Buckets of Ink · Madeira Distributor · Tempe, Arizona
Embroidery floss is six-strand cotton thread sold in small skeins for hand stitching. Machine embroidery thread is a single smooth strand wound on spools and cones for embroidery machines. They are not interchangeable. This guide covers floss types, strand counts, skein math, DMC numbering, and when a project needs machine thread instead, which is what we stock in Tempe.
Embroidery floss is a loosely twisted thread made of six separable strands, usually mercerized cotton, sold in skeins of about 8.7 yards (8 meters). Stitchers pull out one to six strands depending on how bold they want the stitch. It is the standard thread for hand embroidery, cross stitch and needlepoint, and it is numbered by color so patterns can call for an exact shade. Floss is not used in embroidery machines; machines run a single-strand 40-weight polyester or rayon thread on spools and cones.
The question behind most calls we get
Both are called embroidery thread in conversation, which is how people end up with the wrong one. Floss is built to be handled by fingers and a hand needle. Machine thread is built to survive 1,000 stitches a minute through a metal eye.
Six loosely twisted cotton strands you separate before stitching. Soft, matte to slightly lustrous, and made to be pulled through fabric by hand.
One continuous filament strand, tightly twisted and lubricated, wound on 1,100-yard spools or 5,500-yard cones for Brother, Janome, Tajima, Happy Japan and every other embroidery machine.
| Embroidery floss | Machine embroidery thread | |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 6 separable strands, loosely twisted | 1 continuous strand, tightly twisted |
| Fiber | Cotton (also rayon, silk, metallic, wool) | Polyester or rayon filament |
| Length per unit | 8.7 yd skein | 1,100 yd spool or 5,500 yd cone |
| Works in an embroidery machine | No. It sheds, frays and jams the tension discs | Yes, on every brand |
| Works for hand stitching | Yes, that is its purpose | Usable for fine satin and outline accents; slippery to knot |
| Bleach and hard laundering | Cotton fades over many washes | Polyester is bleach and abrasion resistant |
| Stocked at Buckets of Ink | No | Yes, 1,200-plus Madeira colors in Tempe |
Fiber and finish
Six-strand cotton is what most patterns assume, but the word floss covers a family of hand-stitching threads. Knowing the family tells you how a stitch will look and how it will wash.
Separate strands and recombine them for the weight you want. Two strands on 14-count Aida is the cross-stitch standard.
Used as a single thread, never split. Size 8 sits close to two strands of six-strand floss.
The same specialty finishes exist for machines: Madeira Classic Rayon, FS Metallic and Burmilana wool blend, in the shop section below.
How many strands
Strand count controls coverage and texture. Fewer strands give crisp detail and sit flat; more strands fill faster and stand up off the fabric. Match strands to fabric count and to the stitch.
| Strands | Cross stitch | Hand embroidery | Needle |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 18 to 22-count linen, fine backstitch and detail | Fine outlines, lettering, faces and eyes | Size 10 embroidery, 26 tapestry |
| 2 | 14 and 16-count Aida, the standard | Backstitch, split stitch, small satin areas | Size 8 to 9 embroidery, 24 to 26 tapestry |
| 3 | 11-count Aida, fuller coverage on 14-count | Stem stitch, chain stitch, medium fills | Size 7 to 8 embroidery, 22 to 24 tapestry |
| 4 to 6 | 6 to 8-count or bold, raised effect | Satin stitch fills, French knots, woven wheels, bold outlines | Size 3 to 5 embroidery, 20 to 22 tapestry |
Always pull strands out one at a time and put them back together; it removes the twist and makes stitches lie flat. If a design will be laundered often or stitched by a machine, a #40 machine thread is the durable choice and needs no strand math at all.
Interactive
A skein holds about 8 meters of six-strand floss. Using fewer strands per pass stretches that length. Set your strands, the number of cross stitches in the color, and an estimate for stitches per meter, and the calculator returns skeins to buy.
Stitches per meter depends on fabric count and how tightly you stitch. On 14-count Aida with two strands, 70 to 90 full crosses per meter is typical; use 18-count for a higher number, 11-count for lower.
Estimate only. Backstitch, French knots and waste from starts and ends add to usage; buy one extra skein of any color that covers a large area, and keep dye lots together.
How-to
Floss knots because the six strands are twisted together at the mill. Pulling them apart one at a time, then recombining, takes the twist out and is the single biggest fix for tangled hand embroidery.
