bunniequilter

I never fell that one. Look at all the clothes in your closet, they arent hanging in shreds.

Ann Vrbancic

I have been sewing clothes as long as KalamaQuilts has been making quilts. I have never heard of this issue in quilting, but when I learned to sew we were taught to match the thread to the fabric (cotton with cotton, poly with poly). This was back when poly thread was very difficult to break in your hands, and I have heard that it isn't as much the case now.

The reason for not using poly thread with cotton material had to do with when a seam ripped. Say you made a pair of pants with cotton fabric and sewed it with poly thread. If (heaven forbid) the back seam was stressed and ripped, the poly thread would make it likely the cotton fabric would tear next to the seam before the thread in the seam would break, making it almost impossble to mend. Cotton thread in the same situation would increase the odds that the thread in the seam would break before the fabric tore, allowing one to mend the seam and wear the pants another day. Unfortunately, I can tell you this was absolutely true from personal experience!

Sometimes now I will use poly thread with cotton fabric, but only when the garment is meant to fit loosely and I know the seams will not be stressed.

mjhaess

I use Poly thread all the time..My machine hates cotton thread so I have to use what works...No problems ever.......

MarthaT

Here's my experience: For my wedding gift, over 30 yrs. ago, my mother made a whole cloth quilt using sheets (probably poly/cotton blends) for the top and bottom of the quilt with poly. batting. It was hand quilted with poly-cotton blend quilting thread. The middle of the quilt was quilted on the diagonal forming diamonds. Over the years of use the threads popped, but no cutting of the fabric. I thought maybe because it was quilted on the bias of the fabric, the stretching of the fabric over the years popped the thread. Several years ago I pulled out my quilting hoop and re-quilted it. The way it looked with all the popped threads, I thought the batting was probably pretty much gone, but it quilted up very nicely. In this case the fabric lasted longer than the threads.

Lori S

I never bought into the myth. I have used poly or blends for decades.. no issues to report with "cutting".

2blackcats

I guess I'm lucky. I change my decor long before a quilt will be around to "wear" out whether it is the thread or the fabric. I like poly thread because it has less lint and it is easier to find in an abundance of colors. Everyone should do what works for them and fortunately the quilt police don't exist.