Hanked floss management

[LisaLou 0]

Hi, I’m wondering if anyone is using thread or floss that comes in hanks, rather than on spools.  Embroidery floss is usually in hanks.  However I have a bunch of silk floss in hanks, waiting to be used.  Like embroidery floss, it is several strands wound together.  It is intended to be separated into individuals strands when used, so winding the whole hank onto a bobbin or around an index card isn’t that much of a help.  What is commonly done is the Hank cut and folded in half.  Then you make a loose braid .  You hold the bottom of the braid at the cut end.   At the fold over at the top of the braid, you tease out a single strand and pull it out.  The rest of the strands stay relatively together in the braid.  because the floss is folded at the top, your working length is double the braid length.
The big question is, what length do I cut the strands for the braid?

 Cross stitchers generally go around a foot to 18”.  More than that, and you are roughing up the thread too much by pulling it through the fabric too many times.  Because we wrap, that is not an issue.  I do think realistically, 24 to 30” is about the longest I can go because the braid gets to ruffled up trying to pull longer lengths of thread out.  People hang these braided hanks in hanging file folder plastic bins to store them, so it seems like good Hank thread management.  But I don’t want to shoot myself in the foot having lengths of thread too short to complete a fly without relying in the thread. A hanging file box is 11” deep, so I could easily make braids with 20” threads. 

to complicate matters, do to reasons of a new puppy and elderly people, I am now focusing on tube flies to try and keep the hooks put away.  When the puppy isn’t constantly into everything, I’ll be comfortable having hooks out.

i can post photos if it helps.  It makes sense to me, but I think my description might be confusing.

I’m sure most people are using spools, but I just got a package of a hundred colors of silk thread hanks to try out, and could never afford to buy that much spooled.  I have not tied enough tubes to have a real idea what amount is normal.  If someone else has a floss management system for tying, I would love to know.  I split a couple hanks of 6 strands floss that were 8 yards long into its individual strands and wound them on bobbins. Each bobbin has either a Single strand, two stands, or three strands, using all six.  It is the most frugal method since there is no short leftover pieces of thread and gives me choices as to thread density.  but does use three bobbins per hanks and is so time consuming.  This method is something I will reserve for my variegated metallic  and other exotic flosses.  They are worth it.  

Thanks for any input, LL

 

[RickZieger 0]

I wrap the individual strands on different thread spools. Takes a little time, but it works. Then I can use them on a bobbin.

[gadabout 0]

I’m not sure I’m fully understanding the problem.  I keep the floss on the spool it comes on, and a spool of any given color lasts me a long, long time.  I don’t use a bobbin for floss.  I just cut off a length that will allow me to comfortably tie the fly.  If I’m using 4-strand floss and I feel like I should only use two strands on a particular fly, I’ll just split off the two strands and keep the remaining two for the next fly.

Unless you’re a commercial tyer, a few spools of each color taken from the hanks will last you a lifetime.

[chugbug27 0]

2" wide poly tubing?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BNTVRKZM?ref_=cm_sw_r_mwn_dp_7KFB1QBBEM6XBXFVGTG0&language=en_US

[Sandan 0]

On 2/19/2024 at 10:47 AM, LisaLou said:

The big question is, what length do I cut the strands for the braid?

 Thanks for any input, LL

 

Cut for brevity. How long a length do you need to use for how many flies you're going to tie?  Me, if I'm going to use say 6" of yarn, I'll cut an 8" length. That way I have enough to hold while in wrapping.  Are you talking something like this?  Cause that looks like it'll be a real bear to pick out individual strands, but I'd use the point of my bodkin to pick out the strands. The shorter the length the easier I think it'll be to pick

 

 

[LisaLou 0]

Yes, I am working with hanks or skeins of floss.  I wanted to split the thread down the entire eight yards and wind it on a bobbin, rather than having a bunch of shorter cut lengths.  I found the very slick rayon thread to be quite easy to split the full eight yards.  I ended up doing the method of holding one thread and scrunching down the rest of the threads.  Before starting, I found the middle and gripped it between the fingernails and “pushed” the twist down to the end, the went back to the middle and did it again toward the other end.  Doing this a couple of times to align the threads and push out the twist made it much easier to extract a single thread.  I then wrapped up half the thread and pushed it to the side to keep it out of the way.  In the middle,  I extracted a single thread and started pulling it out, using the technique shown in the video.   I had to stop and push down the bunched up wad a few times as I was working with 8 yards, but was pleasantly surprised how easy it went.  When the wad of threads balls up, STOP.  Grab the very bottom of the wad and draw it out toward the free end.  Get the threads vaguely aligned again, then start pulling out your single thread again.  I tried peeling two threads at the same time and it was not worth it, almost tangled it up.  Better to peel one thread, then do it again to peel out a second. Any additional threads peeled out are much easier, as most of the twist has been pushed out.  So I completely peel out one thread from the middle to the end, then go back and pull out the feast of the thread from the middle toward the other end.  I tried starting and one end and working toward the other, but eight yards was too much to manage so did half at a time.  It worked, but I think it was longer time wise and more fiddling to work from one end to the other, than working from the middle out.  Remember it is only this easy with shorter lengths.  I had to ease that wad of thread back down towards the end several times, to completely extract one thread.

