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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Yeah, that's proven to be false. Old wives tale.

piecing quilts and sometimes bags. but I also use poly for piecing as well, depends on the project but I mostly piece quilts with cotton unless I am doing heavy machine embroidery ofver seams then I will use so fine. I like poly for FMQ but I will use cotton but only king tut for FMQ

I normally piece with cotton and quilt with poly since I like the shine. I just got some non-shiny poly and it looks like cotton and works for piecing.

It just makes sense to me to use cotton thread on cotton fabric and polyester thread on synthetic fabrics. If you've ever sewn a hem on polyester pants, with cotton thread, it lasts about 3 months before the poly rubs right through it. I had 2 wedding quilts (from 1984) where the polyester thread cut through the seams. So I only use cotton on my quilts.

Think about your question. For hundreds of years there was mostly cotton (linen cam in too, but for embellishment and not quilting. I learned to use cotton and that is what I use.

I'm one of the people that uses only cotton thread. If at all possible I like to use 50 wt. to piece with too.

I only use cotton thread in my quilts. I use polyester or cotton in making bags, clothes, and home decor items, but since learning to quilt I have a larger stash of cotton thread than polyester.

I'm curious, if you use polyester thread in your quilt, do you worry about ironing at high heat?

I think a lot of the cotton vs. cotton/poly hangs around from the 'olden' days. A lot of the same ideas for cotton only fabric vs. cotton/poly fabric. There were very valid reasons when we washed things in very hot water and there was a very big problem with shrinking. Also, the quilts were made to last forever and be passed down. Today, most people wash most things in either warm or cool water so shrinkage is much less and as sad as it is, our quilts are not going to be kept forever. So, many of the old rules don't really apply today. I think it is more a personal preference and how you were taught that is the biggest influence today. The only time that I plan on using all cotton everything is when I make a quilt for an infant. Because I know this will be washed in very hot water, will probably have many staining stuff on it and may even need additives in the wash water. Poly tends to hold onto stains. Like I always tell my students - it is your quilt, you decide what you prefer to use. Olden days crazy quilts had bits of velvet, lace, cotton, feed sacks, satin, everything they could find in them and they are still around!

I am another that uses whatever she has in her thread cabinet. I think that cotton thread is just fine for quilting.

Wow! I haven't OWNED polyester pants since 1978!

This really is a quilting myth these days. Poly thread is so much different than it used to be. Google superior threads and watch all the videos about thread. Some very good information on many subject we talk about.

http://www.quiltingboard.com/links-r...d-t215131.html