What Is DMC Satin?

DMC Satin is a 6-strand, 8 m floss with a silk sheen made of 100% rayon (viscose) fibre; the colour codes start with S and correspond to the floss codes (S310 black, S321 red, S5200 white and so on), 60 colours in all. What sets it apart from cotton floss is its dense, even sheen: in satin stitch it looks like silk, reflects light and shows colours deeper. This page gathers every DMC Satin colour at Hobianna; the Satin categories in the cross stitch and embroidery branches link here.

What to Make with Satin

Embroidery: a silk effect in long-and-short, satin stitch, stem stitch and chain; preferred in light-catching areas such as petals, feathers, hair and water. Cross stitch: 2 strands on 14 ct, 1 on 16–18 ct; the whole motif can be stitched in Satin, and the combination of floss ground and Satin accents is common. Pick the S equivalent of the code on the floss chart. Tapestry and petit point: fabric, velvet and jewel textures with 4–6 strands on fine canvas. Glossy lettering like machine embroidery: monograms and names in hand satin stitch.

Stitching Tips

As rayon is slippery, cut 35–40 cm lengths, separate and recombine the strands and fix the thread in the needle with a loop knot; slight damp or thread conditioner reduces twisting. Lay the stitches flat and do not pull tight; use a large-eyed blunt size 24 or a sharp size 7 needle. If the strands twist, let the needle hang and untwist on its own. An 8 m skein works about 250 stitches on 14 ct; quantity maths is the same as floss. Wash at 30°C, iron from the back at low heat.

Satin, Floss and Etoile

Satin is the glossiest non-cotton option; DMC floss is matt-silky cotton, DMC Etoile a cotton blend with a metallic sparkle. As the colour codes are the same in all three, they can be mixed in one design. For matt untwisted cotton see DMC Floche, for colour-changing threads Coloris and Color Variations.