Edition 12 – Looking behind the scenes at a championship quilt created by the talented Judith Wilson using an unusual & eclectic selection of Empress Sewing Threads.
Continue reading »Edition 11 – Threads In Focus | Crashing Technique
Create fabulous fabric textures and effects using this simple technique. The requirements are minimal: Your Fabric Choice plus Solufleece & Bondaweb. Remove the backing paper from Bondaweb and sandwich it between a similar sized piece of Solufleece & the fabric of your choice on the top layer. Put in a hoop. Stitch within the hoop
Continue reading »Edition 10 – Threads In Focus | Liz Almond Embroidery
Blackwork Journey ELIZABETH ALMOND, designer and embroiderer www.blackworkjourney.co.uk A conversation with Christine at Empress Mills, Colne led to the following; “You are interested in all aspects of needlework would you be interested in writing something for our Blog?” Since I am more than happy to talk about any aspect of embroidery I willingly agreed. Where
Continue reading »Edition 9 – Threads In Focus | Practical Vilene Interfacings
With a break from the tradition of focusing specifically on Threads this edition is an introduction to the world of Vilene Interfacings. Also unlike past articles this article is to be used along side a host of extra information just added to the Non Woven Interfacings of the Vilene Range. Extra Information on each interfacing
Continue reading »Edition 8 – Threads In Focus | Woolly Nylon / 80s Bulk
Woolly Nylon Thread was developed purely for industry. Overlockers were at one time only available in the ‘rag trade’ and this thread took away the problem of both raw edges and contrast edges in one go. It is not a needle thread. It throws a loop around the edge of the fabric – a Looper
Continue reading »Edition 7 – Threads In Focus | HT Polyester Backing Thread / Blind Hemming
HT Polyester is truly representative of Empress Mills long textile history. It has a purely industrial background and yet is ‘peppered’ all over the place in our sewing thread ranges because of its innate properties. We first began manufacturing it as a weaving yarn. Modern looms produce fabric so quickly that at the point of
Continue reading »Edition 6 – Threads In Focus | Machine Quilting / General Purpose Thread (120s Polycore)
Design & Creation This edition is a continuation from the last which discussed General Purpose Spun Poly Thread. 120s Polycore was a further development step and is ideal an ideal General Purpose & Machine Quilting Thread. It was originally designed for industry after ‘conventional’ polyester thread no longer stood up to the demands of high
Continue reading »Edition 5 – Threads In Focus | General Purpose Poly – T120s Spun Polyester
We may have run ahead of ourselves up to now in dealing with specific, specialist purpose threads so this edition is going to look at perhaps the most common thread we all know and seek out some of its distinctive qualities. The most commonly used i.e. quite unknowingly by most of the population, is T120s
Continue reading »Edition 4 – Threads In Focus | Drawing With The Machine Needle
By Richard Box Coming very soon. Register for updates and to be notified when this article and free project becomes available. Just join the free Empress E-Newsletter.
Continue reading »Edition 3 – Threads In Focus | Machine Embroidery Thread
To really understand the evolution of the Machine Embroidery Threads we use today, it is necessary to look back at the development of machine embroidery in general. You probably all have a few hand embroidered pieces stashed away – table covers, runners, mats etc worked by hand from many years ago (you know the sort
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