This is the first new threads that I bought since I have started embroidering. I got these on eBay, which Sally from the Idler course had recommended as a good source of cheap threads. They are Duchess brand, which I've never heard of, and they were quite cheap. Regular cotton, six-strand, divisible embroidery threads, and they are slightly bulkier than the Anchor threads which I had already. Still quite shiny but just a bit more rustic is how to best describe them I think. Aren't the colours lovely though?
I've used these to start a project - I'm stitching a pattern from Embroidered Effects - the "Born To Stitch" design, onto a cotton tote bag. It's really just a practice piece because we had a bunch of the totes leftover at work after a record fair. I'm finding out which stitches I really need more practice on!