Guide to Choosing the Best Machine Sewing Threads: Material, Size and Color
Selecting the right machine sewing threads is key to successful sewing. This guide will explain different thread types and how to choose the best one for your projects.
Key Takeaways
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Understanding thread types is essential for successful sewing projects, as different materials affect strength, elasticity, and dye absorption.
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Choosing high-quality thread brands like Amann and Gütermann can enhance your sewing experience and the overall quality of your projects.
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Proper storage and care of sewing threads can prolong their lifespan and maintain quality, ensuring you achieve professional results in your creations.
Thread types
Threads are the backbone of any sewing project, and their types differ mainly in the material they are made from. This influences other properties like strength, elasticity, and how well they take dye. While “universal” threads can handle most scenarios, special threads might be the better choice for specific projects where unique characteristics are required.
Imagine trying to sew a delicate silk gown with a heavy-duty polyester thread—it just wouldn’t work. Knowing the right thread type for your fabric and project can save you a lot of time and hassle.
Various types of threads offer distinct advantages for specific uses.
Cotton Thread
Cotton thread is a favorite among sewists for quilting and other detailed sewing tasks. Made from twisting fine cotton fibers, it offers a natural sheen and good strength, making it perfect for creating tight seams. For detailed sewing projects, 100% cotton thread ensures crisp, precise stitches.
One of the standout features of cotton threads is mercerization. This process enhances the thread’s luster and strength, making it not only beautiful but also durable. High-quality cotton threads produce less lint, which means fewer maintenance issues and a smoother sewing experience. This is particularly beneficial when using a sewing machine, as less lint means fewer interruptions and a cleaner workspace.
Cotton thread is less damaging to fabric fibers compared to polyester, which is why it’s often the go-to choice for quilting. Cotton thread offers the reliability and quality needed for both heirloom quilts and simple crafts.
Polyester Thread
Polyester thread is the workhorse of the sewing world. It’s robust and can withstand significant wear, making it ideal for high-use items like clothing and home décor projects. Spun polyester thread, which is made of 100% polyester, boasts a thread weight of 50S/3, ensuring durability and strength.
One of the key advantages of polyester thread is its low lint characteristic, which reduces maintenance during sewing and ensures cleaner results. Its excellent colorfastness means that the vibrant colors you choose will stay bright even after multiple washes. This makes polyester thread a versatile and cost-effective option for a variety of sewing projects, from everyday garments to professional creations.
Polyester thread reliably meets the demands of both amateur and professional sewing projects. Versatile and durable, it’s a staple in any sewist’s toolkit.
Natural linen threads
Natural linen thread is a gem for those who love hand sewing and historical period costumes. Its authenticity makes it the preferred choice for projects where historical accuracy is crucial. Linen thread is also the traditional choice for making bobbin lace and sewn lace, adding a touch of elegance and tradition to your creations.
For home décor or fine needlework, linen thread provides a natural beauty unmatched by synthetic threads. Its strength and durability ensure that your handmade items will stand the test of time, making linen thread a timeless choice for various sewing applications.
Silk threads
Silk thread is often chosen for sewing silk garments, although polyester thread can also be suitable for this purpose. If you’re aiming for authenticity in a period costume or planning to dye the finished garment, silk thread is your best bet. Polyester thread doesn’t take dye well, and using another natural material might result in a different shade.
Heavier silk thread, sometimes called buttonhole twist silk, is perfect for decorative stitching and hand sewing buttonholes. This type of thread adds a luxurious touch to your projects, making them stand out with its natural sheen and smooth texture. Silk embroidery floss, used for the delicate needle painting technique in embroidery, is another option for those intricate designs.
Mulberry silk threads add elegance and quality to both silk dresses and decorative stitches.
Elastic threads
Elastic threads are essential for sewing knit fabrics on a sewing machine. Made of polymers like Maraflex and Seraflex, these threads are stretchy, strong, and durable. They ensure that your seams can stretch with the fabric, making them perfect for garments that require flexibility and comfort.
Elastic threads are crucial for sewing garments like leggings or stretchy tops, ensuring they maintain shape and flexibility. Elastic threads help your garments maintain their shape and provide the necessary stretch, ensuring that your finished projects are both comfortable and long-lasting.
Wooly nylon threads
Wooly nylon thread is another type of elastic thread, but it differs from ordinary elastic threads in its appearance and use. This thicker thread has a soft, fuzzy texture and is commonly used on sergers for sewing and hemming very stretchy fabrics like those used in swimwear and sportswear.
Wooly nylon thread is ideal for heavy-duty, stretchy fabrics. It provides the strength and elasticity needed to handle the demands of activewear and other stretchy garments.
Rayon threads
Rayon thread, also known as viscose, is known for its shiny appearance and is primarily used for machine embroidery. Achieving the best results with rayon thread involves using a special bobbin thread. This ensures that your embroidery projects have a smooth and professional finish.
Rayon thread provides the luster and quality needed for intricate garment designs and detailed embroidery.
Invisible threads
Invisible thread is a clear, single-filament sewing thread made of nylon that looks like a very fine fishing line. It’s used for “invisible” sewing, making it perfect for projects where you don’t want the thread to be visible. This type of thread is often used in quilting and for sewing embellishments, allowing your design to take center stage without any visible stitching.
