Where to start? Part II
by Cookster on Mar.12, 2009, under Basic Sewing, Blog Shorts
What type of thread works best?
This might seem like a simple question, thread is thread, right? At least that is what a friend just asked me today. Hey! What does he know anyway? He specializes in visual effects! I, on the other hand, should know something because, not only did I once work at Jo Ann’s Fabric and Crafts, but I have been sewing for a good part of my life.
Okay, just to be thorough with my son’s second question (and not to just pull this answer from my all-knowing “mind”), I thought I would take a little research trip over to the fabric store. OMG!!! Did I not pay any attention to the thread while I worked at Jo Ann’s or did the thread industry expand while I was gone? I think the problem here is that fabric stores around me seem to be closing en mass and I am left to barely find what I need at Wal-Mart (not much selection there and it sounds like a good excuse for being ignorant). At any rate, what I found was a veritable wonderland of cottony colors and shiny, strong threads that would make a silkworm drool.
There were Dual Duty, Specialty and Decorative threads. Spools of thread came in all purpose, fine, heavy, metallic, clear, button and craft, hand quilting, machine quilting, extra strong, silk, top stitching, elastic, fusible, jeans (heavy), jeans (regular), serger, and upholstery. Whew! I also saw variegated (different colors on one spool) with “cute” names like piñata, teddy bear, gumballs, sunny day, and bowl of cherries. And of course, for the quintessential thread collector, neon colored and “glow in the dark” threads are a must.
Now back to the original question, for which the answer, I am now going to pull out of my butt…er…I mean my mind. It depends on what fabric you are using, what you are making, and how much you are going to wash/wear it. For most of your general sewing, you will use an all purpose Dual Duty thread. You will most likely never use a specialty thread unless you just want to. Mostly what you will use will be polyester covered polyester or cotton (even to sew on buttons). Thread, like fabric (made of woven threads), does wear out from general use and frequent cleaning with hot water and detergents.
And finally, I’d like to give you a tip about buying the correct color thread for your fabric. Always bring a swatch of the cloth with you. When you find a spool that looks close to the color, unwind the thread strand and lay it across your fabric. You will get a more accurate color match if you do this as opposed to just putting the spool up to the material.
