Thread
 

Thread: what do you use 100 percent cotton thread for? Quilting,dress making, applique ?
I just received 100 percent cotton thread in the mail from MSQC and I guess I didn't realize I was buying cotton thread. When I looked at Gutermans thread it says polyester. So can cotton thread be used to quilt?

Many people use only cotton thread. It is used for any sewing you want. Used to be only cotton thread on the market. Quilting, piecing, general sewing, cotton thread is used all the time. Some ( traditionalists?) will not use anything except cotton. It just doesn't have the shiny sheen of polyester.

I use cotton or poly or both. Usually poly in the bobbin and cotton for the top thread. I have some of the MSQC cotton thread and like it. I use either one for machine quilting and piecing.

Usually, old timer quilters like me use only cotton thread. I am sort of a purest and rarely use or have any poly thread.

At a quilting sit and sew meeting once, an experienced quilter told the group polyester thread, over time, was more likely to cut your cotton fabric. I was a new quilter, but the others also agreed. Soooo....Since then, I only use cotton thread. But, from reading this board, it seems it's totally personal preference and what works best in your machine.

I've used both but have always preferred cotton. When I go to estate sales I see a lot of cotton thread from sewing/quilter's estates.

From my experience -

I used Coats & Clark cotton covered polyester Dual Duty thread for piecing and quilting over the years. I have several quilts that have been used so much that the bias cut bindings are almost frayed off.

There is absolutely NO - NONE - NO "cutting" of the fabric fibers.

The old C&C was a favorite thread, but the new is stiffer and I really don't care for it. Cotton thread? Anything that goes in the microwave - potato bags, potholder bowls, etc. For quilting, I use any thread that passes the break test and the newer cottons are fine.

I don't ever use cotton thread for garment construction. It just isn't strong enough for the stress put on it from dressing and laundering. I sew garments (and most home dec) with 100% polyester thread.

I use 100% cotton for piecing, applique & quilting, depending on the size of the thread. If it's a 50wt/3-ply, I use it for piecing & quilting. If it's a 50wt/2-ply, I'll also use it for needle turn applique. Anything thicker than that I would only use for blanket stitching applique or quilting because it will show up too much. The only time cotton isn't really ideal for quilting is if you are working on a long arm. The speed of the machine almost requires a synthetic thread.

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*** Yes, it can. I use it all the time.
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