What Is DMC Babylo?

DMC Babylo is a tightly twisted, glossy and soft lace and crochet thread of 100% mercerised cotton. It comes in balls; made in No 10 (100 g, heavy), No 20 (medium) and No 30 (fine), and the higher the number the finer the thread. Offered in white (Blanc, B5200), ecru and a wide colour card; colour codes match DMC floss. It is the DMC lace thread most used in Turkey for tablecloths, runners, lace shawls, scarf edges, crochet edging and miniature amigurumi. This page gathers every Babylo size and colour at Hobianna; the Babylo categories in the cross stitch and embroidery branches link here.

Size and Hook Choice

No 10: tablecloths, runners, baskets and heavy lace with a 1.5–1.75 mm hook; a 100 g ball of about 400 m is enough for a medium runner. No 20: lace shawls, scarf edges, coasters and fine cloths with a 1.25–1.5 mm hook. No 30: snowflakes, tiny motifs, needle lace and very fine lace with a 1–1.25 mm steel hook. For finer work use Cordonnet Special (No 40–100) and Special Dentelles No 80. Crochet tightly so the lace holds its shape, and starch and pin it out to dry when done.

How Much Thread Do You Need?

A medium (100 cm) round tablecloth takes 4–6 balls (100 g) of No 10, a runner 2–3, a coaster set 1; a lace shawl 2–3 balls of No 20. Buy the balls for one piece from the same dye lot; white and ecru shades can vary by lot. Mercerised cotton washes up to 60°C, takes starch and is ironed from the back; it does not shrink or pill. For a heavy twisted embroidery thread see DMC Pearl Cotton, for solid colours and the colour card DMC Floss.