In my blog post from August 3, I mentioned staying at the Quill Haven B & B in Somerset, PA. 
Rowland and Carol were wonderful hosts, and during one of our many conversations, I mentioned I was a quilter. Rowland said to me, in a rather excited tone: “do you know about floss?” I answered “yes, I’m also a dental hygienist” (groan). He did laugh politely, but then told us about a very large box he had in the attic of his barn. His sister-in-law had passed away a few years previous and she had at one time owned a needlework shop. They were still trying to find homes for some of her things and they hadn’t yet figured out what to do with this box full of embroidery floss! Then he asked if I wanted it. I of course said “yes”!
So Mike made room for it in the trunk of the car and I didn’t allow myself to open it until we were home and unpacked. What an adventure opening that box was! It contained 237 boxes of DMC floss!!
The back of each box is stamped “Made in France”, and they look to be quite a few years old. I did an internet search to learn about DMC. The company got it’s start in 1746, and you can read the history at: http://www.dmc-usa.com/DMC-History.aspx . There is more information about the company today on the “about” page of that same website.
So, I pulled out all the boxes and arranged them by number.
237 is a lot of boxes of floss. Each box originally contained 24 skeins of the same color floss. There were only about 7 colors that had multiple boxes and a majority of the boxes were full! I thought I’d open a few so you could get a better feel for the amount of floss I had been generously given.
The problem is – I don’t do that much embroidery. So what to do with all this floss?!? The first thing I decided I would do is keep one skein of every color for myself, so I pulled these from their boxes and laid them out in numerical order.
WOW (an understatement)! What a feast for the eyes! I was amazed at how often colors switched in this line up.
So here’s where you come in. I’m looking for suggestions on what to do with the rest of the floss.
Should I keep the collection together? If so, who would want it?
Should I take it to my quilt guild and have a give-away floss frenzy? (after you get first dibs – Barb J 🙂 )
Should I have some sort of a “winner take all” contest on the blog?
What would you do with it?
Perhaps everyone who comments to this post should win a box :-)!
Please let me know. I look forward to your input!
And a quick reminder
Saturday, August 23rd is rapidly approaching and there are still a few spots left in my free motion quilting workshops at the Wisconsin Museum of Quilts and Fiber Art. Click here for the descriptions and a link to sign up!
Patt says
Our club has gotten donations for our charity quilt project from families of quilters that have passed away. Any items that we can’t use are put up for sale at club meetings at very reasonable prices. The money is then used by the club’s charity project. Maybe you could do the same.
Jan M says
I loved reading your FLOSS story.
And, I liked the motto: “From one fine thread a work of art is born”.
Eileen D. says
I think taking the floss to your guild and having a “floss frenzy” is a good idea. Perhaps as Patt suggests you could charge a little amount and use the proceeds for your guild’s projects. Certainly is a lot of embroidery floss in those boxes!
Louise says
Wow!! What a wonderful gift. I don;t think winner takes all is the way to go. What would 1 person do with all that floss? You’d have to sew 24hrs a day for rest of your life! Kids make bracelets from floss (do they still do that?) so maybe some kids groups would be a good place to donate some.
Lori says
My goodness that is a lot of floss! What a wonderful gift. Maybe keep a couple of each color, and more of the black and red (if there is black and red.) There is probably no way you are going to use it all, so it would SO sweet of you to give the rest away.
Phyllis says
That brings back memories of when I worked at our local Ben Franklin store. When we ordered a color, we would get them in a box of 24. I love embroidery and always enjoyed filling the display! I agree, winner takes all seems like too much, but I would be happy with a couple of empty boxes!
Christy says
Is there a small shop that could use the floss ( or a good share of it) to add to their inventory? It would save them some money.
Barb setzer says
That is a lot of floss. I think it would be nice if everyone who gets a box or some floss should have to do a block embroider with the floss. A quilt could then be send to the owner who gave you the floss.
