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Too low humidity can also be an enemy to thread. I know a long armer who knows when the humidity is too low in her studio because that's when she starts having thread breaks.

Cari

I was told some years ago, if you put cotton thread in a ziplock baggie with a spritz of water and place it in the freezer for a week or two, it will be good as new, The cotton thread dries out over time, and rehydrating it brings back the strength.

I have done this for years, and am using cotton thread that is over 30 years old (from my grandmother) without any problems.

Try it, you don't have any thing lost if it doesn't work, and a lot to gain if it does.

Mldesatnik

Quote:

Originally Posted by QuiltingHaven (Post 7504839)

Okay, when I first starting to quilt 6 years ago, I was at a garage sale and the lady had 3 boxes of large wooden spools of mercerized cotton thread. There was 20 spools in each box and all colors. She told me she had stored them in here basement. No odors in them. They were $5.00 a box so I bought them. Well when I got them home, I tried to see how easily the thread broke. Immediately!!!!! Well, I sat back and thought a moment and then I took one spool and started unwinding the thread, snapped it, broke, kept going and all of the sudden I reached a point where the thread did NOT break. So, I sat watching TV in the evening with the hubby for the next couple of weeks and I think about a third of each spool had deteriorated but then I would hit the spot where it was strong and I couldn't break it. I have enough colors and thread to last quite a while. I store it in plastic boxes and it is protected from moisture! Just letting you know my experience.

My cousin who is a quilter told me when I started out that the old thread not suitable for machine stitching (the ones that bread easily) are okay to hand baste with.

A lot of very good advice here. Thank you everyone.

I use my older thread on two older machines (FW and 1958Singer 401A. They have never balked at the thread, but I won't use it on my Viking computerized machine.

My only thought is if thread rots, why is there so many quilts that have been made 75-100 years ago still intact??

Quote:

Originally Posted by bjdemir (Post 7506989)

My only thought is if thread rots, why is there so many quilts that have been made 75-100 years ago still intact??

it depends on how the quilts are stored.