If you embroidery with silk threads – especially the wispy, untwisted (flat) silks – you know what it’s like to become frustrated when a thread inadvertantly snags on one of those rough spots that you didn’t even know you had…
… So you fix the problem and go on working, unaware, perhaps, that there’s a product out there that can help you with this problem.
Au Ver a Soie (the company in France that produces fine silk threads) has a hand cream made especially for working with silk. I’ve read about it before, but never thought I’d bother – after all, I can pick up lotion (even the intense stuff) somewhat cheaper at the local pharmacy. Of course, if it’s laden with oils, I don’t like to embroider right away after applying it.
But then I started a project that requires me to work with an extensive amount of flat silk, which catches on everything. My hands aren’t really what I’d qualify as “rough,” but still, the occasional snags are annoying. So I took the plunge and thought I’d test Au Ver a Soie hand cream.
Guess what? It’s incredible stuff! Not only can I safely embroidery right after applying it, but I can even apply small amounts to the thread to make it tame and exceptionally maneable.
After using it with the flat silks, I’ve grown accumstomed to applying a small amount (about the size of a pea) to my hands before any handwork. It’s wonderful, and makes a huge difference in the handling of threads. It’s great with rayon threads, too.
If you want to try the cream out, you won’t be sorry!
You can find Au Ver a Soie hand cream through any specialty needlework shop that stocks goods from Access Commodities. If they don’t have the cream in stock, ask them to special order it for you!
Based on your recommendation above, I bought a tube of Au Ver a Soie from Twining Thread. This stuff is awesome! It moisturizes without being greasy. I know I will use it when I’m stitching and just for daily use. Thanks for the recommendation.
I know this was posted a while ago, but I’m new to this great website. I’ve been taking Japanese Embroidery at the Center in Atlanta and with other teachers for several years. We use flat silk with some metal exclusively. The Center never, ever recommends using cream of any kind because Japanese silks cannot be washed. The oils build up on the silk and the silk absorbs them, staining them. Students at the center wash their hands before returning to embroider and even rinse our mouths after eating. I’ve found that using a good cream several times a day, using cuticle oil several times a day and a once or twice a week exfolliation with the same product you use on your face really takes care of the snags, mostly. Just don’t exfolliate right before stitching. Do it the night before. This works for me and I swim almost daily. Hope this helps.