Sunday, September 11, 2011

QUILTING THREADS- A GUIDE TO THE DIFFERENT USES

EZ2QUILT PRODUCTSHAND QUILTING

Hand quilting thread is thicker than regular sewing machine thread. Most hand quilting thread has a Glace` on it, that makes it glide thru the fabric smoother. It is like a wax coating, you can also buy a small beeswax square and you pull your hand quilting thread thru it after you have threaded the needle.
When using thread off of the spool you thread the needle from the end that is already cut and then cut your thread and tie a knot. Thread is put on the spool in a certian direction and is ment to be used in that direction.
You should never use more than 18 inches of thread at a time, this will help keep the tread from tangling and knotting.
If you are using 100 % cotton fabric in your quilting project, you should use 100 % cotton quilting thread. That is so that the thread and the fabric will shrink at the same rate and the fibers are all of the same strength.
Here are some of the popular brands of quilting threads: Americanan-, 100% cotton and glace`. Mettler-100% cotton, not glace`. Coats, Hand Quilting Glace`, Extra Strong.
For hand applique and for embellishing by hand here are some popular brands and thier sizes: Coats, Glitz-Metallic Foil. Silk Thread #50 100% fine silk. Sulky, Shimmer-Holoshimmer, metallic blue.
MACHINE QUILTING

For machine quilting I like to use a good heavy 100% cotton thread for the contruction of the quilt. I use a Coats Cone thread for machine quilting, Mettler for machine quilting or Gutermann Cotton thread. It pays to pay for good thread, after all it is what is holding your quilt together.
For decrotive machine quiling, well the market has exploded in the last 5 years. But I still use only a few of the best quality. I find that machine works best with certian threads, and that is what you will have to experiment with. Find the right needles for each job and match the right thread to the machine and the project.
Some of the most fun threads to work with are the Rayons and the metallics. "The Finishing Touch" has the most extensive color line available. I use a 30 wt. colorfast embroidery thread. Sulky has some great threads, although I find they break , but I do like thier Invisible thread. Fine.004. Coats

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