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Embroidery Floss and How to Separate Strands

How stranded floss is made, how many strands to use, and how to separate them without a tangle.

Beginner10 min

How floss is built

Standard embroidery floss is six thin strands of cotton twisted loosely together into one length, sold in an 8.7 yd (8 m) skein. You almost never stitch with all six. You cut a length, pull out the number of strands the stitch needs, and thread those.

Strands	Result	Use for
1	Fine, delicate line	Tiny details, small lettering
2 or 3	Medium line (the usual choice)	Most outlines, satin stitch, lazy daisy
4 to 6	Bold, raised line	Chunky outlines, French knots, woven wheels

Step by step

Find the loose end at the numbered-label end of the skein and pull gently. Cut a length about 18 in (45 cm), roughly fingertip to elbow. Longer lengths tangle and fray.
Hold the cut length near the top between thumb and finger and tap the end so the six strands fan apart.
Pinch one strand and pull it straight up and out while your other hand holds the rest loosely. The remaining strands will bunch up below your fingers. That is normal.
Smooth the bunched strands straight again, then pull out the next strand the same way. Always remove one strand at a time.
Lay the strands you want side by side, ends level, and thread them through the needle together.
Wind the unused strands onto a card bobbin or loop them loosely so they are ready for next time.

Tips for a neat result

Separating and recombining strands, even when you need all of them, makes stitches lie flatter and cover better.
If the thread twists as you work, let the needle dangle and it will unwind itself.

Common mistakes and fixes

The floss knots up when I pull out two strands at once

Pull one strand at a time. Two together wrap around the others.

The thread goes fuzzy and thin

The length is too long or has been pulled through too many times. Cut shorter lengths.