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[the_professors_assistantKeymaster]

Hi all. Just got started into sewing. Bought a good machine. Have been making little things to get used to it, and to sewing in general. Have watched way too many videos. (Haven’t got all the way through all of yours, but I’m working on it.) However, one of the many questions I have is on thread. I have heard, and I must say it makes sense, that you should use the same thread as the type of fabric you are working on. My question is then why is Dual duty thread so popular? Should I consider using XP thread for making a fleece hat? Help please. Thanks for the forum ans especially for the videos.

P.S. I have now just noticed your video on thread. Feel like an idiot now.

[the_professors_assistantKeymaster]

Hi there, I’m glad you were able to find your answer through our video tutorial on threads. Just in case you want some more information here it is: Dual Duty is a line of Coats and Clark thread so that is phrase unique to them. They’re a big thread manufacturer, so you’ll probably find them in every fabric store you go into. The four most common thread types are all purpose, cotton, rayon, and silk. For the majority of your projects, you’ll just be fine using the All Purpose. Regardless of the thread brand, this is the phrase you want to look for on the spool. All purpose is a polyester thread and it’s great because it comes in a large variety of colors, (more so than the cotton), the color doesn’t fade and you don’t have to worry about it shrinking when you wash your project. In your case, for your fleece hat, you’ll be fine the All-Purpose. If you have any further questions, please feel free to ask. And I hope we get to see a picture of your hat when you finish. Thanks.

[the_professors_assistantKeymaster]

Thanks for the reply. Staying on the topic of thread (which for me is hard I must say), what are some of the thread manufacturers that I should be looking at. I bought some cheap thread off of E-bay. Coats and clark I now know, but are there others in the all/general purpose line that I should consider. I must restate that I am a complete newbie at this. The last piece of cothing that I completed was in 8th grade.(I for reasons of my own ego will not state how many decades ago that was) Thanks again for replying so quickly.

[the_professors_assistantKeymaster]

The other major manufacturer of All-Purpose thread that you’ll find in the fabric stores besides Coats and Clark is Gutermann. It’s pronounced “Gooter-Men.” For me, personally, I prefer to use the Gutermann threads as the quality always seems to be very good. Also, I’ve noticed that thread goes on sale at my local fabric store pretty often and if it’s 40%-50% off, it can be a pretty good deal. I just bought a spool this weekend on sale and it was $1.08. Purchasing thread online may be more economical and I love saving money too, but there are two things to consider. First, you need to be sure of the quality of the thread. Thread is essentially fibers that have been stranded together. While all thread may look the same, those with a cheaper quality, tend to lose those fibers as the thread is running through your machine. These fibers build up in your machine. The cheaper the quality, the more loose fibers, the more buildup, the more cleaning and maintenance needs to be done on the machine. So while better quality thread might cost a little more, it’ll probably save you money in the long run because it’ll be better on the sewing machine itself. The second thing to consider is it’s really hard to thread match online. If you’re hemming or sewing in such a way that the thread will be showing on your project, it is nicer if your thread matches your fabric. (On a side note, sometimes it’s impossible to get an exact match. In cases such as this, pick two of the closest color matching threads, pull some of the thread off the spool, lay the thread over the fabric, pick the one that matches best. If they’re both equal, pick the lightest color version. It’s better to go a little lighter than darker.) Matching thread to fabric can really be done in person, as we all know the computer monitor can be tricky. (This is probably why my peacock dress was actually more royal blue when it arrived. Curse you, computer monitor!) At the same time, if you get color specific thread for each project, before you know it, you have a box full of unique colors that you’ve only used once. Even though two of my projects use a light purple fabric, they’re just different enough that I have to buy a lilac thread and a lavender thread and then I will use neither one again for years. Aw, such is the life of sewing. This is why I buy smallest spool for unique color projects (unless I’m making something I know will use a ton of thread) and then buy large spools of white, cream and black. If I’m just sewing a bunch of seams or I don’t care of the thread on the hem doesn’t match, then I just use a basic color, like cream. It’s just a little way to save money and keeps my thread box from growing at an alarming rate. Phew! Who knew there was so much to learn about thread. I hope this helps!

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