Spools & Sprockets
I have blogged before about how much I love cotton thread, but Sew, Mama, Sew! is giving away some new thread to lucky folks who answer questions about their thread stash.
This is new cotton thread made by Rowan to match Kaffe Fassett & Amy Butler fabrics especially. I think the colors are fresh yet neutral enough to match fabrics from any stash. Plus they come in cute little window boxes that would be nice to reuse. In a dream world I would buy all 4 sets! I am feeling lucky this week so here is my response:
Kaffee Fassett - Circus Collection
How did you select colors for your personal thread collection?
I like to have all colors! I try to involve some forethought, but generally I am looking at the cotton selection and thinking about what fabric I am anxious to cut into and picking out the colors that I really like. I like to have fabric samples with me to match too, which is why I am working on a fabric diary to take to the store with me.
Do you always match the color perfectly to your project?
Yes. I have put off sewing projects before for either running out or not having the perfect shade.
Do you ever use contrasting thread?
Yes! I top stitch every thing and love to use a contrast or complimentary shade to highlight the stitches, but for the construction stitches that you won’t see I prefer to match the fabric exactly so even if the seams are stressed they won’t be noticeable.
Turquoise Quilting
Do you use the same color in the bobbin as the upper thread?
Always. I have a lot of bobbins so that changing colors is easy. I have experimented with using a contrast thread on top with a bobbin that blends into the fabric and then cranking up the top tension to reveal a dotted or dashed stitch look. It makes a cute accent, but not ideal for sturdy construction stitches.
What if a fabric has big areas of very different colors?
In this case I like to highlight one of the brighter colors that is used the least in the print.
Do you have any tips or suggestions about choosing thread?
For quality I recommend 100% cotton thread for everything. Polyester thread can cut fabric over time and I find I have to up my tension significantly to use it (for synthetics or heavy weight fabrics Poly is ok)
-Do not assume a higher price means a higher quality. I like to look at a strand and see how frizzy or linty it looks, clean & smooth is ideal.
-Make sure the spool you are buying is not incredibly dusty or old. I like to give a snap test to a foot long length of thread and make sure it resists some and doesn’t just fray apart.
-For choosing color it helps to unwind a strand from the spool and lay it over your fabric to see how it looks. If you are trying to blend in go a shade darker rather than lighter if there is not an exact match- this will become a shadow rather than a highlight.
Can you show us a picture(s) of your thread collection?
Sure! As you can see a buy a white & or black spool almost every time I am at the store. I also have a hard time throwing away the used up empty spools, but keep those hidden elsewhere.
Thread rack
Do you ever buy thread because you fall in love with the color (without a particular project in mind)?
I have done this before, especially with turquoise, but fortunately if I love a color I generally have fabric to match so justifying the purchase is not hard. I reckon it is cheaper to buy some spools (even impulse spools) while I am at the store than to possibly need to make a trip all the way back later just for thread.
Do you “invest” in thread?
I don’t quite understand this question, but when I see a 50% off sale I am sure to buy more than I usually do.
What types of thread do you have? (elastic, quilting, all-purpose, wool, etc.)
Mostly quilting cotton, but I have some elastic I was playing with recently & I like to have some of the Heavy Duty/Upholstery thread for hand sewing and mending. I have also collected a fair amount of vintage thread that I mostly like because of the labels and wooden spools.
