5 Clever Sewing Tips You May Not Have Thought Of!

We have 5 of our favourite sewing tips, perfect for any sewist. These clever tips can help run your sewing room more efficiently and improve your projects!

1. This seam remover from Kai Scissors can be your new best friend! When you have to rip out your seams, carefully use this tool to cut speedily through the stitches. It will save you so much time!

2. When you are cutting small pieces out of a pattern, instead of using pins, try using Wonder clips to hold together the pattern pieces to the fabric. This way not only it will hold together the pieces firmly, but you will also have something to grab on to while cutting such delicate pieces.

3. Have you ever used cork or leather for a project and experienced big holes whenever you tried to pin them together? Plus those heavy weight materials always make it difficult for pins to go through, too! In this case, try using Wonder clips instead of pins. They can hold your material together without leaving any holes in your project!

4. How do you store your cutting mats? A good way to store them flat is to hang them using binder clips. This way, the cutting mat doesn’t take up too much space and also can prevent it from getting warped when it leans against the floor and a wall.

5. Do you ever find it hard to organize all your hand needles in the correct sizes and sometimes forget which one is the one you were looking for? Take an old pin cushion and mark each section with the needle sizes that you use. When you pull one out to put in your machine, mark the spot with a decorative pin!

Ready to start sewing? You can find a list of stores that carry WonderFil threads on www.shopwonderfil.com/shop-local/. You can also sign up to receive weekly sewing tips, free patterns, and tutorials in our newsletter. Register by clicking here! You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the unsubscribe button on the footer of every email you receive.

5 Ways to Use Water Soluble Thread

Usually a thread is meant to hold things together, not disappear when exposed to water! However, water soluble thread has a lot of fantastic uses that you may not have thought of before. (Pro tip: don’t forget you can’t lick the end of this thread when threading a needle). Here’s a list of 5 great ways you can use water soluble thread so you can both improve your sewing and sew more efficiently!

This is Rinse ‘n Gone, and like its name sounds, it will actually melt and disappear when exposed to water. Remember: Do not lick the end of it to help thread your needle! We also recommend storing it in a sealed bag in a dry place as direct exposure to liquid can wreck your spool.

Basting quilts or clothing:
There’s a lot of times you might want to baste when sewing a project together. The beauty of using water soluble thread is that you don’t have to pull the basting stitches back out when you’re finished with them!

You can use it to baste your quilt top in place to keep it from shifting when you’re quilting it. Start by positioning the piece you want to quilt using pins, then using a hand sewing needle threaded with Rinse ‘n Gone, make big basting stitches across the project, removing the pins as each section is secured. Now you can quilt my project without needing to worrying about quilting around the pins. The basting can easily be removed by putting the quilt or project in the washing machine on a gentle cycle, or simply scrubbing out the thread with a wet toothbrush.

Use Rinse ‘n Gone to baste clothing pieces together. Sometimes a pattern will call for easing in sleeves or gathering fabric, and a basting stitch is perfect to do that temporarily before you stitch it down permanently. Like a quilt top, just give your project a wash in the machine when you’re finished, or take a damp toothbrush or sponge and gently brush it away. The thread will disappear like magic.

Trapunto:
Water soluble thread works great when securing your initial layer of batting when doing trapunto. First, draw your trapunto design with a washaway marker. Now place two layers of high loft batting under your design and stitch around your raised layer with Rinse ‘n Gone thread in the needle, and a bobbin thread in the bottom, such as DecoBob 80wt thread. Turn your work around and trim the batting away close to the stitch line.

Next, layer your piece with your regular batting and backing. Quilt around your design as desired with your chosen quilting thread, leaving the raised layers unquilted. When your work is complete, simply wash your project or spray with water and brush with a toothbrush to remove the Rinse ‘n Gone.

Slashed textured fabric:
Here’s an interesting texture you can give your fabric. Using three layers of fabric, with the top two rights sides facing up, and the bottom right side facing down, hand baste it all together with big stitches using Rinse ‘n Gone.

