OK maybe a stupid question but is there an easy way to find out if your thread is too old to use besides the dust ect. Like if tugging at a length of thread..if it breaks easy it's no good? I ask this because I have several bags of threads DH bought for me at Estate Sales. How do I know if it's too old to use? TY Quilting Board for all your excellent advice.
Jeri In Corpus Christi, TX
Good question. I recently did a "snap" test on the threads I have been successfully using for piecing and quilting (mostly Aurifil and Glide) and was surprised to find that -- even though they are new threads -- they break fairly easily if I tug them between two hands. The fact that they break is probably good, as it means the thread will break before sawing through fabric.
I guess what I would do is to use the tug test on the estate sale thread and compare to your current known good threads. If they break in a similar manner, the estate threads should be okay.
The biggest worry with old thread is "dry rot", which makes the thread break much more easily.