A Guide to Threads for Stitching & Punch Needle: Materials, Sizes & Tips

Thread is more than simply the material that holds a project together. In handwork, thread becomes part of the design itself. Its weight can make a stitch delicate or bold, its fiber can give a project a soft matte finish or a beautiful sheen, and its construction affects everything from how easily it pulls through the fabric to how much texture it adds to the finished piece.

There isn't one thread that is best for every project. Cotton, silk, wool, rayon, and metallic threads each bring something different to your work. Learning a little about the threads available—and understanding how they behave—makes it much easier to choose a thread that complements both your fabric and the look you want to achieve.

Perle or Pearl Cotton Thread

Perle cotton and pearl cotton are two names for the same type of tightly twisted, non-divisible cotton thread. Instead of separating strands like embroidery floss, you stitch with the thread just as it comes.

The size of perle cotton makes a big difference in how visible your stitches will be. One thing to remember is that the sizing works backward—the smaller the number, the larger the thread.

Size 3 is the largest of the sizes we commonly use. It creates bold, visible stitches and is especially good for words, larger shapes, and details you really want to stand out. Because of its thickness, it can be more difficult to use on very small objects and fine details.

Size 5 is a wonderful middle weight and one of our favorites because it is so versatile. It is beautiful for embroidery and wool appliqué and is also a great size for punch needle. We often use Size 5 on embroidered tea towels because the stitches and small details remain visible without becoming too heavy.

At Midway Wool, we have our own collection of Size 5 Perle Cotton. It comes conveniently wound on thread cards and gives you a beautiful, versatile stitching thread at a great price point.

Size 8 is finer and is a common choice for embroidery when you want visible stitches with a little less weight.

Size 12 is very fine. The stitches tend to disappear more into the project, making it particularly useful for tiny pieces, delicate details, and places where you don't want the thread to compete with the design.

Stitching Tip: Think about how visible you want your stitches to be before choosing a size. Size 3 makes the stitching an important part of the design, while Size 12 lets the fabric and other details take center stage.

Embroidery Floss

Embroidery floss, such as DMC floss, is different from perle cotton because it is made up of six strands that can be separated. This gives you a lot of control over the weight of your stitches or the thickness of your punches. Use one or two strands for delicate details or additional strands when you want your stitching to be more visible or your punches to be bolder.

Embroidery floss can also be used to secure wool pieces to your background before adding decorative embroidery stitches.

Best for: Traditional embroidery, lettering, small details, fine punch needle, and projects where you want to vary the thickness of your stitches.

Stitching Tip: Separate the strands individually before putting the number you need back together. This helps the strands lie more smoothly and evenly as you stitch. You can also use a swivel to separate your threads. Check out our YouTube channel to see how.

Silk & Silken Perle Threads

Silk brings a beautiful natural luster to hand stitching. It catches the light differently than cotton and can give even simple stitches richness and depth. Its smooth finish also makes it luxurious to work with.

We carry The Thread Gatherer SP5 silk, which is a lovely way to introduce the beauty of silk into embroidery and decorative stitching. Silk can be used throughout a project or simply added in a few places where you want a little extra dimension and sheen.

Best for: Decorative embroidery stitches and beautiful accents.

Stitching Tip: If the thread begins twisting back on itself, let your needle hang freely for a moment so the thread can unwind.

Fine Threads

Sometimes you don't want your thread to be the star of the project. A finer thread lets small details remain delicate and allows the fabric and design to take center stage.

Efina is a fine cotton thread that works well when a heavier decorative thread would overwhelm the scale of the design.

Best for: Fine details, delicate appliqué, and subtle stitching.

Stitching Tip: Match the scale of your thread to the scale of your design. Tiny shapes and fine details usually look cleaner with a finer thread.

Wool Threads

Wool and wool-blend threads have a softer, more matte appearance than cotton or silk. They are particularly useful for securing wool shapes to your background before adding decorative embroidery stitches. Wool thread tends to sink into the wool, helping it almost disappear and avoiding the extra bulk that can get in the way of the decorative stitches you add on top.

Ellana is a wool-blend thread that works beautifully for this purpose and can also be used when you want a soft, textural stitch to be part of the design.

Best for: Securing wool appliqué pieces, folk-art projects, and textural embroidery.

Stitching Tip: When using wool thread to secure shapes before adding decorative embroidery stitches, choose a thread color that closely matches your wool. You want these stitches to disappear so they don't compete with the decorative stitching you add later.

Specialty Threads: Razzle & Dazzle

Sometimes you want the thread itself to add a completely different element to your project.

Razzle is a heavier decorative rayon thread with beautiful shine. It creates bold, dimensional stitches and can be especially striking against matte wool.

Dazzle combines rayon with a metallic element to add sparkle to your stitches. It is wonderful for those little details where you want the light to catch your stitching.

Best for: Embellishment, bold decorative stitches, and adding shine or sparkle.

Stitching Tip: With both Razzle and Dazzle, use shorter lengths of thread. As a long piece is repeatedly pulled through the fabric, the twisted fibers can begin to separate. Shorter lengths help keep the fibers together and make these threads much nicer to stitch with.

Which Thread Should I Choose?

Instead of asking which thread is “best,” think about what you want the thread to contribute to your finished project.

Do you want the stitches to be bold and become part of the design? Size 3 perle cotton is wonderful for larger shapes and lettering. Do you want a versatile thread that gives you visible stitching without becoming too heavy? Size 5 perle cotton is one of our favorites for embroidery, wool appliqué, tea towels, and punch needle. For finer embroidery, Size 8 works beautifully, while Size 12 and other fine threads are better suited to tiny details or places where you want the stitching to be more subtle.

Then consider the fiber and finish. Cotton gives you wonderful stitch definition. Wool brings softness and texture. Silk adds beautiful luster and depth. Rayon gives you shine, while metallic threads can add just a little sparkle.

Most importantly, don't be afraid to mix them. Combining different thread weights, fibers, and finishes is one of the simplest ways to add texture, dimension, and personality to your handwork.

Choosing thread isn't just about finding a color that matches. It's another opportunity to make the project your own.