When it’s all secure, load your sewing machine with a permanent sewing thread and sew straight lines across one end of your fabric to the other, about a half inch apart or following the edge of your presser foot.

When you’re finished, take a pair of scissors and snip only the top layer of fabric between the lines of stitching. Wash your project and give the raw edges of the fabric a brush, resulting in this textured fabric you can use on anything from quilts to bags, to clothing and accessories.

Perfect appliqué:
Take two pieces of the fabric, one you want to appliqué with and the other a scrap piece that can be discarded later. Place the appliqué fabric right side down. Load your machine with Rinse ‘n Gone in the bobbin and a regular sewing thread in the top. I’ll be using DecoBob, an 80wt cottonized polyester thread, since it will allow my appliqué to lay flat and make my miters sharper. Trace your appliqué shape on the fabric and sew along the lines. You won’t need to backstitch at the beginning or end.

Once you’ve gone all the way around, make sure you trim the excess fabric close to the sewing line. Remember to snip around all curves and into corners so you can have sharp, mitered lines.

Now you’ll have a piece that will need to be turned right side out. Snip an X through the middle of your scrap fabric to make a turning hole, being careful not to cut the fabric on the other side.

Take a hot iron and make sure the steam setting is as high as it will go. Press your appliqué with steam to make the soluble thread disappear. If that doesn’t remove all of the water soluble thread, you can also scrub it away with a wet toothbrush. The remaining top thread can be pulled out and discarded.

Now pull the fabric pieces apart, discard the scrap fabric, and you have a perfectly turned piece of appliqué that can be sewn onto your project. Choose either a decorative stitch with a medium to thick thread if you want the thread to show, or a fine thread with a zigzag stitch if you want the thread to disappear.

Stitching together small pieces of wash away stabilizer:
Do you have lots of smaller pieces of wash away stabilizer that you want to use in your embroidery machine, but they won’t fit in the larger hoop? Rinse ‘n Gone is the perfect way to sew those smaller pieces of stabilizer together because it will wash away with the stabilizer when you’re finished the embroidery. You can choose to use this as a top thread and bobbin thread in your machine, or stitch it by hand.

Holding down a design in a large embroidery hoop:
Sometimes when doing a smaller design in a large embroidery hoop, your project will end up shifting. Adding some basting stitches with Rinse ‘n Gone will prevent your embroidery from moving while the machine is stitching, and you can easily wash or brush away the stitches once it’s completed. By preventing the layers from shifting, your embroidery designs will be much less likely to pucker, especially with small or highly detailed designs.

Embroidery design without basting with Rinse ‘n Gone.

Embroidery design with basting using Rinse ‘n Gone.

Embroidery design after Rinse ‘n Gone is washed out.

Let us know how you like to use wash away thread in the comments, or share a project you made using Rinse ‘n Gone! Inspired to add Rinse ‘n Gone to your sewing room? Find it in one of your local stores at www.shopwonderfil.com or to order online.

5 Tips to Avoid Thread Breaks

It’s a problem every sewist can relate to! We’ve all been there, but how do you know what’s causing your threads to break? Here are 5 tips to quickly help identify and resolve this common sewing issue!

Tip #1: Needle size and type

As a general rule it is always an important routine to check your machine needles. Oftentimes a thread break problem occurs when you have the incorrect needle. Before you sew, make sure your needle is the correct size for the thread you’re sewing with in the project. In both American and European sizes, the smaller the number shown on the package, the smaller the needle. The same goes for larger numbers. Smaller needles are good for finer threads, such as 80wt, and larger needles are designed for heavier threads such as 12wt. For reference, medium thread like 40wt or 50wt will often use an 80/12 size needle.

You should also make sure you have the correct needle type for the fabric you are sewing. For instance, you would use a denim needle when sewing heavy denim fabric. Or a ball point needle with jersey fabric. All needle types serve a purpose, so be sure to research what you need to achieve optimal results!

It is good to note the importance of the proper needle as the size and type will have a huge impact on the success of your project. Using an incorrect needle could be the cause of skipped stitches and tension issues that will also result in thread breaks.

