At Backstitch HQ we have recently received delivery of our DMC embroidery threads and with almost 600 different skeins of stranded floss I thought we had better take a closer look and explain the differences in the ranges. All of the threads I will be discussing in this post are comprised of six strands which can be used together for a thick line or split for a finer line.  You can also combine strands of different colours and types to add interest.  Personally, I mostly use three strands of thread at a time on quilting weight fabric and on our linen cotton blend fabric (which incidentally is lovely to embroider), but you may want to use fewer strands for a lighter fabric, and more for a heavier one. DMC Stranded FlossDMC STRANDED COTTON - SPECIAL 25 This is your standard 'go to' embroidery thread. 100% cotton and available in 447 solid colours and 18 variegated.  The variagated threads vary on one tone - so light and shade of one single colour. DMC COLOUR VARIATIONS This is a line of 100% cotton variegated threads, but rather than varying in tone within one colour they vary between several colours - for instance you will get a thread which will move from yellow to pink, to green.  Available in 36 colourways. DMC Stranded Embroidery FlossDMC SATIN The Satin threads are available in 36 colours and are made of 100% rayon.  They are oh so luscious and silky and shiny and glamorous! Colour numbers correspond to the stranded cotton so you can easily substitute regular cotton for the satin... Satin threads have the letter 'S' in front of the number. DMC LIGHT EFFECTS These are all your glitz and sparkle.  36 colours of 100% polyester thread.  The Light Effects (or Effet Lumière if you are feeling continental) can be used on their own or combined with cotton strands.  Mostly your metallics and pearlescents but with three very exciting extras by way of neon yellow, neon green and glow-in-the-dark. Yes, you heard me right GLOW-IN-THE-DARK!  Sorry, I didn't mean to shout there but I got a bit excited about the possibility of glow-in-the-dark stitches on my bed quilt. Magnollia Road Quilt Blocks EmbroideryWell, I hope all this helps.  It is really exciting to have the thread section live on the site, and I am looking forward to lots more embroidery fun... right now I am mindlessly stitching the pattern onto Magnolia Road fabric from Ellen Luckett Baker's Quilt Blocks (we've only the spectrum colourway left now).  Do you have a embroidery project on the go?