Help - Silk Finish Thread
 

Is silk finish thread know to twist a lot? I ran it across Thread Heaven and now it actually curls!! I'm doing hand applique. Could it be the brand, Mettler? , or possibly old thread, or weight cotton merc 50/3? Very difficult to work with and I have quite a bit to applique. Do they make Silk Thread and not just Silk Finish Thread? Looking for any help.

When my applique thread curls and twists I drop the needle and let it unwind. Seems like all my applique threads do it. Yes, they make silk threads.

Metler Silk Finish thread is 100% cotton with a silky, smooth finish. It's my favorite thread for hand and machine work. 100% cotton threads tend to curl. There are two things I've learned to prevent so much curling when hand sewing. 1. If you thread the needle with the thread end that you start pulling from, it doesn't twist as much. 2. If you double the thread, be gentle when you bring the ends together to tie the knot. Don't smash the thread between your fingers all the way down the thread, just catch the ends together and tie the knot.

When I did cross stitch years ago, this happened all the time. I believe it's a natural occurrence in this type of sewing. I had to do the same as others, just let it hang and untwist from time to time.

Yes, there is actually Silk thread - YLI ( my favorite) has a great color assortment of silk threads. I also have quite a few from Superior Threads. I love appliqué with silk thread.
It could be you are cutting/ using too long of pieces of thread- the longer your hand stitching thread the more tangles- problems. 18" is about the longest you should use. I don't use Mettler thread for hand work - for me it's been too aggravating- I save it for machine piecing, only have it when someone sends/ gifts it to me.
Try actual silk thread you will find it a huge difference.

If it's worse after using Thread Heaven, stop using Thread Heaven!

I had this issue when I bind quilts. I use Bottom Line because it's very strong, it's fine and sinks just as beautifully into the fabric as silk does, and I can get a wide range of colors when I buy a bobbin donut. I discovered that it does not like Thread Heaven much, I had the same issues with the Bottom Line twisting and knotting quickly. So I quit using Thread Heaven and now I have no problems at all.

I'm not dogging Thread Heaven, I think it's a wonderful product - for some threads.

I think Thread Heaven is meant for cotton threads. Polyester threads such as Bottom Line are slippery, so they don't need it.

I personally would prefer to use polyester thread for hand applique rather than silk because silk, being a natural fiber, is subject to deteriorating just as cotton thread is. I say "would prefer" because my hands do not allow me to do hand applique anymore.

I have some 100% silk thread from YLI I believe. I love how it becomes invisible and it is strong. Mine did not twist or knot but I did tie a knot behind the eye to hold the thread on. The knot was so small that it followed the needle seamlessly. I purchased it from Superior Thread.

Thread Heaven is not real wonderful used on a poly thread as it creates a static charge which works great on cotton, but makes a poly/blend a bear to use. It will actually make the thread unwind/split creating more tangles rather than less.