Tip #2: Bobbin thread

Another cause of thread breakage could be your bobbin thread. Some bobbin thread of a lesser quality will either leave lint, fluff, or have adhesive residue which can interfere with the machine’s functionality. You should check out the bobbin’s casing and surroundings as the thread could be caught, tangled or running improperly as a result of it. As a result, we always highly recommend using a bobbin that doesn’t have any glue or residue applied to it. Threads that have residues applied will feel slightly tacky to the touch. For example, side-less bobbins are held together by glue to keep them together.

If you wound the bobbin yourself, be careful not to overwind the bobbin. This can happen easily with finer bobbin threads as the machine’s self-stopping mechanism doesn’t always detect the finer thread right away. If you wind your own bobbin, we recommend stopping slightly before the edge of the bobbin to avoid this.

We always recommend using a finer bobbin thread, such as DecoBob 80wt, to achieve better tension results. Because the bottom thread is smaller, it will reduce the bulk in the fabric and also always give way to the top thread, meaning your threads won’t be fighting for tension in the machine.

Tip #3: Tension

This is always an important factor to consider when sewing. Thread breaks can happen if the tension is too tight on either the top or the bottom. We always recommend sewing a test strip on a scrap fabric to check the quality of your tension before starting your project. If you see the bobbin thread pulling through to the top, it means the top tension is too tight and should be loosened.

If you see the top thread pulling through to the bottom, it means the bobbin tension is too tight and the bobbin tension should be loosened. Every machine is different, as are factors such as the type and weight of thread you’re using, the fabric you’re using, the batting and stabilizer. With so many different considerations at play, it’s best to always sew a test piece and adjust your tension as needed.

Tip #4: Cross Wound or Stack Wound Thread

If you’ve ever taken a close look at your thread spools, you may have noticed there are two different ways the thread is wound onto the spool. Stack wound thread is when the thread is wound on the spool in a straight and even pattern. Cross wound thread is the more common of the two and will be wound in an angled pattern. If you are sewing with a stack wound spool, your thread will need to draw off the side of the spool. This is easily done by placing it on the vertical spool pin of your sewing machine. If you are sewing with a cross wound spool, then you will need to draw the thread from the top of the spool. You can do this by placing it on the horizontal spool pin of the machine. Placing the spool on the wrong pin will cause the thread to drag across the spool, which will cause tension problems and can result in thread breaks.

Tip #5: Accessories

If you’re sewing with a specialty thread, it’s best to consider how some sewing accessories can enhance your sewing experience. If you have a slippery thread that tends to pool around the base of your spool, we highly recommend using a Wonder Guard™. Wrap this thread guard around the spool to stop the slippery thread from sliding down around the base of the cone, which can get caught, tangled, and change the tension of your thread and cause thread breaks.

In addition to this, a Thread Tamer is also great idea for slippery threads or threads that curl, such as metallic thread. Drawing the thread through the multiple slots will help pull those curls out of a metallic thread and also give the thread a chance to relax before it enters the machine. This is a huge benefit to slippery threads and metallic threads that tend to have these problems.

We hope this helps you understand the causes of thread breaks and the ways you could prevent them! Tell us in the comments if you have a question about thread breaks. Ready to start sewing? You can find a list of stores that carry WonderFil threads on www.shopwonderfil.com/shop-local/. You can also sign up to receive weekly sewing tips, free patterns, and tutorials in our newsletter. Register by clicking here! You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the unsubscribe button on the footer of every email you receive. We respect your information.

5 Simple Sewing Tips for Your Sewing Room

Sometimes it’s those simple things that can make your sewing room run more efficiently. Here’s 5 easy time-saving solutions that everyone can keep in mind to improve their sewing, all while working smarter, not harder!

1. When you are cutting several of the same size blocks, place a piece of masking tape on the ruler along the exact measurement. This way you can easily find the measurement each time and make your cutting a lot more efficient.

