Thread – what’s the big deal?
Just about daily a customer walks into our shop looking for “just a spool of thread.”
If you haven’t bought thread in several years,you may be overwhelmed by the options, the way it is wound
on a spool and most of all the price. I have spools of thread in my collection that are marked 25 cents, but
today we can expect to pay upwards of $2 for a small spool. Yikes!
So what’s the big deal?
Think of it this way: Thread is the one thing that holds your entire project together. If the project is not a
something you want to have around in later years, then inexpensive thread may be OK. But if you spend
several hours creating a boutique-quality garment or a family heirloom quilt, you may want that project to
hold together for longer than just a washing or two.
Thread, like any fiber, has a shelf life. You can expect thread to stay “fresh” for 2-3 years at the most in a
temperate environment. So the 25 cent thread in my collection should not be used to sew by hand, in
amachine or for that matter anything.
Even “back in the day,” sewing machine manuals discussed the importance of using quality thread to keep
your machine in top running order. The same is true today. Our service tech can discern what type of
thread a sewist has been running through their machine when it comes in for repair. The cheaper threads
build up a fuzzy residue in sewing machines quicker than better-quality threads. So cheaper thread equals
more machine cleaning equals more cost. The small investment in good thread really does pay off in the
long run.
Always In Stitches offers several types of spooled thread: cotton, polyester, rayon, wool, monofilament and
more. We all have our favorites, but in general, match the thread fiber to the project fiber. Our staff can
help you understand why thread is a big deal. Next time you drop in, ask a sales specialist what thread is
best for your project. Happy Stitching!
Capi Saxton, shop manager
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