Invisible thread is ideal for projects requiring seamless blend with the fabric. It provides the strength and subtlety needed to create a polished and professional finish.
Metallic threads
Metallic threads are designed to look like metal and sometimes contain actual metallic filaments. They’re used for decorative stitching and embroidery, adding a touch of sparkle and elegance to your projects. While some metallic threads can be used for machine sewing, they do require a special needle to handle the metallic filaments without breaking.
Metallic threads provide a variety of beautiful colors and finishes to add sparkle to your sewing projects. Whether you’re embellishing a garment or creating decorative stitches, these threads can make your creations stand out.
Understanding Thread Weight and Size
Thread weight and size are crucial factors in achieving the best results in your sewing projects. A thread’s tex number indicates how heavy or fine it is—the higher the tex number, the heavier the thread. Matching the right needle to your thread is essential, and you can usually find this information in the manufacturer’s documentation or rely on past experience.
For example, Gütermann Sew-all universal sewing thread provides detailed information on what projects it’s best for and the appropriate needle size to use. Understanding these basics can make a significant difference in the quality of your sewing.
What does tex mean?
Tex is a unit of thread weight that tells you how many grams one kilometer of thread weighs. For instance, if you measure out one kilometer of Aspo 120 thread with a value of 28 tex, it would weigh exactly 28 grams. This measurement helps you understand the weight and thickness of the thread, ensuring you choose the right one for your project.
Other units like denier (den), which tells you how many grams 9,000 meters of thread weighs, and NeL, an obsolete unit once used for linen thread, offer additional ways to measure thread weight.
Choosing the Right Thread Color
Choosing the right thread color can significantly enhance the overall look of your sewing project. Choosing a slightly darker thread color often blends more seamlessly with the fabric. Carrying small fabric swatches while shopping for thread can help ensure a suitable color match.
Experimenting with different thread colors, even those that don’t appear to be an exact match, can yield surprisingly good results once the thread is pulled out. For patterned fabrics, select a thread color that closely matches a prominent color in the pattern or the background shade.
Using contrasting thread for topstitching can be visually striking, though it may accentuate any imperfections in stitching. With the wide array of colors available with polyester thread, you have endless options to make your projects pop.
High-Quality Brands to Trust
When it comes to quality threads, several brands stand out. Amann, known for Aspo, Mettler, and Belfil threads, is a reputable Czech brand. Gütermann, a German brand, is well-known for its high-quality threads. Other reliable brands include Ariadna, Madeira, Hagal (which makes Unipoly), DMC, and Coats.
Each of these brands offers a variety of threads designed to meet the needs of different sewing projects, ensuring you can trust their quality and reliability. Whether you’re working on a professional project or a personal craft, choosing threads from these brands will help you achieve the best results.
Tips for Handling and Storing Machine Sewing Threads
To keep your threads in good condition, store them in a cool, dark place to prevent color fading and deterioration from sunlight. Closed containers protect threads from dust and moisture, preserving their quality. Airtight containers maintain consistent humidity levels, preventing threads from becoming brittle or breaking.
Proper storage and handling of your sewing threads will ensure they remain in top condition, ready for use whenever you need them. This not only extends the life of your threads but also ensures your sewing projects have a consistent, professional finish, especially when using a spool.
The best thread for sewing your clothes
Choosing the best thread for sewing your clothes depends on the type of garment you’re making and how much stress the seams will bear. For heavy fabrics, it’s important to adjust the thickness of the thread accordingly. Consider thread type if you plan to dye the garment after sewing or are making an authentic period costume.
Using the right thread ensures your garments are durable and look professional. Whether you’re sewing a lightweight blouse or a heavy-duty jacket, selecting the appropriate thread for your fabric and project needs is crucial.
Summary
Selecting the right sewing thread is an essential part of any sewing project. From understanding the various types of threads like cotton, polyester, natural linen, mulberry silk, elastic, wooly nylon, rayon, invisible, and metallic, to knowing how thread weight and size affect your sewing, this guide has covered it all. We’ve also discussed the importance of choosing the right thread color, recommended high-quality brands, and provided tips for handling and storing your threads.
Armed with this knowledge, you can confidently choose the best thread for your sewing projects, ensuring your creations are durable, beautiful, and professional. Whether you’re a novice or an experienced sewist, understanding the nuances of sewing threads will enhance the quality and longevity of your work.
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of thread should I use for quilting?
For quilting, cotton thread is your best bet because it gently interacts with the fabric fibers. It ensures a softer, more durable finish for your projects.
Can I use polyester thread for sewing silk garments?
Absolutely, you can use polyester thread for sewing silk garments, but if you're aiming for a more authentic finish or plan to dye the fabric later, silk thread would be the way to go.
How can I prevent my sewing threads from deteriorating?
To keep your sewing threads in top shape, store them in a cool, dark place in airtight containers. This protects them from dust, moisture, and sunlight, which can cause deterioration and discoloration.
What is the significance of thread weight and size?
Thread weight and size are crucial because they affect the thickness and heaviness of your sewing projects. Choosing the right needle for your thread ensures the best results in your stitching.
How do I choose the right thread color for my project?
To pick the right thread color, go for one that's slightly darker than your fabric, and don’t hesitate to bring along fabric swatches when shopping. A little experimentation can lead to some unique and beautiful results!