2. (This applies if you don’t have a built in needle threader.) When threading your sewing machine needle, hold a piece of white fabric or batting behind the needle so you can see the hole better. This will help you see where the hole is and make it easier and faster to thread your needle.

3. Heavy weight threads like our 8wt Razzle or Dazzle can be hard to thread in your hand sewing needle. Here's a handy tip! Take a strand of finer thread, like an 80 or 60wt, and tuck it part way through the eye in a loop. Run the larger 8wt strand through this loop and pull it straight through. Threading a heavy thread has never been this easy!

4. If you have trouble sewing a straight line, try placing a piece of painters tape or removable masking tape on the line where you want to sew. This will act as a guide to position your fabric and make it easier to sew a straight line.

5. When cleaning off your cutting mat, try using a piece of scrap batting to wipe across the surface your mat. The batting will catch all the thread strands and fabric bits and will clean faster than trying to pick up each individual piece.

Looking for more sewing tips? Join our newsletter for weekly tutorials, free patterns, and instructional videos! Sign up by clicking here. You can unsubscribe by clicking the “unsubscribe” button on the footer of every email.

How to Set up Your Embroidery Machine for the Best Results

Machine embroidery can be addictive because it’s so easy to sew gifts, personalize your home, and make your plain clothes into something totally unique. An embroidery machine is an expensive but worthwhile investment. We’re sharing a few of our best tips to make sure your embroidery designs look better, sew easier, and ensure you get the most out of your embroidery machine.

1. Basting with water soluble thread

You may have heard about water soluble thread, but did you know it could make a huge difference in your machine embroidery? We stitched out this design with two layers of stabilizer on the backside of the fabric. However, because the design has a lot of sharp points, it creates a lot of puckering around it.

Embroidery design without water soluble thread.

To stop this from happening, we’re going to stitch a circle of Rinse ‘n Gone water soluble thread through the fabric and stabilizer before stitching out the design. This holds the layers together much more tightly than the embroidery hoop will and stop the fabric and stabilizer from shifting.

Embroidery design with a ring of Rinse ‘n Gone water soluble thread stitched around the edge of the design.

Once the design is stitched out, the thread can be scrubbed out with a wet toothbrush if you don’t want to wash the whole embroidery. After a quick press, you can see how flat it looks in comparison to the embroidery design without the water soluble thread.

2. Using the best bobbin thread

Machine embroidery uses a lot of dense stitching in a small area, meaning your choice of bobbin thread will make a huge difference in how flat your embroidery design sits, as well as how much the bobbin thread will show through. We highly recommend using a finer bobbin thread, such as DecoBob 80wt, because the fine thread doesn’t add any extra bulk to the dense stitching and blends into the fabric better than a 40 or 50wt thread will. In the left part of this embroidery, we used a white 50wt bobbin thread. You can actually see the bobbin thread showing through the design. However below, we switched to a white DecoBob 80wt bobbin thread. Even though the thread is white, it can’t even be seen in the design.

Simply changing your thread can make a huge difference in the quality of your machine embroidery, but you can still take it one step further. In the left half of this embroidery we used a bobbin self-wound with DecoBob 80wt thread. On the right side, we used a pre-wound DecoBob bobbin. You can actually see how the left side has larger breaks in the embroidery while the right side lays flatter with tighter stitches. These pre-wound bobbins are wound perfectly evenly at the factory. This gives you a consistent machine tension that noticeably affects the quality of your machine embroidery.

To find out what bobbin size your machine takes, you can consult our Bobbin Guide by clicking here.

3. Apply a Wonder Guard™ for even tension and prevent unravelling

A Wonder Guard is this handy little thread guard that can be used on any spool of thread that requires a vertical feed. To apply it to your spool, wrap it around the spool snuggly but not tightly, with the feed of the thread coming from the top. This is a perfect tool for slippery threads that tend to pool around the base of the spool. It will also even the tension of the thread which will make a huge difference in the quality of your machine embroidery stitches.

If you’re embroidering with metallic threads that have a curl to it, also known as having a high memory, it will also help pull out those curls out before it even comes off the spool. And as an added bonus, the wonder guard will keep your threads tidy, clean, and even prevents it from drying out when you’re not sewing with it.

