Where to buy mixed thread skeins

Oliver Twist One Offs (col. no. 057)

I've spent several posts showing my yarns and mixed skeins, but rarely mentioned any brands and (I believe) never mentioning where you can get them. The skeins are sold under different names so it isn't always easy to just try and google it. I have thought about doing a short list, especially since suggesting it could be a fun challenge to do together, and recently I got a direct question about where to buy these so why prolong it?

Do note that I'm no expert in the field and this type of material is a relatively new discovery on my part. After all I am a beader, not a fibre artist or proper embroiderer. This won't be a complete list, but rather a summary of what I've found while browsing and trying to find new jewellery and embroidery supplies. Please note that I have no personal experience with all of these shops.

Hand-dyed

There are several fibre artists and embrodieres out there who create their own lines of unique hand-dyed or hand-painted threads, yarns, floss and cord for embroidery and textile art. These mixes are usually space-dyed or ombré, which means they are multi-coloured. You are not that likely to find hand-dyed skeins in one solid colour. The mixed skeins are dyed in a bundle, meaning the colours on each thread match each other perfectly.  Do not that hand-dyed and hand-painted threads rarely are guarenteed colourfast.

The skeins can be bought either directly from the maker (many have online shops and deliver internationally) or from retailers. Do check the manufacturer's website for a list of retailers, but keep in mind that the lists often aren't complete. Once you have the name of the thread you want it can be easier to goodle retailers -- or contact the manufacturer for further information. Retailers don't always carry the intire line, but many will offer to special order a specific product from their supplier if asked.


Brands/manufacturers
(Name in brackets is the name of the mixed skeins)

• GreenHouseBazaar (Textured Thread Packs)
• Les Designs (Textured (creative) Thead Packs)
• Nells Embroidery (-)
• Oliver Twists (One Offs, Silk One Offs, Happy Bags, Miscellany)
• Stef Francis (Texture Collection)
• Tentakulum (Cocktails -- sorted under Fancy Mix)
• Texere (Variety Bags/Yarn Packs)
• The Rainbow Girl (Mixed Threads, Thread Selection)

Other retailers:

• Canvas (Tentakulum, Stef Francis; Sweden -- brick-and-mortar shop in Göteborg/Gothenburg)
• Perles & Co (Oliver Twists; France, delivers internationally)
• Rainbow Silks (Oliver Twists, Stef Francis, Texere; UK, delivers internationally)
• [to be continued]

Stef Francis Texture Collection (col. no. TS-45) 

"Commercial" yarn mixes

An alternative to hand-dyed or hand-painted thread mixes are blends of yarn combined into mixed bags for crocheter and knitters or carded threads/cords/yarns for crafters and scrappers.

On the Surface is a company producing what they call  Multi Thread Cards. The mixes consist of yarns and cords, many in solid colours but some are multi-coloured/space-dyed. You can find these in craft and scrapbooking shops.

Two sellers of mixed yarns and threads on Etsy are Lace Bobbins and Spinning Streak, both in the UK and both ship internationally.

More sources wanted!

Please feel free to add to my list. Please not that it's thread mixes (blends of various threads/yarns/cords/floss) as the ones pictured above, not just any hand-dyed or hand-painted threads -- that's material for another list (and much easier to find just by googling it). The must be available in mixed skeins. Sources can be either the manufacturer themselves or a recommended retailer, who caters to a local or international costumer base.