Thread

Let's talk about thread you say?

There was a time that the types of thread available to consumers in the US was limited in some ways, but I wish I had some more of those threads now!

Top of my list was Molnlycke (that is umlaut o).   Molnlycke is a town in Sweden, but around about 1975 it was also the brand name of a fabulous long-staple 100% poly thread.  The thread came on dense heavy plastic spools which would stay put on the vertical or horizontal spindles of the day's sewing machines.  The color range was a lot more modern than its contemporary US competitors.  Sometime in the late 1980's, a big US thread manufacturer bought Molnlycke, and promptly put it out of the US market.  But I think they secretly studied how to make better thread, because almost instantly (20 years later) the thread quality of US manufacturer Coats and Clark improved drastically.  More on that later.


About the same time as Molnlycke appeared on the US market, a Swiss maker by the name of Mettler also introduced its line of 100% long-staple cotton ("silk finish" because of the smooth surface) and of 100% long-staple polyester (Metrosene).  The color range put everyone else to shame, and the spools were slim, very modern looking but at first a little wonky because the spools would not fit a lot of home sewing machines.  That problem was quickly corrected but the perception plagued them for a long time.   


About 5 years ago, Coats and Clark improved their thread line (old "Dual Duty" short staple poly/cotton blend thread would leave a layer of Coats and Clark color dust inside my machine anytime I used it).  It's now called "Dual Duty XP" (for "extra performance), and is very good quality now.


But how to choose from my favorite brands?  It is simple for me...natural fiber fabrics get Mettler "silk finish" 100% cotton thread (article 105).  Cotton thread is compatible for all natural fibers.  I don't buy the reasoning that you have to have very strong thread...you don't want your thread to abrade your garment fibers.  Another advantage of cotton thread--it's much more forgiving of color than is polyester.  With cotton sewing thread, you can also hand sew with ease.  

If I sew synthetics (can't recall the last time I did that) I use a poly thread.  Either the Metrosene or the Coats and Clark, whichever is closer in color.  In a pinch for a color match I have used poly thread on natural fibers, but rarely.  Poly thread has a way of kinking up when you are hand sewing, but if you use a shorter strand of thread, it is less of a problem. 


Both companies have a range of topstitching thread, but I like the results I get from using two strands of regular thread (stack two spools or bobbins on your thread spindle and feed through as one thread).  You can use two different shades, hues, or even totally different colors (or try variegated thread).  The heavier threads are handy for sewing on buttons.

So, in a nutshell, Mettler's "silk finish" article 105 100% cotton is my go-to thread. I'll continue to hoard my Belding-Corticelli wooden spools of silk size A and D (for sewing and for buttonholes)--they are just sooo prettty.   Happy Sewing!