4. Using a Thread Tamer for perfect tension.

A Thread Tamer is a multi-purpose thread stand that offers a number of features to give you the best results in your stitching. If you’re sewing with a metallic thread that carries a lot memory, you can weave the thread through the extender slots to help pull out the tangles before the thread even reaches your machine.

At the same time, it’s tall enough to clear the top of the machine so it doesn’t drag along the side, changing the thread’s tension. It also allows the thread to relax before entering the machine, which is beneficial for finnicky threads or metallic threads. This combination of things will give your machine embroidery better tension, resulting in higher quality stitches.

Follow these tips for gorgeous, professional looking machine embroidery with any home embroidery machine!

Let us know in the comment section below if you have any machine embroidery tips you always follow, or share with us if these tips are things you’re already doing in your embroidery projects. Inspired to sew? Find WonderFil products in a store near you at shopwonderfil.com/shop-local.

How to Successfully Sew With Heavy 12wt Threads

12wt thread is actually the thickest thread you can safely fit through the eye of your machine needle and can be absolutely stunning to use in any project. These bold stitches are perfect for eye catching designs, accents, and quilting that can really change the look of your sewing. However, since most sewing machines are calibrated for medium 50-40wt threads, sometimes you’ll need to make a few adjustments so you can sew with these thick threads.

You may not need to follow everything on our list to sew successfully with 12wt, in fact your thread will probably sew beautifully without much trouble. We’ve just compiled a list of helpful tips to help those who run into trouble, as well as easy adjustments to help your 12wt thread run through the machine smoothly.

Needles

The first and most important thing you’ll need to do is change the needle. If you’re using a 12wt thread in 100% cotton or rayon, we recommend a size 90/14 or 100/16 topstitch needle. If you’re using a specialty thread such as GlaMore™, a 12wt rayon that has a strand of metallic running through it, you can even use a 100/16 or 110/18 topstitch needle. Because of the metallic in the thread, having even more space in the eye of the needle for the thread to move around in will greatly reduce shredding and breakage problems.

We recommend using topstitch needles for heavier threads as they have a larger size eye and a deeper groove along the needle shaft. This helps the thread to sew more smoothly and reduce shredding.

An alternative to topstitch needles are super non-stick needles. If you’re sewing with 12wt thread through a layer of fusible, these needles will greatly reduce friction and help the thread glide through the material, which will also do a lot to prevent shredding and breakage issues.

Tension

Depending on your machine, you may also need to lower or increase the top tension slightly. Lowering the tension means to loosen it, and increasing the tension means to tighten it. It might be intuitive to lower the tension as the thread is thicker, and in some cases this will be true. However, we find that on other machines, you’ll actually need to tighten the tension for these thicker threads. The only way you’ll be able to tell which direction to go is to sew a test strip on a scrap piece of fabric.

You can tell if the tension is too tight if the bobbin thread is pulling through to the top. Alternatively, if you’ve loosened your tension too much, then your top thread will pull through to the bottom. A perfect stitch will have the top and bobbin threads nested in the center, between the fabric layers. You may also end up with a bird’s nest of thread on the bottom if the tension is set too tightly.

What you put in your bobbin will greatly impact your stitch quality and seam bulk. We always recommend pairing your 12wt top thread with a super fine bobbin thread. This is DecoBob™, an 80wt cottonized polyester thread that we recommend as your primary bobbin thread. You can see that this thread is a lot thinner than the 12wt. If you were to sew with 12wt in your bobbin as well as in the top, you’ll find that your seams will be very bulky and won’t look good. Your machine may also struggle to run both of these large threads, increasing the likelihood of shredding, and your stitch quality could also suffer.

Putting this thinner thread in the bobbin will help keep your seams flatter, reduce tension problems, and keep your stitch quality looking beautiful.

