When stitching animals, the trim on Santa’s suit, hair and other furry items on needlepoint canvas, one of the easiest ways to add a lifelike effect to your stitching is to use fuzzy threads! You will frequently find them recommended in our stitch guides. They are create a wonderful and whimsical effect to your canvas. If you’re new to needlepoint, or if you have never come across fuzzy fibers before, they might seem intimidating, but I’m here to tell you that they are far easier to work with than you would expect.
When stitching animals, the trim on Santa’s suit, hair and other furry items on needlepoint canvas, one of the easiest ways to add a lifelike effect to your stitching is to use fuzzy threads! You will frequently find them recommended in our stitch guides. They are create a wonderful and whimsical effect to your canvas. If you’re new to needlepoint, or if you have never come across fuzzy fibers before, they might seem intimidating, but I’m here to tell you that they are far easier to work with than you would expect.
Below, find my top tips for stitching with fuzzy threads.
1. Be familiar with the types.
Angora, Fuzzy Stuff, Very Velvet and more are some of the fibers you might come across. Below I’ll share my recommendations on what mesh these threads can be used on.
Angora- Use 1 strand on 18 count. Of the needlepoint threads featured in this blog post, Alpaca 18 is one of the least fuzzy threads. The filaments on this fiber are shorter and more natural looking. It is wonderful for animals! It comes in gorgeous earthy grays and browns. It's also great for hair!
Angora- Use on 13 count. This is a beautiful thread that bears a striking resemblance to Santa’s Beard. It is a very thick fiber- too thick to use on 18 count.
Arctic Rays- Use on 18 count. This is a wacky thread that comes in tons of bright colors. It is very synthetic looking as it is made of nylon.
Fuzzy Stuff- Use on 18 and 13. This is a fluffy and whispy fiber with short fluffy filaments. It is really designed to be used on 18 count canvas, however it can be doubled and it will work on 13 count!
Very Velvet- Manufactured for use on both 18 count and 13 count. Very Velvet comes in two different thicknesses a “Very Velvet” and a “Petite Very Velvet.” The petite thickness is still relatively thick and can go back and forth between 18 and 13 count with looser tension. This thread is softer and- as the name suggests- velvety! It's one of my very favorites and the reds are perfect for Santa's Suit.
Wisper- Use on 18 count. This is a very underrated thread in my opinion. It can be blended with thin wools like Bella Lusso or Impressions. You need to double it for good coverage on 18 count. It is too thin for 13 count.
2. Work with shorter strands
When stitching with fuzzy threads, shorter strands are your friend. Each time you pull your fuzzy thread through the canvas, you wear away at the fluffy filaments. Stitching with shorter strands will help keep the fluffy effect in the canvas evenly distributed because you are less likely to get to the end of your thread with no fluff left on it. Shorter strands will also help prevent these highly textured fibers from getting knotted and tangled while you needlepoint.
3. Stitch your fuzzy threads last
Think of your fuzzy threads as ornamental-adding them to your canvas should be like adding a cherry on top of a sundae. To make stitching with these fibers easier, make sure the surrounding area has already been stitched when you add them to your canvas. This will prevent you from accidentally pulling those strands into the surrounding areas on your canvas, keeping your project nice and neat.
I hope these tips help you on your stitching journey.
-Jinny xo