Patt Nieman says
I think this a great idea………….and I would be willing to embroider a block. And the B & B would have a wonderful quilt for their establishment.
Amy says
This is in line with what I was thinking. Sort it out and group different color ways. Establish a square size, color scheme and theme like flowers or Jacobean and use the blocks to make quilts or wall hanging(s) for the B&B. Some will embroider, cross stitch, couch, etc. The returned blocks can be grouped and combined.
Jan M says
LOVE this idea :))
Shirley Busse says
I really like this idea! It was truly a generous gift and to return a “thank you” quilt that would bring back memories of his sister is priceless.
Ann says
You might arrange (in numerical order of several rows and frame them in a shadow box). It would be a very striking ‘box’ of floss. Having an embellishment challenge for quilts at your guild might also be fun. Just a couple of thoughts. Good luck!
Karen says
What a lovely gift! Of course, crazy quilters, embellishers, and others who do handwork will be particularly interested in this collection. Here is my suggestion: Create multiple collections like your own consisting of one of each color — they could even be re-packed in the lovely vintage boxes — and donate them to guilds to use as raffle or door prizes. You could ask quilters to help you do the sorting, as this may would be a big job. (I would be happy to spend an afternoon helping with this!) I used to do a lot of counted cross stitch, and DMC Floss was my staple thread. I still have several boxes of it.) Sounds like there would be enough for quite a few groups!
Eileen says
WOW Chris, What a collection of Floss!!!!!! My suggestion is spread the wealth! Look for people who do embroidery/counted cross stitch/ etc. I’ve even embellished on children’s quilts/wall hangings etc. Smart to keep one of each for yourself! But oh my! Hope you have storage space. Are there church groups in your area that do charity quilts? Have a group up here who tie charity quilts with embroidery floss.
Good Luck! And by the way I love the Thank You quilts. I’m actually working on some for cousins and the people who’ve been supportive through my numerous surgeries.
Barb says
I would hope that the persons that receives it will use the floss. I know it has age on it,
but it could be used on a project the is not washed regularly. Maybe you guild members could do a square of something to be used in a GUILD quilt. A six or eight inch square does not have to be that complicated or intricate to be beautiful.
Rose says
Chris,
I think you should create small sets (a total of 12-15 skeins of different coordinating colors) of floss and then give them out to friends, like me. A whole box of the same color is too much. The sets could be themed, such as baby color, seasonal colors, pastels, brights, neutrals, etc.
Jeanette says
Hi Chris, How about couching it down to embellish some of your beautiful quilts. Also, making little tassels at the ends of some of your couching designs. What an awesome stash of floss.
Debbie says
This is what I was thinking. Chris, you could even braid some of the flosses together and embellish with the braid. I love the exposed tassel idea too!
Sharon says
I love to add embroidery to my projects but you are right that this is a life-time supply. Our charity group uses floss for tying quilts, it works so much better than yarn.
Cindy says
My church also has a quilting group that ties their quilts with floss. Even the non-sewers in the group can handle a square knot!
Mary says
Some time back I took your class and made the Snowman Table Topper. I am wondering if you could use several strands of the floss, instead of yarn, to make the section dividers.
You could also check with some nursing homes and Senior Centers, if they do any embroidery work with clients, and could use some of the floss.
Mary Beth Weeks says
My older sisters taught me to embroidery when I was 8 years old and I have been passionate about it since. Many of my quilts incorporate embroidered blocks. I love the potential of your new wealth and think it’s time to get all that floss out of the boxes and into the hands of those who will appreciate it and use it. You’ve received many wonderful suggestions for doing just that and I hope some of them work out to your satisfaction. Keep us posted!
Mary McKeown says
What a wonderful windfall of beautiful thread. Such great ideas for spreading it around and I would only add if there is a Museum in need of some of this collection for historical display would be nice.
Julie Rotach says
Door prizes at your workshops, sales at your guild, workshops, etc. Selling them and using the money for charity quilt supplies is a good idea.