Two single eight yard threads will come close to filling a standard sewing machine bobbin.  The remains four strand length of thread was wound around a plastic embroidery thread card and will be stored until needed, or if I want to use several strands at once for a special effect.  On sale, It cost me 37 cents per skein.  So I ended up with 48 yards once separated, if used single strands.  I have used more strands for different effects.

Cotton floss is also available and from what I have read, will work just fine for tying as long as you let the flies dry after use.  It is not shiny, but does come in variegated colors, while the rayon generally is only solid colors for some reason.
 

metallic floss doesn’t seem to go on sale very often and is generally $2 to $4 for 8 yards(48 when split)  Metallics are harder to split because the threads drag against each other.  It can be done doing the push down splitting method as above, but I found a video of a gal splitting threads using a fishing swivel.  This works very well and is less stressful on the metallics.  
 

  This method works. I tried it out and was able to peel a single strand by 8yards.

 

i also made a few braided hanks.  This really is a nice method if you are happy with shorter lengths.  Also you can hang the hanks in a hanging file folder storage box, with seems like an awesome storage method.  The other advantage is you can pull out two or more strands at the same time without a tangled mess.  I actually prefer working with the shorter cut strands because am not using a bobbin holder very often.  I wound a bunch of thread on bobbins in hope to force me make friends with my bobbin holder.  As I mentioned before, after many years of crocheting, I am very “hands on” with holding and tensioning thread.  The cheap, frugal, crafter in me also worries about too many unusable short lengths of thread.

you can see in this video how you could do this technique and hang the whole thing inside a hanging file box.  I personally would not braid everything together,  I would do individual, so you can remove one if you wish.

 

this is a commercially made system, but could easily be done by repurposing the top portion of a file folder and making your own hangers.

I hope this helps out anyone else who is interested in using hanks or skeins of floss and separating it into individual threads.  There are so many options in floss out there to try.  And from what I read, do not be scared off by cotton floss.  I read many forums and posts about cotton floss and cotton sewing thread being used.  it does not rot if allowed to dry out.  It is a softer look that will fuzz up, but for many flies, that buggy look is perfect.

here are some of my own photos that I hope helps.  Videos sometimes go away and there is nothing to see.

 

Cut and loosely twisted, then coiled around each other.  You could braid as well.  I looped the tail through the top so it can be hung up and not hang down so long.  Unloop it first.

isolating a single strand to pull out with my fingers.

 

You can see how it bunches up a little.  Because it is metallic and a little grippy, I pulled out one side, then the other.

the thread is out and I smoothed out the Hank by pulling on the bottom and top gently.  The hank is none too mussed up.

 

isolating a single thread in middle of an 8 yard length of Rayon floss.  Don’t forget to draw the floss through your pinched fingers to push out as much twist as possible before you start.  IT REALLY HELPS!  I coiled up the other 4 yards around a piece of cardboard to keep it from trying to join in with the rest of the party.

I am pulling on a single strand and letting the rest bunch up in my hand until I feel resistance.

Oh my God!  What have I done!  Don’t panic.  Grab the bottom of the wad and draw it down toward the end.  Keep tension on your single thread.

it will unruffle and you can then pull up on your single thread until you have another thread nest to draw out.

the threads are not knotted, only wound around each other.  That is why before I started, several times I drew the length through my fingernails and pushed out as much twist as possible.

there are many options and it’s a cheap way to get colors you might not use often, or are unavailable in fly thread.

 

i am posting this before I screw up and delete it somehow, so I will edit it later for glaring errors.   Best regards, LisaLou

[Sandan 0]

Very impressive. You have a LOT more patience than I do. Madeira Glamour metallic threads are a bit more expensive than hanks but a lot less prep time. Personally I'm still a fan of using what I need at the time rather than splitting the whole hank. YMMV of course.

[niveker 0]

And a lot neater than me.  I put those small hanks of DMC floss in a tiny zip lock bag, about 2" square, pull out a length of one strand that I need to tie with, and leave the mess in the baggie.  When I need another strand, I pick a loose end and push that mess further into the baggie.  I don't like to look at that bunched up bird nest, reminds me of bad day of fishing, LoL.