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Stuff about Quilting Thread
Miscellaneous Stuff about Quilting Thread
Thread Finish
After thread is made, it is “finished” to make it better
suited for various sewing purposes. I’ll admit, I’ve
seen “mercerized” for many years on cotton covered polyester
thread, and never known what it meant. Now I know what it means.
Not that I will remember, or assign any particular additional meaning
to it, but now I have heard it.
SOFT – this thread has no further processing.
It is dyed and lubricated, rolled onto a spool and sold.
MERCERIZED – the thread is chemically treated
in a solution that causes it to swell and make it easier to dye.
The treatment also increases the luster of the thread and adds
some strength.
GASSED – thread is passed through a flame
at high speed to reduce the fuzz. This process also produces a
higher sheen.
GLAZED – thread is treated with starches
and special chemicals under controlled heat and then polished
to a high luster. This thread has a hard finish that protects
it from abrasion and keeps it from unraveling.
BONDED – continuous filament nylon or polyester
thread is treated with a special resin that encapsulates (or contains)
the filaments. This results in a tough, smooth coating that protects
it from abrasion and keeps it from unraveling.
Twist
Thread is made by twisting either short fibers or continuous filaments
together. A thread with too little twist may fray and break, while
one with too much twist can cause snarling, looping and knotting.
Twist Direction
During manufacturing, thread is twisted either to the left (a “Z”
twist) or to the right (an “S” twist). As thread passes
through the machine, the action of the sewing machine tends to increase
the twist of Z-twist thread, while it may cause an S-twist thread
to untwist. It’s interesting information, and may explain
a lot, but I’ve not seen that information advertised as I
decide what kind of thread I will purchase.
Ply
Ply is the number of threads used in the twist. Two-ply means that
two threads are used; three-ply means three threads are used. You
can draw few conclusions about the weight or thickness of the thread
simply by looking at the ply since manufacturers can use thinner
filaments (or lighter weight individual strands) to make a three-ply
thread that will be the same weight as a two-ply thread.
Bobbin Thread
It’s generally a good idea to use the same thread type in
the bobbin as in the top of the machine. The exception is when you
are using metallic, decorative or nylon thread. In those cases,
a light weight cotton thread is probably the best thread to use.
Happy Quilting!
Penny is a quilter of more than 24 years who seeks to interest new
quilters and provide them with the resources necessary to create
beautiful quilts.
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©2006, Penny Halgren
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