I like the idea of putting several coordinated color skeins together.
Patti says
Oh what a gift, but you are right what to do with the gift?? When I did cross stitching my one goal was to get a DMC box like the stores used to sort floss. I was lucky enough to get one when our local quilt store stopped selling it. It now helps keep “some” of my quilting thread dust free. I think that maybe donating some to guilds that do charity quilts to use for tying was a good idea. I also like the idea of making up boxes of colors to be used for door prizes at guild meetings.
Judy Wilke says
I love to take embroidery along when traveling, to do in the airports, on bus rides or on road trips. Next time you are planning a “Sew We Go” trip, do something using embroidery and have a kit for everyone.
Cleanne says
A church group May like some. We use a lot in our group making t towels for our bazaar
Gloria says
Wonderful ideas here for your beautiful floss. I’d love to see it on quilts, couched and embroidered.
" class="comment-author-link" rel="external nofollow" itemprop="url">Jackie says
Hi Chris, You are one lucky kid. All that floss running through my finger tips would cause me to hyperventilate with a big smile on my face! Jackie
patchedlives says
What a wonderful find! A kind person in our guild recently gave me a box of pearl cotton (but not the size of your stash). I shared it with my friends, and we all felt very rich. I like to see it used as it was intended — not for tying quilts or kids bracelets–and like the idea of breaking it into small lots for purchase to benefit our guild charity work, which has been impressive lately. I would gladly make a block to give a quilt to the kind man who gave it to you.
Lynn says
You could use it for bracelets. The floss friendship bracelets are coming back in vogue.
I just bought a bracelet maker for my granddaughter so know it is coming back. Lots different from when my daughter just pinned the floss to her jeans!
Judy says
Lovely floss! I wish I were a needle worker.
Lucy says
Wow! That is a LOT of floss!
I think you were smart to take one each for yourself..and I would either put them out on the ‘sharing table’ ( take it, I don’t want it, it’s yours!) …I would share it with several other quilt groups, after your own had their pick. Not everyone can use it…i use very little…but how wonderful for those who can use it to have such a variety!
Did i say “WOW! That is a LOT of floss!” ? It IS !
Sharon says
I was thinking about the wonderful gift of floss that you received. WOW is right!
Does your church have an auction/fundraiser or perhaps the Wisconsin Quilt Museum could benefit from a donation for future artists or as fundraiser?
Have fun!
Karen says
This reminds me of mission I was on back in the eighties. I was doing counted cross stitch at the time and decided I needed all the colors.
I’d stop on the way home from work once or twice a week buy a few skeins, and spend a bit of time wrapping each one around a little card designed just for that purpose.
I ended up with about 6 plastic boxes with all the floss lined up in numerical order. I still have them and don’t need more! Good luck figuring out what to do with your great find.
Glennes says
Possible donation idea. A Senior Center / Home
Faye Grover says
My suggestion is to contact 4 clubs and home economic teachers in your area. Perhaps leaders and teachers would welcome a donation so that they can teach young people embroidery. There may be young people who are interested in learning about needle work but cannot afford to get seriously involved with this art.
Bette says
Our crazy quilt group, Tenacious Threads, is planning to do a charity quilt that would be raffled off by a Wisconsin historical society that wants to build a museum. Possibly some of the colors could be used in the quilt. Our group does a lot of embroidery and handwork.
Bette
Nancy Johnson says
Congratulations on your gift. I would package them up by color ways and sell them on Crafty.com, then using the proceeds for a donation to a women’s shelter in the name of the deceased aunt….in the geographic area that she lived.
Lori Schloesser says
Embroidery floss can be used for tying quilts. It has a more delicate look than yarn.
Lori
judy s says
What a great story Chris!!! I only read a few of the comments, so sorry if I’m duplicating an idea. I like the idea of giving it away. How about to a Girl Scout/Brownie troup – or Council (there’s so much of it one troup probably couldn’t use it all). I know the girls make cute friendship bracelets out of floss – maybe they could make them & turn it into some kind of service project??????
