KenmoreGal2

I have the opportunity to purchase a quantity of this thread on cones at a very good price but Mr. Google is not helping me much in figuring out if it's what I need.

I'd use it for piecing, quilting and just general sewing on my DSM. I have great success with Dual Duty in either Tex 35 or 40. I can't figure out how this thread compares to that.

Thanks for the help!

Prism99

Not an expert, but 3-ply 60wt should be fine for both piecing and quilting. Do you know the brand name? There can be great variability in quality depending on brand. With cotton thread, poor quality can mean a lot of lint in your machine. With polyester, poor quality can mean more frequent shredding and breaking. Dual duty is a cotton covered polyester thread.

edit: twist can affect how a thread works too, but I don’t know the details associated with left twist on a cone. On a spool it affects whether you want the spool to be held upright or sideways; with a cone, I don’t know.

KenmoreGal2

Thanks Prism99. I think it's estate sale thread. The tag inside the cone says " Green Label. 12,000 yards. 60/30 left twist. Vat Color Brown. Crown Converting Company. Lincolonton NC". I am going to assume it's cotton but I'm not sure. I'm a tad concerned about it's age. The seller wants 50 cents a cone plus shipping. They are big cones and the seller wants me to buy all 10 so it could be about $ 15 for shipping. That means 10 huge spools for about $ 20. A good deal if it's good thread. A bad deal if I throw it out.

Prism99

If it's that much thread and from an estate sale, I would think it is highly likely to be serger thread. While some quilters do use serger thread for quilting, I personally do not like it for that purpose because of the lint. Serger thread tends to have short fibers and therefore under a microscope looks fuzzy. That fuzz is what creates lint in your machine when you sew. I love my vintage Bernina, which was an extravagance when I purchased her almost 20 years ago, so I try to use only good quality thread in her.

The only reason to throw out that thread would be if it is dry rotted. I couldn't find the company by Googling.

Edit: Personally, for the difference in cost, I would go with something that carries less risk. For example, I found this cone thread on Amazon for a little over $3 a cone (shipping included):
https://www.amazon.com/IZO-Home-Good...dp/B06XDDRFCL/
and that was without looking. There are probably even better deals out there.

How much thread do you use in a year? If you use 4 cones, you are looking at a higher cost of about $4 per year if you buy new online. Not worth the risk of bad thread, in my opinion.

KenmoreGal2

Thanks again Prism99. I am leaning towards passing. I absolutely cannot use serger thread in my machine. I've tried and it's not pretty!! I also searched for that thread brand and struck out. I can't find a chart comparing 60/3 to Tex which is what I'm used to.

I do use a lot of thread but I've run into some really good prices on ebay. Brand new Coats thread (real thread!!) for a couple dollars per cone shipped. The big "gotcha" was they are odd colors, but I use them just for piecing. I have a lot of thread but this seemed like a real buy. Probably not.

grann of 6

Personally, I would pass on the deal. Serger thread is notoriously not a strong thread for regular sewing. It is meant to close seams, having 3 or 4 threads interlocking, giving a strong seam. But using it for a single seam isn't a good idea. I use 60 wt for my bobbins when doing embroidery, which is what your thread is listing, 60 wt. 3 ply. I know nothing about the left twist. For my quilting I only use top quality thread, Aurifil, YLI, etc. I figure my work is worth the best I can afford. They are low lint and very strong. My machines seem to prefer cotton thread.

OneBusyGranny

All thread for sewing machines are left twist- hand (also called the s twist ) sewing and hand quilting thread (specified on spool) is right twist.Sounds like you're getting a bargain.as far as the condition its in, its hard to tell.Crown Converting Company was a warehouse, my brother lived there in that town and worked at a different warehouse on the same road. ,and that was about 14 years ago.

momsbusy

Unless I can test the strength of the thread myself, I wouldn't risk it. Many years ago, I was told that serger thread was acceptable for piecing and quilting. After a few years, I realized that my queen sized quilt was popping threads everywhere creating toe catchers. What a waste of time and money that was. I was also given some thread that was so old that it broke easily. I now purchase only quality thread. I look for sales from Superior thread, Aurifil (from Craftsy), Connecting Threads, and occasionally Gutermann.