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Jacqui was asking for some tips on handling Rajmahal thread.........in the words of a TV ad of a few years back;

Slippery little suckers

While I was still drafting a reply,Viv Garforth over on CQfriends came up with a fairly concise explanation:

Anyway, back to Rajmahal.
First thing, never just open the skein and try to
pull out a thread or you will end up with a humungous knot.
Always wrap the
thread around either a floss card or a plastic "bow" first. I usually
stretch the skein over the knobs of two chairs place exactly the right
distance apart and they become like my Dad's hands when Mum used to use Dad
to wind a skein of wool into balls in the 1950s. Then, unwrap the length of
thread that you require and only cut off one or two threads from the 6
thread skein and re-wrap the others back around the holder.
I use my threads about 15 - 16 inches long.
I have never run them through beeswax,
that's predominantly for metal goldwork threads I think -
but if the rayon is too springy you can dampen it and then iron it before using it.
Personally, I got used to using it just as it came and a couple of years ago
Louise changed the actual thead which is now much silkier than the old stuff
and is much more user friendly.

It is beautiful when worked with just a single thread.
When using two threads, one thread sometimes works itself
shorter than the other and you have to keep pulling it separately through
the eye of the needle to match the longer one.
I have never used three or more threads as I like the 'needle-painting' effect you get by using just one or two. Satin Stitch looks gorgeous when worked over a few rows of stem
stitch padding and the Rajmahal art silk thread has a beautiful sheen.

Anyway, I love using it but I agree that a lot of people give up first
go.......I wholeheartedly agree that it is well
worth persevering with and practicing with because once you get used to it,
it is hard to go back to ordinary stranded cotton.