Gail says
Certainly you could and should share with your friends and your Guild members who do embroidery. You could also make a challenge out of it. Announce in your Guild that there will be a challenge where each participant would receive a bag of mystery colors of floss and will have a certain length of time to create something with it. When you find out how many are participating you can make up the bags, so you won’t make up an unnecessary number. When the challenge is due, the Guild can vote on their favorite. You can award the floss to just the top winner or make winners of the top three or whatever.
Marilyn says
Do the old numbered colors still match with today’s numbers? I would imagine, as with old thread, that the floss is not suitable for embroidery or counted cross-stitch. Why put hours into a project and had the thread fray, shred, or color run.
What a beautiful treasure….the WI Museum of Fiber Arts in Cedarburg may have ideas or wish to have a framed display of the old floss. Many people may be interested in the old numbered colors. Or DMC might find you a color match chart.
Lucky you!
Toni says
I suggest for the WI Quilt and Fiber museum to help you decide.
I’m personally reviving my embroidery skills and drooling. !
Cheryl Barkdoll says
Hi Chris, What a wonderful gift. I received some of my grandmother’s DMC since she did cut work and all of the DMC was one color. I cherish it since it reminds me of her. Anyway, I have donated craft items, fabric and misc items to our local senior living center. The activity director appreciates anything like that since many of the inhabitants have no income to afford some of these items. Schools often welcome donations for various projects. Whatever you decide, I am sure that the recipients will be delighted.
Connie says
Last year a former member of our Embroiderers’ Guild of America group in La Crosse made a trip to Tanzania with others from Gundersen Lutheran Health System. We donated floss and fabric to her to take with her to teach women there to stitch and also donated any fabric and thread we had to sew clothing. Having traveled to Tanzania myself in 2011, this project was very dear to my heart.
Claire says
Did u save the boxes? I would keep it in the boxes…..how about a guild auction for a good cause? Current price on a box of 12 skeins is is 4.80….I am using a drab brown to back stitch a multi block appliqué quilt ala Suzanne Marshall. Very relaxing and effective.
Caroline Sather says
What a lucky lady you are to receive all that floss. I do a lot of volunteer work with the elderly and I think you should find a care center near you that does crafts and see if they could use any of the floss. These places can always use free craft items. Better yet you could go and give a quilt show for the ladies that live there and than show them some ideas on what they could do with the floss. You would be surprised at how much these people would love your company and to see your quilts.
Laurie Magee says
Enjoyed the workshop yesterday very much. American Quilt Study Group is holding our annual seminar in Milwaukee at the Crown Plaza Hotel Sept 10-14. This is a group that supports research into the history of quilts, etc. Some of your vintage thread would be a wonderful addition to our silent auction. http://americanquiltstudygroup.org/sem14info.asp
Joanne Grimes says
Ooooh May I have one of each color? I’m in a stitching mood. I just got done with one project and just started on another. Thanks
shellie freisinger says
What an awesome gift. I agree with the many multiple comments, especially to use it toward charity or the B and B. Do lots of things! Take the top 6-10 ideas and give a set away to each one. Ask them to send you a picture of something that was created and share on your blog, for all to see.
Carol hillary says
What a story and also a dilemma of what to do.
May want to ask if your host realized what he gave you. Quite a gift!! Perhaps you could work a game plan together.
Fun to pass on a treat to all those that post, but that could become a nightmare with postage. Could you use I. A class?
The charity donation always an act of kindness.
Pledging to use it all up probably would take forever.
Perhaps brainstorm and make a list. Then divide them into good and bad ideas. Toss the bad ideas.
Review and narrow down to the best of good ideas.
Dilemma solved.
Good luck with your choices.
donsdatter says
I think I would do a giveaway with some sort of stipulation – like a sampler block back so that you can give it to the person who donated – It looks like you would have many sets of floss to give away. That is quite the collection of floss!