# How long should embroidery thread be, and why it keeps knotting

Source: https://hoopandfloss.com/blog/how-long-should-embroidery-thread-be
Published: 2026-10-01
Publisher: Hoop and Floss

**Short answer:** Cut embroidery thread no longer than 18 in (50 cm), about the distance from fingertip to elbow. For a loop start, cut one strand twice that long, about 36 in (100 cm), and fold it in half. A longer thread knots, twists and frays, because it leaves more slack on the back and is dragged through the fabric more times before it is used up.

The working length is the piece of floss in the needle, not the skein. It matters more than it seems, because the thread near the needle is pulled through the fabric once for every stitch made with that length. On a long thread that adds up to wear, twist and loose loops that catch on the back. Most knotting in hand embroidery and cross stitch comes from four causes: thread that is too long, twist building up, strands that were not separated, and floss that has worn out. The table lists them with the most likely first.

## Thread keeps knotting: what you see, the cause, the fix

Match what the thread is doing to a row. More than one cause can be at work on the same length, and a thread that is too long makes the other three worse.

| What you see | Likely cause | What to do |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Thread knots on itself at the back in the middle of a stitch | Working length over 18 in (50 cm) | Ease the loop open with the needle tip. Cut the next length fingertip to elbow |
| Thread kinks and coils back on itself near the fabric | Twist building up as you stitch | Let the needle hang free until the thread stops spinning |
| Strands wrap around each other and the stitches look like cord | Strands not separated before threading | Separate one strand at a time, then recombine |
| Thread looks fuzzy, thin or dull toward the end of a length | Floss worn by repeated passes through the fabric | End that thread and start a fresh length |
| Thread frays or shreds right at the needle | Needle eye too small for the number of strands | Go up one needle size, to a smaller number |
| A folded loop-start thread tangles before it is used up | Single strand cut longer than 36 in (100 cm) | Cut the strand at 36 in so it folds to 18 in |

Causes of knotting and tangling in hand stitching with six-strand floss, most likely first.

## How long to cut embroidery floss

The standard working length is **at most 18 in (50 cm)**. The quick measure is your own arm: hold the end at your fingertips and cut at the elbow. DMC's guide to stranded floss gives the same maximum. The length is the same for cross stitch and for surface embroidery, and for any number of strands.

The one exception is a loop start. There a single strand is cut **twice as long, about 36 in (100 cm)**, and folded in half, so the working length in the needle is still 18 in. The method works only with an even number of strands. The [loop start guide](https://hoopandfloss.com/blog/cross-stitch-loop-start) shows it step by step.

A short thread does not waste floss. A standard 8 m skein cut at 50 cm gives 16 lengths. Shorter lengths mean more starts and finishes, and each one uses a little thread, but far less than a knot that has to be cut out and restitched.

Note: Shorter is always allowed. If a thread still knots at 18 in, drop to about 12 to 15 in (30 to 38 cm). Metallic and other delicate threads are usually cut shorter as well.

## Why does my cross stitch thread keep knotting?

The first cause is length. A thread longer than your forearm cannot be pulled through in one easy motion. The slack sits on the back as a loose loop, and the next pull tightens that loop around itself or around a finished stitch. The longer the thread, the more slack and the more loops.

Most of these knots are slip loops, not true knots, and they come out. Stop pulling as soon as the thread resists. Turn the work over, put the needle tip into the loop and tug gently on the loop, then on each side of the thread in turn, until it opens. Pulling harder locks the knot. A locked knot usually has to be cut out, and the last few stitches unpicked so there is enough tail to secure.

Note: Slow down for the last few inches of every pull. A loop that is seen forming can be straightened with a finger before it closes.

## Twist building up: let the needle hang

Each stitch turns the needle slightly in the fingers, and the turns add up along the thread. After a row or two the floss kinks, coils back on itself near the fabric and winds its strands into a tight cord. Coils are where knots start. Twisted strands also cover the fabric less well, which is one cause of [gaps in cross stitch](https://hoopandfloss.com/blog/why-does-my-cross-stitch-have-gaps).

