In this episode, I am sharing 3 tips for stitching with DMC neon and glow in the dark thread. You can listen to the episode below or keep scrolling to read the blog post.
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Neon and glow in the dark threads are part of the Light Effects range from DMC. Most of the other Light Effects are metallic threads but there are these bright extras in there too!
You can buy neon and glow in the dark threads from Love Crafts here*.
And if you need a pattern that uses both of these threads we are using them in the Haunted Halloween Stitch Along.
3 tips for stitching with DMC neon and glow in the dark thread
1. Use thread conditioner
Neon thread frays a lot and thread conitioner makes stitching with them so much easier. I don’t tend to use thread conditioner too much (although I recommend it for metallic threads) but I have to use them for the neon threads.
I find neon threads more tricky to stitch with than the metallic!
I don’t use it on the glow in the dark thread but you can if you want. You can use thread conditioner on any embroidery thread, apart from satin – I find it makes stitching with satin more difficult!
2. Use 1 strand
On 14 count/28 count aida 2 strands work fine. But when I tried neon on 32 count evenweave (16 count aida) 2 strands just looked messy and tying off at the back was so difficult.
Neon threads are so thick that the coverage is still fine with just 1 strand.
For the glow in the dark, 2 strands worked fine for me but again, if you’re having trouble it is thicker than ordinary cotton you can just 1 strand.
3. Charge your glow in the dark thread
Glow in the dark thread need charging with sunlight to actually glow!
You can leave your skein of thread in the window sill in between your stitching and let it charge that way.
Or as you’re stitching with it, put your project in sunlight when you’re not working on it to charge the stitches you have already done.
Just make sure there is nothing that will damage your project when it’s sitting in the window sill. My kids love knocking things over and I have lots of plants and water around my window sills!
The more you charge your thread, the more it will glow. Just look at this customer photo from my Galaxy pattern!
Links mentioned
- Sign up to the email newsletter
- Flamingo pattern
- Lakeside Needlecrafts
- Galaxy pattern
- Haunted Halloween SAL
- Light Effects podcast episode
Extra cross stitch episodes and posts
- How to cross stitch with Light Effects thread blog post
- Tips for stitching with variation and variegated thread
- All the DMC threads explained
- Stitching with Coloris threads
- DMC colour palettes
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