Thread Talk

Thread is the glue that holds our exciting fabric arrangements together. We want it to hold our creation together for many years and decades of enjoyment.  The selection of the thread is as important as the fabric we select.

So many threads, how do I know what is suitable for my project? A general rule of thumb is to match your thread fiber to your fabric fiber. So if you work with cotton fabric, cotton thread would be the logical choice. 

Why not polyester or a blend of polyester and cotton? People who restored quilts discovered they were working on quilts sewn with polyester threads, while older quilts made with cotton thread were still together. They discovered that polyester thread is stronger was cutting the seams of the cotton fabric.

Cotton sewing machine thread is made by spinning three cotton fibers together. Using a longer cotton fiber, the thread becomes longer and smoother for better use.  Longer fibers also provide better quality sheets. The thread made with a polyester center and wrapped with cotton tends to  be very fuzzy as they use short cotton fibers for the wrapping. Polyester also has stretch which is good in clothing however not necessarily a good thing in quilting.

Is quality thread really worth the money?  Make a comparison by checking how much thread is on each spool.  Price the threads to see what the cost per yard and you may find the difference is minimal. Some spools have very thick centers and therefore less thread on the spool.

Another consideration is that fuzzy thread leaves more lint in the tension which translates to more frequent cleaning or servicing.  Having your machine serviced can cost more than many spools of thread.

Quality thread provides less breaking of thread and more enjoyable sewing time. So why not enjoy your sewing? 

Marty Walsh

Marty is a lifelong sewer, a member of several quilting guilds, and has taught sewing for beginners at the local community college. Her current passion, in addition to sewing, is servicing older sewing machines. She also works with other sewing community members to find and rehab machines to send to third-world countries.