View source for Thread

'''Thread''' is either animal or vegetable fibre spun into long, flexible strands. It is used in [[sewing]], [[weaving]] and any number of other fibre [[crafts]].

Thread can be made from a great many different materials including:
* [[Wool]] - (mostly from [[sheep]] but also from lesser animals if nothing else was available). As a sewing thread (i.e. to sew up seams or for [[embroidery]]), wool tended to snap more easily than silk or linen, and so was used for cheaper projects, when other materials weren't available, although there are exceptions.  Wool thread would have been particularly used to make woollen cloth, which had great advantages over other cloths, being warmer, more easily [[felt]]ed so that seams don't unravel, and keeping the rain out due to natural [[lanolin]]s.
* [[Cotton]] - a rare material in period - mainly imported from [[Egypt]] and [[India]] and mostly used in coarse [[fabric]] due to a short fibre length.
* [[Hemp]]
* [[Linen]] - The most common thread in period - came from flax and the best flax grew in [[Holland]].  Linen was a common thread for sewing up seams of garments, be they wool, silk or linen.  Silk thread was better at this, but the extra strength seldom justified the expense.  Linen is not as easily dyed as other fibres, so was seldom used as [[embroidery]] thread (silk was preferred).  A lot of linen thread would be made into linen cloth, which was chiefly used for [[underwear|undergarments]] (again, even in hotter climates, fibres that could be easily dyed pretty colours were preferred for outer garments).
* [[Silk]] - Silk was expensive during period, but was very desirable for its strength and bright colours (it takes dye well), and also for its fineness (the [[fibre staple]] is very long, allowing for a few fibres to twine for a great length) so that very stong and thin threads could be made. Generally imported from [[China]], though silk production occured in Italy from the 14th century onward.  Silk thread could be used for handsewing, embroidery, [[braiding]] and to produce silk cloth.
* Some [[metal|metals]] e.g. [[gold thread]] were spun around a core of silk (or linen).  Period [[artisans]] could get this quite thin by the mid period.  [[viking|Vikings]] just used thin [[metal]] wires (eg [[silver]]).  [[Gold]] was most desirable, and most used as it didn't tarnish like [[silver]].

Thread can be made into:
*[[cloth]]
*woven bands by techniques such as [[tablet weaving]]
*cords by [[braiding]]
*decorated garments by [[embroidery]]
*the seams of garments when hand[[sewing]] garments
*garments made by [[knitting]] or [[naalbinding]]
*[[net]]ting eg fish nets or hairnets using techniques such as sprang



[[category:Fibre Arts]]