Embroidery Thread – Premium Cotton & Polyester Thread | Joann
Our 6-strand cotton embroidery floss delivers rich, vibrant color and a soft matte finish for hand embroidery projects. Each skein contains 8.75 yards of 100% long-staple cotton that separates easily into individual strands, giving you complete control over thread weight and texture.
Perfect for cross-stitch, needlepoint, friendship bracelets, and traditional hand embroidery, this floss works beautifully on linen, Aida cloth, and cotton fabrics. We carry over 450 colors, including seasonal and limited-edition shades, so you’ll find the exact hue for your design.
Thread specs & compatibility
Thread Weight & Fiber Selection
Joann’s embroidery thread comes in multiple weights and fiber types to match your project requirements. Cotton floss works beautifully for hand embroidery because it’s soft, matte, and easy to separate into individual strands, letting you adjust coverage density on the fly. When you’re working on crafts that require a polished finish, polyester machine thread delivers superior sheen and colorfastness that holds up through repeated washing.
Thread weight refers to thickness – lower numbers mean thicker thread. Our 40-weight polyester and rayon threads are industry-standard for machine embroidery, providing excellent coverage without overwhelming small lettering or fine details. For hand embroidery, 6-strand cotton floss gives you the flexibility to use all six strands for bold satin stitches or separate down to two strands for delicate backstitch outlines.
Machine Compatibility & Needle Pairing
Our polyester and rayon machine embroidery threads work with all major embroidery machine brands, including Brother, Janome, Bernina, Singer, and Husqvarna Viking. We recommend using a size 75/11 embroidery needle for standard 40-weight thread on woven cotton and linen fabrics. Switch to a 90/14 needle when embroidering on heavier canvas, denim, or upholstery fabric to prevent needle deflection and skipped stitches.
Metallic thread requires special handling due to its foil wrap construction. Always use a 90/14 metallic or topstitch needle with an elongated eye and larger thread groove to reduce friction. Reduce your machine speed to 400–600 stitches per minute and use a high-quality embroidery stabilizer to support dense metallic stitching. We also recommend loosening your top tension by one full number to prevent metallic thread from shredding.
Color Selection & Organization
We stock over 450 colors of cotton embroidery floss, organized by DMC-compatible color numbers for easy pattern matching. Our polyester machine thread collection includes 120 solid colors and 24 variegated options that transition through complementary hues automatically as you stitch. Rayon thread comes in 96 colors with an emphasis on rich jewel tones and soft pastels that showcase the fiber’s natural luster.
Many embroiderers organize their thread collection using plastic floss bobbins or thread racks that keep colors visible and tangle-free. We offer embroidery floss organizer boxes with labeled compartments that accommodate up to 200 skeins, making it easy to sort by color family or project. For machine embroidery thread, vertical spool racks keep your collection organized by color or fiber type while protecting thread from dust and UV fading.
Complete Your Embroidery Toolkit
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Embroidery Thread Questions
Cotton embroidery floss is designed for hand embroidery and comes in 6-strand skeins you can separate for different stitch weights. It has a soft, matte finish and is ideal for cross-stitch, needlepoint, and traditional hand embroidery on natural fabrics.
Polyester machine embroidery thread is engineered for high-speed embroidery machines with a tighter twist and glossy finish. It’s stronger than cotton, resists fading better, and works at machine speeds up to 1,000 stitches per minute. Use cotton for hand work and polyester for machine embroidery.
Yes, our 40-weight polyester embroidery thread works in regular sewing machines for decorative topstitching and free-motion quilting. Use a size 90/14 topstitch or embroidery needle and reduce your tension slightly since embroidery thread is lighter than all-purpose sewing thread.
For best results, wind a bobbin with lightweight bobbin thread rather than using embroidery thread in the bobbin. This prevents thread buildup and maintains proper stitch balance on decorative stitching projects.
We stock over 450 colors of cotton embroidery floss, 120 solid colors of polyester machine thread, 96 colors of rayon machine thread, and 24 metallic thread colors. Our cotton floss color numbers are compatible with DMC patterns for easy conversion.
We also carry 24 variegated polyester threads and seasonal limited-edition colors throughout the year. Most stores keep 200–300 colors in stock, with the full range available for online ordering with free ship-to-store on orders over $35.
Yes, all our embroidery threads are colorfast when laundered according to fiber-specific guidelines. Cotton floss is machine washable at 30°C (86°F), polyester thread tolerates washing up to 60°C, and rayon should be hand washed or machine washed on gentle cycle with cold water.
Metallic thread requires hand washing only to preserve the foil finish. We recommend washing finished embroidery projects inside a mesh laundry bag to protect decorative stitches from abrasion during the wash cycle.
For standard 40-weight polyester or rayon machine embroidery thread, use a size 75/11 embroidery needle on lightweight to medium-weight fabrics like cotton, linen, and jersey knits. Upgrade to a 90/14 needle when working on heavier canvas, denim, or upholstery fabrics.
Metallic thread requires a 90/14 metallic or topstitch needle with an elongated eye to reduce friction. For hand embroidery with cotton floss, size 5 embroidery needles work well with three strands on Aida cloth and even-weave linen.
A typical 4×4-inch machine embroidery design uses approximately 300–600 yards of thread depending on stitch density, with lettering using less and dense fill stitches using more. Our 1,100-yard polyester thread spools provide enough for multiple medium-sized projects.
For hand embroidery, one skein of cotton floss (8.75 yards) covers approximately 450 square inches of basic backstitch or outline work. Dense satin stitch filling uses about three times as much thread, so plan for 3–4 skeins per color for projects with substantial fill areas.
Yes, many embroiderers combine thread types for visual interest – for example, using matte cotton floss for background fill and metallic thread for accent details. Just remember that different fibers have different care requirements, so your finished project should be laundered according to the most delicate thread used.
For machine embroidery, you can switch between polyester and rayon threads within the same design, though we recommend keeping the same thread weight (40wt) to maintain consistent stitch coverage. Mixing cotton hand embroidery with machine-stitched elements creates beautiful mixed-media textile art.