The fix takes a few seconds. Hold the work up, let go of the needle and let it hang on its thread until it stops spinning. Do this whenever the thread starts to curl. Doing it at the end of every row as a habit stops the twist from building at all.

## Strands that were not separated before threading

Six-strand floss comes with its strands lightly twisted together. Pulling two strands off as a pair, or threading strands straight from the skein, keeps that twist in the needle. The strands then wrap around each other as you stitch and tangle long before the length is used. Every strand should be pulled out singly and laid back with the others, even when the pattern calls for all six.

[How to separate floss, step by step](https://hoopandfloss.com/blog/how-to-separate-embroidery-floss)

## Why is my embroidery thread fraying?

Floss wears as it is pulled through the fabric. Toward the end of a length it looks fuzzy, thinner and duller than fresh floss, and fuzzy thread catches on itself and knots. That is a sign the length was too long or has simply done its work. End it: weave the thread under the last few stitches on the back, cut it, and start a new length.

Fraying right at the needle means the eye is rubbing the thread. An eye too small for the number of strands squeezes them on every pass. Go up one needle size, which means a smaller number: a size 24 tapestry needle is thicker than a size 26. The [cross stitch needle chart](https://hoopandfloss.com/blog/cross-stitch-needle-size-chart) and the [hand embroidery needle chart](https://hoopandfloss.com/blog/embroidery-needle-size-chart) match needles to fabric and strands. Sliding the needle a little along the thread now and then also spreads the wear.

## How to keep embroidery floss from tangling

Prevention is a short routine at the start of each length and one habit while stitching. None of it needs any extra tools.

- Cut every length fingertip to elbow, at most 18 in (50 cm). For a loop start, cut one strand at 36 in (100 cm) and fold it.
- Separate the strands one at a time and lay them back together before threading the needle.
- Let the needle hang to untwist whenever the thread starts to curl, or at the end of each row.
- Pull the last few inches of each stitch through slowly so slack cannot loop on the back.
- Change to a fresh length when the floss looks fuzzy. Do not stitch to the last inch.
- Keep cut lengths hanging or lying flat, not loose in a bag. [Floss drops](https://hoopandfloss.com/blog/how-to-store-embroidery-floss) hold pre-cut lengths so they pull out one by one.

## Quick answers

Short answers on thread length and knots. The lengths given are maximums, and a shorter thread is always fine to stitch with.

- **How long should cross stitch thread be?** At most 18 in (50 cm), the same as for embroidery. For a loop start, one strand of about 36 in (100 cm), folded in half.
- **Why does my cross stitch thread keep knotting?** Usually the thread is too long or has twisted. Shorten the next length and let the needle hang to untwist.
- **How do you keep embroidery floss from tangling?** Cut short lengths, separate the strands one at a time, and untwist the thread whenever it starts to curl.
- **Why is my embroidery thread fraying?** The length has worn from passing through the fabric, or the needle eye is too small for the strands. Start a fresh length or use a larger needle.
- **What is the embroidery floss length in a skein?** A standard skein is 8 m (8.7 yd). Cut at 50 cm, it gives 16 working lengths of six strands.

## Gear guides for this topic

- https://hoopandfloss.com/best/best-embroidery-floss
- https://hoopandfloss.com/best/best-cross-stitch-needles
- https://hoopandfloss.com/best/best-hand-embroidery-needles
- https://hoopandfloss.com/best/best-embroidery-scissors

## Sources

- [DMC: How to Use Stranded Embroidery Floss (maximum 50 cm / 18 in length)](https://www.dmc.com/US/en/technique-embroidery-use-stranded-thread)
- [DMC: Should You Knot Embroidery Thread? Better Ways to Secure Your Thread](https://www.dmc.com/US/en/technique-embroidery-secure-thread)