Filo vs. Crewel

by Sheila
(Mesa, AZ)

I have a kit that has yarn and embroidery thread. Which one is considered for the crewel work and which one is for the filo work?

Amy's Answer
The term filo is the Itallian word for floss or thread, similar to the Spanish hilo. Crewel has historically been done in wool yarn, although you see it mainly in floss now. I'm guessing your kit intends the yarn for the thicker parts of the design and the thread for the more delicate sections.

On this website, I use the term "crewel" to refer to a particular style of embroidery, but other places may use it as a term for wool yarn. Many places call what I refer to as crewel just plain "embroidery" but that would be pretty confusing on a website about embroidery methods if I wasn't specific!

Recommended Reading
Ivani Explains Portuguese Oitinho (huck weaving)
Crewel History
Basic Crewel Stitches
Crewel Embroidery Kits