONATION rich violet purples (553/552) -- ThreadworX 1158 GRAPE SHADES 198 TROPICAL RAIN FOREST bright to hunter greens (905/890) -- ThreadworX 11611 TROPICAL

Please feel free to copy and print the following for your own use:

WHAT IS IT?

ThreadworX overdyed floss begins as a stock color of Anchor cotton embroidery floss. ThreadworX, a new company in Garden Grove, California, overdyes (i.e., adds other colors) this base color using the same dye formulae to produce the color blends originated by now defunct Needle Necessities. The new color (or colors) is applied by hand and worked into the base color. The dye color is unevenly spaced, allowing the base color to remain and to become an integral part of the color scheme. This differs from variegated floss that starts out as bleached or natural color thread to which blocks of color are applied in evenly spaced increments.

HOW DO I USE IT FOR SMOCKING?

The joy of ThreadworX overdyed floss is that it changes color, meaning you don't need to stop and start and change thread colors as you stitch. Because ThreadworX overdyed floss randomly changes color along its length, its stitched pattern cannot be planned or anticipated. Every design is unique and spontaneous.

Use two, three or four strands, just as you would regular embroidery floss, depending upon fabric weight, design or desired effect. When strands are separated/stripped, make sure they are put back together in the same order for even flow of color.

ThreadworX overdyed floss is packaged in 20-yard skeins cut into 36" lengths. With care, the entire 36" strand may be used or it may be cut in half. Do not automatically tie off at the end of a row. Instead take a tiny backstitch on the back to secure the last stitch, invert fabric, and stitch back across the next row, adding new thread as needed. If each row is started in the same place with a new length of thread, stripes of color will develop instead of the desired arbitrary color placement.

To maintain color flow when starting a new thread mid-row, find the first color on the new thread that matches the one just finished. Snip off the new thread a quarter inch below the color change, knot it and resume stitching.

WHAT SMOCKING DESIGNS DO I CHOOSE?

Try to select a geometric smocking design with an all-over pattern and without a lot of accents or details. This will give the color changes a chance to develop fully and to balance. Plaid designs also work well, as do those stitched on the diagonal.

Don't overlook ThreadworX overdyed floss for picture smocking. Any large area of color will take on added depth and texture with ThreadworX overdyed floss. Bears and fish immediately come to mind, but other figures could benefit as well.

Stitches with a lot of thread coverage that stay on top of the fabric display ThreadworX overdyed floss at its best. These stitches would include herringbone, surface honeycomb, van dyke, feather, etc. Basic cables, waves and trellises come out well, too. Don't expect to see the color changes develop in isolated embellishing stitches—like flowerettes. They don’t use enough thread. Instead you can choose to highlight a particular color on the strand and cut the thread before it changes color; or, use a solid color thread as a companion or contrast for accent stitches.

WHAT COLORS ARE AVAILABLE?

ThreadworX currently offers a palette of over 180 colors. The color combinations are taken directly from nature or existing objects and have wonderfully descriptive names such as Chili Peppers, Summer Skies, Wildflowers and Bradley’s Balloons.

WILL THE COLORS RUN WHEN WASHED?

Unfortunately no company can now guarantee that their threads are colorfast and not bleed or fade when wet. This is one reason that most clothing we buy says, "Dry clean only" on the care tag! The chemical compound needed for color fastness is highly toxic and no longer allowed by Federal regulations.

ThreadworX overdyed floss is thoroughly washed and rinsed to allow for as much color loss as possible before you buy it. If you are using ThreadworX overdyed floss in a garment that will be washed, you might want to take the following precaution BEFORE stitching:

Unwind the skein, put into a basin half-filled with cool water with 2 Tablespoons of white vinegar and 2 Tablespoons of salt. Allow to soak 1-2 minutes until saturated, remove, blot with towel and let dry.

Remember, hot water and using a steam iron can re-activate the dyes and cause bleeding, as will a hot clothes dryer. Just remember, ThreadworX overdyed floss is a specialty thread and thus deserves a bit of extra care.

HELP, I DIDN'T FOLLOW THE ABOVE ADVICE AND THE COLOR HAS RUN ON MY WHITE DRESS !

This is a suggestion that may work (no guarantee). Soak the garment in ice-cold water until the color starts to come out. Then, rub ice cubes over the area and put the garment back into fresh ice water and soak again. Repeat this process until the area is clear. This could take a couple of weeks.

*For further information, see "Smocking Horizons: Smocking With Floss Overdyed" by Barbara Meger, Creative Needle, Jan/Feb 1993, pp. 21-23, 72.

Shipping charges:
$4.50 for orders up to $19.99
$6.00 for orders $20.00 to $49.99
$7.50 for orders over $50.00
Don't forget to include your e-mail and snail addresses and phone number!
Thank you!
Back to top