Oy, such drama over thread

It's been all over the boards for the past two days that DMC France (Keep that in mind, folks, FRANCE) filed for creditor protection. So of course, people freaked out. They were actually starting to tell people to go buy floss and hoard it, in case DMC ceased production.

This was such silly logic on so many levels. The article stated there was competition from China. Competition for . . . floss? Because we all know we stitchers JUMP at the chance to stitch with cheaply manufactured, unknown quality materials. Look at how people react to the introduction of Sullivan floss in Hancock fabrics. Yeah, we're feeding the competition. But then again, I am trying to get my act together to start dying thread, so maybe I am . . . the competition. But then again, I need thread to dye, and I would most likely buy from DMC, so I am the competition to the competition for DMC. Doesn't that make me an ally? Or does it just mean I suffer from delusions of grandeur? Anyway, it turns out that their clothing fabric business is what was being competed against, and losing badly. And some retail stores. I didn't know til yesterday that DMC made clothing material, did you? I could be wearing DMC and not even know it. Those are what is in trouble and that is what went into court.

Secondly, DMC is the major needlework manufacturer in the world. It's been around like 250 years. There are very few designers in the world that don't chart for DMC (and y'all that don't irritate the heck out of people like me--I can't afford expensive threads, I got a sick dog, people!). They've kinda cornered the market on floss for the greater part of the stitching public. Why would any court just say, "Yes, let's take all the business and close it down, including the people who actually make money, and probably a decent amount of it. It's basic economic sense. So they cut jobs in the low earning areas. Which is bad, but you do what you have to do to save a company.

And lastly, even if you were to hoard, how much floss do you need to buy to last the rest of your lifetime or until you burn out on cross stitch? I was thinking about this yesterday. I'm 31. I could be doing this for 60 more years. Granted I have probably 1000 skiens of floss at home, but, seriously, that isn't gonna last no 60 years. Especially not the colors I use a lot. So what would last? 5 skiens? 10 skeins of each color? 50? 100? There really is no way to calculate that. And then where would you store it all? I think it was really in poor taste to suggest people do that. Not the least of all because when people run out and buy stuff up, it just makes floss shopping really a PITA. Walmart was a heck of a mess when I was in there when they clearanced out their stock--floss thrown across the floor, dirty, messy, disorganized. No pleasure in stashing--not that I find searching for floss to be fun. It's just not worth it to rile people up.

And there wasn't a need. DMC USA put out a press release saying that it was the fabric department and the stores that were the losing areas, and those were in court. DMC planned to be here to supply us with floss. YAY!

But one thing this does teach me. I tend to be wasteful with my floss, and if it gets dirty, I throw it out. No more. It's too precious to waste.