If do plan on using 12wt thread in the bobbin, such as for bobbin work, take extra precautions. All bobbin cases come calibrated for 40 – 60wt threads, so if you put a 12wt thread in there, the thread will be thicker than what the tensions are set for. It will be difficult to change the settings perfectly back to where they are set for medium weight threads, so we recommend purchasing an extra bobbin case where you can play with the tension settings.

You’ll want to loosen the tension slightly so the thread lays flat like its supposed to. Otherwise the stitches can look very tight, or you’ll pull the thread from the bottom to the top, or even pull the thread from the top to the bottom. Check out our video on changing bobbin case tensions to learn how to do this for yourself.

Stack Wound vs Cross Wound Thread

Check the direction your spool of thread is wound. All 12wt threads from WonderFil will look like this, which is referred to as cross wound thread. Other companies might wind their thread in a straight direction called stack wound thread. The general rule of thumb is that stack wound threads should go on your vertical spool pin, while cross wound threads should be used on the horizontal spool pin.

The reason for this is the direction the thread comes off the spool depending on how its wound. If you were to put the cross wound thread on the vertical pin, you can see that the thread drags coming off the side of spool. This adds an extra inconsistent tension to the thread, which will impact the stitch quality. When you place the same spool on the horizontal pin, you can see the thread draws from the top of the spool in a smooth motion with no extra pull.

Stitch Length

We suggest lengthening your stitch length to 2.5 – 3 to help reduce the density of the stitches. Because the thread is thicker, it will look dense with a regular stitch length. Increasing the stitch length will make it look more like a normal stitch. Keep in mind your normal stitch length is usually set at around 2.

Here’s some issues that might come up, and how to resolve them:

If you find the thread is shredding, it can be caused by a few different things. One reason could be the needle is too small. Too small of an eye, or the needle shaft not being thick enough, will cause a lot of friction on the thread which can lead to shredding and breakages.

A needle that is too small can also cause the thread to ball up and turn into a bird nest.

Another reason you might experience thread breaks could simply be that you’re sewing too fast. Slow the speed on your machine. This will also give the thread a chance to lay down smoothly in the stitches. Slowing down is especially important for decorative stitches because of the density of the thread.

Your top tension may also be too tight or too loose. If it is, this can lead to thread breaks and the bobbin pulling up through the fabric, or the top thread pulling under the fabric. Play with your top tension settings on a scrap fabric until you find the ideal setting for your machine. 

Keep in mind that not all of these problems will come up when sewing with 12wt threads. As every machine is different, you’ll find that in most cases, the thread will sew beautifully with minimal adjustments. This is just a comprehensive list of everything that could happen, and how to solve them in case they come up. 

What Kind of 12wt Threads Are There?

12wt threads can be used for all kinds of beautiful, bold stitching. It’s perfect for adding textural effects as you can see in this thread painting done with a 12wt Egyptian cotton called Spagetti™. Cotton gives you a beautiful matte finish paired with the natural look and texture of cotton. Because we used the thicker 12wt thread, you can see the thread stands out from the fabric, making it ideal for bold designs that you can touch.

You’ll also find 12wt threads in rayon, such as this 100% rayon thread called Accent™. Rayon is a smooth, soft, and glossy material with a lot of shine. We love using it for decorative designs and highlighting because of its light reflecting properties.

Some other fun 12wt specialty threads can be used, such as this rayon and metallic thread called GlaMore™. GlaMore™ has a strand of metallic running through it, giving it the gloss and soft finish of the rayon mixed with the eye-catching sparkle of metallic. These are the threads you want to make an impact with your stitching!

Consider using 12wt thread for any decorative machine stitching, bobbin work, couching, machine appliqué, machine quilting and big stitch hand quilting, or even run it through the loopers on your serger for decorative edging effects. These threads can give you a look you can’t achieve with regular medium weight threads, so don’t be afraid to experiment outside the thread box!

Have you used 12wt threads in your sewing machine? Let us know if you still have questions about these threads, or tell us where you love to use them. Ready to start sewing? You can find a list of stores that carry these threads on www.shopwonderfil.com/shop-local/.