What we stock: machine embroidery thread
Buckets of Ink is a commercial decorating supplier, so we do not carry hand floss. If your project runs through an embroidery machine, or you want a floss look with machine durability, these are the Madeira lines on the shelf in Tempe. Tap a color family to filter, or search by name or number. Full catalog on the embroidery thread page.
Moving a hand design to a machine
Digitizing a cross-stitch chart or a hand-drawn design for a machine means swapping DMC numbers for machine thread numbers. Most digitizing software (Wilcom, Hatch, Embrilliance) includes a DMC to Madeira chart; the shop counter matches the rest by eye against the cones.
Export the color legend from the chart or software. Note which colors cover large areas; those are the ones worth matching carefully.
Polyneon polyester for anything laundered hard or worn outside. Classic Rayon for the cotton-floss look on decor, linens and gifts.
Shop rayon →Send us the DMC numbers and we will list the closest Madeira colors from stock. Stitch a sample; machine thread reads slightly brighter than cotton.
Email a color list →Happy Japan · Sold and supported from Tempe
Many embroidery businesses start with a hoop and floss and move to a machine when orders outgrow evenings. Happy Japan single-head Journey and Voyager machines are built for that step, with HCR3 multi-heads for production. All are sold by quote with local setup and training, and every one runs the Madeira thread above.
Request a Quote
Happy Japan machines are sold by quote. Reach our equipment team and we will follow up with pricing and availability for this model.
Where to buy
906 S Priest Dr #101
Tempe, AZ 85281
480-229-7806 · bucketsofink@gmail.com
Monday to Friday · 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM
Hand embroidery floss such as DMC and Anchor is sold at craft and fabric stores across the Valley. Buckets of Ink carries the machine side: Madeira thread, E-Zee backing, needles, bobbins and Happy Japan machines, for walk-in pickup or shipping to every state.
Questions we answer at the counter
Embroidery floss is a six-strand, loosely twisted cotton thread sold in 8.7-yard skeins for hand embroidery, cross stitch and needlepoint. Stitchers separate the strands and use one to six at a time. It is numbered by color, most commonly with DMC or Anchor numbers.
No. Floss is six separable cotton strands for hand stitching. Embroidery thread, in the machine sense, is a single continuous 40-weight polyester or rayon strand on a spool or cone for embroidery machines. Buckets of Ink stocks the machine kind.
No. Floss is too loosely twisted and too thick for a machine; it sheds lint, frays in the tension discs and breaks. Use a 40-weight machine embroidery thread such as Madeira Polyneon or Classic Rayon with a 75/11 needle.
Yes, for fine satin stitch, outlines and lettering. Use a single strand of #40 rayon or polyester with a size 9 or 10 embroidery needle. It is slipperier than cotton floss, so knots and loop starts need care.
Two strands on 14-count Aida is the cross-stitch standard. Use one strand for fine detail on 18-count and above, three for fuller coverage or 11-count, and four to six for bold satin fills and French knots.
A standard skein holds 8.7 yards (8 meters) of six-strand floss. Because most stitchers use two strands, one skein yields about 24 meters of two-strand working thread.
Both are six-strand mercerized cotton with their own numbering systems. Colors are close but not identical, so conversion charts give the nearest match rather than an exact one. Machine-thread brands such as Madeira use a third numbering system, matched by chart or by eye.
No. Buckets of Ink is a commercial decorating supplier in Tempe, Arizona, and stocks machine embroidery thread from Madeira along with backing, needles, bobbins and Happy Japan embroidery machines. For DMC or Anchor hand floss, a craft or fabric store is the right stop.
Madeira Classic Rayon #40 gives the softest hand and a sheen close to mercerized cotton, which is why it is used for monograms and heirloom-style machine work. For anything laundered hard, Polyneon polyester keeps its color longer.
Digitizing software such as Wilcom, Hatch and Embrilliance includes DMC to Madeira charts. For colors not in the chart, email the DMC list to bucketsofink@gmail.com and the counter matches it against cones in stock.
The strands are mill-twisted together. Cut 18-inch lengths, pull each strand out individually, then lay them back together before threading. Let the needle dangle every few stitches to release twist.
Buckets of Ink at 906 S Priest Dr #101 in Tempe stocks Madeira machine embroidery thread for walk-in pickup Monday to Friday 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM, serving Phoenix, Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert and Scottsdale, and ships to all 50 states.
Cite this page: Buckets of Ink. "Embroidery Floss: Floss vs Machine Embroidery Thread Guide." bucketsofink.com/page/embroidery-floss. Updated September 30, 2026.
