ITO Iki – 100% mulberry silk thread for hand embroidery

ITO Iki – fine filament silk thread for hand embroidery

ITO Iki is a fine filament silk thread from Japan for hand embroidery. It is made of 100% mulberry silk, with a soft sheen and a soft feel. Six filaments are loosely twisted to a thickness of 1/71 Nm (21/6 Tram). This means you can use it very finely or boldly, depending on how many strands you stitch with together.

ITO Iki comes in 32 colours. Choose your colour from the options. One spool holds 80 m, which helps you estimate how much you need for areas and lines.

Embroidering with ITO Iki

You control the line weight through the number of strands. For very fine lines and delicate shading, use a single strand, which can even be split into thinner strands if needed. For bolder lines and for filling areas, combine several strands; 2 to 8 is usual. Traditionally, several strands are also twisted together by hand, which creates a different texture. Because the filaments are only loosely twisted, it is best to work with shorter lengths of thread.

Blending colours

Strands in different colours combine well. If you thread two or more shades into the needle together, you get fine colour transitions and shading without having to change thread colour.

ITO Iki product details

• Manufacturer: ITO Yarn, Japan
• Material: 100% mulberry silk, filament yarn
• Construction: six filaments, loosely twisted
• Yarn thickness: 1/71 Nm or 21/6 Tram
• Length: 80 m (87 yds) per spool
• Colour type: solid, available in 32 colours
• Use: hand embroidery

You will also need: embroidery hoop, fabric to embroider on and an embroidery needle with an eye large enough for several strands