Skip to content
Free shipping Worldwide for orders over S$150 (selected countries)
Need Help?
Counted Cross Stitch Kits | Cross Stitch Charts Counted Cross Stitch Kits | Cross Stitch Charts

Currency

  • AUD $
  • CAD $
  • EUR €
  • GBP £
  • INR ₹
  • MYR RM
  • NZD $
  • PHP ₱
  • SGD $
  • USD $
Account
Search
Loading...
Browse by Artists
  • Artists A

  • Artists B

  • Artists C

  • Artists D

  • Artists E

  • Artists F

  • Artists G

  • Artists H

  • Artists I

  • Artists J

  • Artists K

  • Artists L

  • Artists M

  • Artists N

  • Artists P

  • Artists R

  • Artists S

  • Artists T

  • Artists V

  • Artists W

Cart
Need Help?
  • New

    New
  • Standard

    Standard
    • Kits

      Kits
    • Patterns

      Patterns
  • Circular

    Circular
    • Kits

      Kits
    • Patterns

      Patterns
  • Bookmark

    Bookmark
    • Kits

      Kits
    • Patterns

      Patterns
  • Mini

    Mini
    • Kits

      Kits
    • Patterns

      Patterns
  • Four Squares

    Four Squares
    • Kits

      Kits
    • Patterns

      Patterns
  • Sets

    Sets
    • Kits

      Kits
    • Patterns

      Patterns
  • Fabric
  • Collections
    • Abstract

      Abstract
    • Animals

      Animals
    • Architecture

      Architecture
    • Asian

      Asian
    • At Home

      At Home
    • Characters

      Characters
    • Fantasy

      Fantasy
    • Flowers

      Flowers
    • Food and Drink

      Food and Drink
    • Holidays

      Holidays
    • Landscape

      Landscape
    • Mandala

      Mandala
    • Musical

      Musical
    • Religion

      Religion
    • Space

      Space
    • Transportation

      Transportation
    • Words

      Words
    • Chinese Zodiac

      Chinese Zodiac
    • Zodiac Signs

      Zodiac Signs
  • By Level
    • Level 1 - Novice

      Level 1 - Novice
    • Level 2 - Beginner

      Level 2 - Beginner
    • Level 3 - Intermediate

      Level 3 - Intermediate
    • Level 4 - Expert

      Level 4 - Expert
    • Level 5 - Advanced

      Level 5 - Advanced
  • Stitch a Photo

    Stitch a Photo
  • Special Offers
  • Account
  • Currency

    • AUD $
    • CAD $
    • EUR €
    • GBP £
    • INR ₹
    • MYR RM
    • NZD $
    • PHP ₱
    • SGD $
    • USD $
  • Home
  • / Cross Stitch Guide by Kathleen M Dyer
  • / The Right End of the Floss

The Right End of the Floss

Lauren Mills · October 04, 2020

You may have read posts which talked about "the right end," or "the direction" of the thread. Let's talk about what it means and why you should or shouldn't care. Yes, this is another of those issues where the professionals disagree.

Here are condensed comments from the different schools of thought.

School 1: Floss has a right end, and the end matters.

  • The needle should be threaded with the right end. The stitches lie better, and knots are less likely to happen.
  • It is bad form to stitch without paying attention to thread direction.
  • Some people find it easier to separate a strand when it is removed from the right end. They have less problem with tangling.
  • The end that comes out of the skein first is the right end.
  • If the floss is already cut, hold the two ends in one hand, between the thumb and forefinger. Allow about one half inch from each end to stick up. Now tap lightly down onto both ends at once with your other forefinger. The end that spreads more, or "blossoms" is the "right" end.
  • To find the right end for a single strand of floss, hold it up and run it between your thumb and forefinger. The direction that feels smoother is the right direction, and the top is the right end.

School 2: Floss has a right end, and the end doesn't matter.

  • If it takes a magnifying glass to see the difference in the stitches, keeping track of the right end of the thread is a waste of time.
  • The loop method of starting stitches (where by definition one strand is the right way and one the wrong) can help keep the back of the picture neat.

School 3: Floss does not have a right end.

  • The big floss manufacturers claim that their floss does not have a nap, and therefore does not have a right end.
  • Modern processing methods result in flosses and yarns which do not have a right end.
Share
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Backstitching
  • beading
  • beads
  • cleaning
  • evenweave
  • fabric
  • floss
  • Fractional Stitches
  • framing
  • French Knots
  • hoop
  • hoops
  • knots
  • linen
  • location
  • magnifiers
  • magnifying lamps
  • matting
  • mounting
  • needle
  • needles
  • q-snaps
  • scroll bars
  • signing
  • silk gauze
  • skein
  • skin color
  • stains
  • stitching over one
  • stitching the x
  • storing
  • strand
  • stretcher bars
  • thread
  • Thread Length
  • threads
  • Tweeding
  • twists
  • Variegated Floss
  • Waste Canvas

Previous

October 04, 2020

The Amount of Floss for Cross Stitch

Next

October 04, 2020

The Right Side of the Linen

Categories

  • Backstitching
  • beading
  • beads
  • cleaning
  • evenweave
  • fabric
  • floss
  • Fractional Stitches
  • framing
  • French Knots
  • hoop
  • hoops
  • knots
  • linen
  • location
  • magnifiers
  • magnifying lamps
  • matting
  • mounting
  • needle
  • needles
  • q-snaps
  • scroll bars
  • signing
  • silk gauze
  • skein
  • skin color
  • stains
  • stitching over one
  • stitching the x
  • storing
  • strand
  • stretcher bars
  • thread
  • Thread Length
  • threads
  • Tweeding
  • twists
  • Variegated Floss
  • Waste Canvas

For exclusive offers and updates...

  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Shipping
  • Returns
  • Privacy
  • Read Reviews

Currency

  • AUD $
  • CAD $
  • EUR €
  • GBP £
  • INR ₹
  • MYR RM
  • NZD $
  • PHP ₱
  • SGD $
  • USD $
  • Help
  • Our Designs
  • Gallery
  • Gift Cards
  • Cross Stitch Guide
  • Cross Stitch Blog
Copyright © 2021 The Art of Cross Stitch . Powered by Shopify
American Express Apple Pay Google Pay Mastercard PayPal Shop Pay Visa