Black strings of worse quality
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aceofseas
Professional
aceofseas
6 months, 1 week ago by aceofseas
Okay so this might sound weird but I've been using mostly one brand since I started making bracelets. It always felt like the black string didn't have the same quality as other colors, but a friend who is also into making bracelets said she didn't notice anything weird so I figured it was just me. Then I got some colors from another brand and again black was of a noticeable worse quality than the rest of colors, with maybe gray being kinda close to it but the rest of colors were perfectly fine. Yesterday I found a cool color pack in the store of a different brand, and this time the black string is almost unusable, I've had to tie knots at the beginning and end of each string before having even started the bracelet. Is the black string being worse a thing or do I just have the worst luck?
mishka0129
Bracelet King
mishka0129
6 months, 1 week ago by mishka0129
I haven't noticed that my black strings are of a particularly lesser quality, but I usually buy DMC threads.
sodapop
Bracelet King
sodapop
6 months ago by sodapop
Yes, I think the black does seem different. I have bought many bulk packs of assorted skeins of embroidery floss online, and also packs of only black and white, but since they're not a name brand, the quality varies greatly. I've noticed the black always seems to be somewhat thicker and fuzzier than the other colors, it must be due to cheap materials and poor manufacturing, but I don't know why it would only affect the black. Weird. I haven't noticed those inconsistencies with high quality brands like DMC.

Then I discovered perle cotton. It's a dream to work with! I've been using DMC in size 5, it's a twisted thread that you can't really separate like regular floss so it wouldn't work for cross stitch etc. But it's perfect for bracelets! And it blends in with the other brands of colors just fine. I would highly recommend getting some perle cotton, even just black to save yourself a bunch more headaches. 😄
mishka0129
Bracelet King
mishka0129
6 months ago by mishka0129
That is interesting about the perle cotton. I haven't tried working with it before, but maybe I'll grab some and give it a shot!
TianaOsix
Professional
TianaOsix
5 months, 4 weeks ago by TianaOsix
I've also noticed inconsistencies in thread quality based on color. I chalk it up to the dying process being harsher with certain colored dyes, specifically darker ones. I guess they need to soak longer in the dye and might even need more than one dye session compared to a light colored thread that wouldnt need as much dye saturation.
paulasophi
Bracelet King
paulasophi
5 months, 4 weeks ago by paulasophi
I also love working with perle, but I've noticed that is makes my hands hurt a lot quicker - no idea why tho :/
TianaOsix
Professional
TianaOsix
3 months ago by TianaOsix
I recommend using 6 strand embroidery floss if you're not already. Perle cotton is a thread commonly used for bracelets, but it is much weaker than embroidery floss. It looks like a little rope of 2 strands twisted together but once they lose their twist they fall apart. Embroidery floss however, has never been a problem for me, even "cheaper" brands.
TianaOsix
Professional
TianaOsix
3 months ago by TianaOsix
Really important thin I need to add: the perle cotton I'm talkig about is the generic "friendship bracelet string" you can buy in bulk, not a good quality perle like DMC. Perle cotton, depending on the dye color tends to thin out with use. I've noticed it with dark or vivid colors,mainly blues and blacks.

If you'd like you can use your normal thread colors but use DMC stranded floss in black, the difference in thread types won't be obvious.
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