Many stitchers start out happily using thread made by two of the best known manufacturers: Anchor and DMC. Although these two companies are excellent, other notable cross stitch thread manufacturers exist, and are well worth your consideration.

Below is a list of some alternative cross stitch manufacturers, all of whom produce unusual and versatile threads:

*  Crescent Colours -- http://www.crescentcolours.com

Crescent Colours is a small company that offers hand-dyed cotton thread in over 100 colors. Their website has pictures of the available colors, along with sample projects stitched with the thread, free charts, and a list of craft stores that carry their products.

*  CARON Collection -- http://www.caron-net.com/threads.html

CARON Collection produces nylon, silk, wool-silk, and metallic threads. They have several product lines, many of which are hand-dyed. They even make a fuzzy thread that can help you simulate fur or hair in your projects. On their website, you will find a helpful usage chart, along with color charts and a thread weight equivalent chart.

*  The Gentle Art -- http://www.thegentleart.com/ga/home.ASP
The Gentle Art company produces hand overdyed threads that have an aged appearance and draw from the colors of nature. Their Sampler Threads are available in over 80 colors. Their Simply Shaker threads are available in over 50 colors. You can order their threads from their website.

*  Kreinik -- http://www.kreinik.com

Kreinik is a family-owned business started over 30 years ago. Craft stores around the world carry Kreinik products. Kreinik offers a beautiful selection of silk and metallic threads. They recently introduced a new line, Gourmet Threads, which features colors that emulate nature.

*  Madeira -- http://www.madeira.com

Madeira has been in business for over 80 years and has divisions around the world. Although the Madeira website gives you information about many of their products, some of the threads on the site aren't intended for cross stitch designs. The best place to buy Madeira thread is at your local craft store or from an online store.

Madeira has become increasingly popular during the past few years, and these days, you can easily find conversion charts online. Although they produce many excellent threads, the company is known for their metallic threads that work exceptionally well in cross stitch. In addition, their Glissengloss line consists of many unique threads that can really add sparkle to your projects.

*  Needle Necessities -- http://www.needlenecessities.com/index.html

Needle Necessities specializes in overdyed, spacedyed, and shadowdyed threads. One of their selections, Empress Silk, is available in 146 solid colors and an additional 18 overdyed colors. Another line, Floss Overdyed, is Egyptian cotton that is overdyed by hand and is available in 171 colors. Although they don't take online orders, they will help find a dealer near you.

*  Rainbow Gallery -- http://www.rainbowgallery.com

Rainbow Gallery offers an impressive assortment of fibers, including alpaca, angora, cashmere, cotton, linen, metallic, mohair, nylon, patent leather, rayon, silk, wool, blends, over-dyed, ultra suede, velour, ribbon, and strandable yarn. The company maintains it has 3000 colors. On their website, you can find charts showing how to use these unique threads. Rainbow Gallery does not take orders on their website, but you can find their threads in craft and online stores.

*  Six Strand Sweets -- http://www.sixstrandsweets.com

Six Strand Sweets produces hand-dyed threads in skeins of four to five yards. They offer over 75 custom colors, with names such as Huckleberry Cobbler and Cherries Jubilee. Their website includes pictures of all of the available colors, along with a list of craft and online stores where you can find these unique threads.

*  Tread Gatherer -- http://www.threadgatherer.com

Thread Gatherer was founded in 1991 and sells hand-dyed threads. Their threads are made of silk, linen, and silk and wool blends. Their website contains stitching tips, photos of their products, and inventory lists. Like many manufacturers, they do not sell their products online, but they will help you find a store near you that carries their threads.

*  Weeks Dye Works -- http://www.weeksdyeworks.com

Weeks Dye Works was started as a small family business and now produces 587 combinations of colors and fibers. They make a six-strand, overdyed cotton thread that is perfect for cross stitch. Their website contains catalogs of their products, a list of designers, and a list of retailers where you can find their threads.

OK! That completes the list of an additional 10 thread manufacturers (and their websites) who, in addition to DMC and Anchor, produce a wide range of threads. Not all their threads, however, are suitable for cross stitch, so do check carefully before making any purchases. Having said that you'll find many high-quality threads that will help enable you to personalize and extend your cross stitch projects -- happy stitching!