Comparing 100wt vs 40wt vs 12wt for Quilting

Did you know you can really change the look of your quilting simply by your choice of thread? We’ll compare the weight of three different thicknesses of thread when used for quilting so you can see how dramatic the difference is! This is a great way to achieve a new look in your quilted projects. 

InvisaFil™ 100wt: Blends very easily into your fabric so it can’t be seen. Awesome for keeping your quilts flexible even with dense stitching and showing just the texture of the quilting and not the thread.

Ultima™ 40wt: Your standard weight quilting thread. A strong and versatile medium weight thread that shows just a bit, and not too much.

Accent™ 12wt: A lusciously thick thread that loves to show off. This bold choice was made to stand out and make your quilting look juicy.

Here is a piece of fabric with the batting and backing layers included like you would have on a regular quilt. Before beginning, we’ll load the machine with a DecoBob™ prewound bobbin. These come already wound with an 80wt thread called DecoBob, This is an excellent bobbin thread because not only is it super strong, but it’s also super fine. This will greatly reduce the bulk in the quilting and also give a better tension, which will result in a better stitch quality. It’s also going to make a huge difference when sewing with the 12wt thread when we get there.

---

Let’s start with the 100wt thread. This thread is called InvisaFil™, and it’s a super fine 100wt cottonized polyester. This is perfect for blending into your fabric so it won’t be seen, making it ideal for showing the texture of your quilting without showing the thread. It’s also awesome for keeping your quilts soft and flexible even when doing dense stitching because the thread doesn’t take up a lot of space in the fabric.

Because it blends in so well, you can really just get away with just using a light grey for bright colours, darker grey for darker colours, or a beige or brown for warmer tones. Matching the colour perfectly makes it nigh invisible. However, a contrasting colour will still give you a thin stitch that shows a little. InvisaFil™ 100wt thread is your perfect choice for dense quilting or wherever you don’t want the thread to show up.

Matching colour

Contrasting colour

---

Next let’s take a look at the 40wt thread. There are a ton of 40wt quilting threads on the market, but the one I’m using here is an interesting one. This is called Ultima™, and it’s actually a cotton wrapped poly. That means it has a strong polyester core that sews easily and reliable like a polyester thread, but it’s wrapped in cotton giving you the quilted look of cotton. This is actually one of the cleanest wrapped threads on the market, meaning it won’t give off a whole lot of lint.

You may already be familiar with how a 40wt thread looks when it’s stitched out. While it’s going to be more visible than the 100wt InvisaFil™, it still isn’t going to make a huge impact if you’re using basic colours or ones that match the fabric. Choosing a contrasting colour will stand out a lot more, however. This is going to be your standard, do-all thread for every type of quilting.

Matching colour

Contrasting colour

---

For our last thread comparison, we’re pulling out this chunky 12wt. 12wt is actually the thickest size thread you can safely fit through the eye of your sewing machine needle, so you will also need to use a slightly larger needle. I’ll be using a 90/14 topstitch needle because it has a larger eye for the thread to move around in.

This thread is called Accent™ and it’s really all about going bold. It’s actually a 100% rayon thread, so if you want to do any edge-to-edge quilting with a 12wt thread, I would instead recommend a 12wt cotton instead like Spagetti™. Rayon tends to weaken when exposed to water, so this thread is great for adding accents and doing decorative elements, or for wall hanging quilts and art quilts. 

This is a truly beautiful thread because it has a soft lustrous shine to it that catches the light. It’s perfect for any decorative quilting or outlining because of how bold it is. Your quilting will really stand out. Choosing a matching colour adds a beautiful subtle textural effect, while contrasting colours will really pop.

Matching colour

Contrasting colour

Looking at all the weights side-by-side, you can really see what a difference your choice of thread will make in your quilting. I hope this helps give you a better idea of what choices are out there, and what thread to choose for your next quilting project!

If you use these threads, don’t forget to tag us on facebook @wonderfil or Instagram @wonderfilspecialtythreads or by the hashtag: #wonderfil to show us your quilting creations!