Sashiko Thread and How Not to End with a Tangled Mess!

Sashiko thread comes in lots of lovely colors...

Sashiko thread is soft and perfect for sashiko stitching, wool applique, toy making...

Sashiko thread gets prettier with washing, it kind of thickens and plumps up...

but why, oh why, does it come only in skeins?

Skeins.

Really?

Here I am all ready to settle in and stitch miles of sashiko and I realize that every thread I need is going to be a project itself to get off the skein! Argh! 

Here is the solve for this frustrating problem:

1. Find where the skein is tied and hold it there while opening it into a long loop.

2. Cut through both ends of the loop. Yup, right through all the threads, both ends :-)

3. Braid them into a loose braid and tie a thread around each end so they stay braided.

4. Pull the threads out for use, one by one. The braid will bunch up and then fall straight again. No more wasted tangled thread.

5. Throw all your braided thread in a baggy and it will stay untangled and usable until you have used it all. 

This does mean you must use your thread in the cut length. I know some people like to use longer threads but if you can bring yourself to do it, the shorter length will make better results in your stitching.  And threading the needle more often isn't so bad with sashiko needles. They have such nice large eyes :-)

Happy Stitching 

Susan