Like many artists, I'm a creature of habit. I tend to use the same tools and colors for pieces. I like to sit in the same place when I stitch, mostly because of the light. I have a schedule, particularly during the week since I also have a job (I try to have my piece drawn by lunchtime so I can use lunch to stitch if needed). However, I also really love using unusual materials, like stitching on metal or using cassette tape ribbon for thread. One of my goals with this projects was to learn more about embroidery, and that means trying new materials even when I have historically hated them. This brings me to Perle (or Pearl) cotton thread.
Perle cotton thread is a non-divisible embroidery thread. This means you don't split the threads as you might with traditional embroidery floss. It's twisted and has a raised effect on fabric. It comes in a few different weights, and can be used for a variety of stitching practices. There's a good explanation in this article (about midway down the page). Several thread brands make a Perle thread; I've only ever used DMC.
My first experience with Perle thread was in a kit I bought a few years ago. I don't remember what it was used for in the actual design, but I remember that none of my embroidery needles were the right size for the thread and the kit didn't come with needles (sometimes they do). Because Perle thread is twisted, it doesn't fit in smaller or regular size needle eyes. It annoyed me. Yes, I was fully capable of going and buying needles (which I did), but I kept thinking about a beginner embroiderer and how they might get so annoyed that they stopped stitching all together. Maybe I was being dramatic, but whatever. Kit makers need to make it easy for their users to make the piece.
Anyway, I avoided using Perle thread for awhile, but came back to it when I was working on a piece for the Badass Herstory project. I did a riff on a sampler, and I used DMC Perle thread because I liked the texture of the raised thread for what I was making. Of course, I also have a collection of needles now, so I was able to make my piece with no issues.
I used Perle for my couching stitch study; it's used frequently for couching stitches given the raised nature of the thread. For today's piece, I decided to do a little bit of a stitch study using Perle. I only used the back stitch in my Badass Herstory project, so today I tried stem, chain, and whipped back stitches and French knots. I only have a few skeins of Perle in my thread collection, so I used what I had for today.
The textures are amazing. Even with the limited colors, it's still a really cool piece. The stem stitch is my favorite; it looks like lace. Even the whipped back stitch is more defined. I think this will be fun for some of the sea themed pieces I'm planning for July or just as a nice bonus when the mood strikes. I have to buy some other colors since I think the only other color I have other than what I used today is white or ecru.
Here's to trying new things!
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| My Badass Herstory piece, I Am an Adult Lady Who Can Do Things |
Stitches: back, whipped back, stem, chain stitches, French knots
Thread palette: DMC Perle (5) 310, 351, 4240
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