Many people think there's nothing more soothing than an evening of needlework. But until recently there hasn't been a good alternative to conventional embroidery floss. Luckily, your hand embroidery can now be as healthy as it is beautiful.

Six strands of organic cotton thread are hand-plyed and hand-dyed by Montagnard refugees in Raleigh, North Carolina. The dyeing technique allows the color to flow over the cotton naturally, giving it an earthy, antique look. (This also means the color isn't completely consistent throughout the skein, which is something of which you might want to be aware.)

Hand-wash in cold water; dryer not recommended. You may want to pre-wash the floss before using it if you plan to wash your finished article. Why? The makers want you to know that they use low-immersion dyeing techniques and sometimes skimp on the final step, wash-out. There's been a drought in North Carolina for several years and they're conserving water by doing so.