What ingredients are to cooking, threads are to sewing...critical. Knowing the right thread to use with which fabric is essential to the success of every project.
But with so many different types of threads, how to choose the right one?
Thread "weight" is the key. The more delicate your project, the higher the thread weight you'll want to use.
Thread "weights" work like this – the higher the "weight," the thinner the thread. The lower the "weight," the thicker the thread. If human weight worked this way, I'd still be wearing my clothes from high school. But I digress.
Ok, so, for example, a 30-weight polyester thread is a much thicker thread than a 100-weight polyester or silk thread.
My favorite thread for general purpose sewing is Cotton+Steel Sulky 50 weight. It is100% long-staple Egyptian grown cotton that is spun in Egypt and dyed in Italy, and we swear by it! We've used it in the shop and in our home since 2017, and it's great for piecing, quilting and general sewing.
Sulky 50 weight comes in a hundred vibrant colors that will coordinate with any sewing project, especially Cotton+Steel fabrics. Even If you never unravel the spool, it comes in a two-color spool. It has a cute little label, which provides an excellent dose of eye candy!
When I do hand embroidery, I use Sulky Petites™ Cotton Thread. It is a wonderful thread because it is easier, faster, and more fun than regular embroidery floss. The most significant value is that one strand is equal to two strands of floss, which means:
- No more separating strands (Yea!)
- No tangles
- You can have any length you desire.
- Storage is sew neat (snap-end spool)