Sewing Thread: Choosing the Right Thread for Sewing

Have you ever had any questions about choosing the right sewing thread for your project? Walking down the thread aisle, you’ll find yourself surrounded by many wonderful options, especially at Manhattan Wardrobe Supply. We sell the most popular sewing threads used by costumers and tailors but with so many threads to choose from, selecting the right thread requires more than just matching the color to your fabric. Need assistance? We’ll show you how.

Choosing thread for sewing machines can be an easy task. Take a look at some of the most common machine threads and sewing tools to make the right choice for your project. Whether you’re creating clothing using delicate fabrics or choosing thread for sewing machines that withstand high heat, we have you covered.

 

Sewing Thread by Manhattan Wardrobe Supply

For some projects, any of several sewing thread choices may be equally fine. For others, the finished results depend on the kind of thread you choose. Often, you might be advised to match the thread fiber to the fabric fiber when possible, but there’s another way to consider your thread choice. If you know the purpose thread has, you’re a step closer to choosing the right thread for you. Below, you’ll learn about thread fiber characteristics.

How to Choose Sewing Thread Color

The rule of thumb for selecting a sewing thread color is to choose a shade that is slightly darker than the fabric. However, when sewing on pastels or pale lightweight fabrics, lighter thread colors tend to blend and disappear better than darker shades do. When in doubt, unroll a few inches of several different sewing threads and lay them on your fabric in natural light. That way, you can choose which one blends the best.

Choosing the right polyester sewing thread

Gutermann Sew-All and Coats and Clark XP: Gutermann Sew-All thread is the most popular thread that we sell. Made of 100% polyester, it is:

• Strong
• Colorfast
• Resistant to UV rays, rot, mildew, and chemicals
• Has some stretch 
• Suitable for most fabrics, particularly wovens, synthetics, knits, and stretch fabrics 
• Great for both hand and machine sewing

In addition, Coats and Clark XP thread features a unique manufacturing process of polyester-wrapped, corespun technology which means that it is smooth, strong, and sews perfectly on all machines and by hand.

Choosing the right topstitching sewing thread

Gutermann Topstitch Thread is a strong 100% polyester thread that has a high luster. Gutermann color #865 is a perfect match for topstitching and hemming jeans.

Topstitch thread is:

• Strong
• Ideal for bold decorative sewing and stitching, buttonholing, button sewing, and repairing denim

Choosing the right upholstery sewing thread 

Gutermann Upholstery Thread is 100% polyester and is great for outdoor projects due to being rot-resistant. 

Upholstery thread is:

• Extra strong (too strong for clothing)
• Perfect to sew upholstery, vinyl heavyweight fabrics, and leather

Choosing the right cotton sewing thread

Gutermann Cotton sewing thread is made from spun staple cotton fibers and is ideal for use with natural fibers. Gutermann Cotton Thread is a 100% cotton thread and is mercerized, which is a process that gives it a lustrous appearance through absorbing more dye. And bonus – colors are more vivid and won’t fade over time. 

What are the features of Gutermann Cotton sewing thread?

• Soft
• Supple
• Tear and abrasion-resistant
• Elastic and extendible 
• Light-resistant
• Color-fast
• Comes is a wide assortment of colors

Gutermann Cotton sewing thread is the perfect choice for use on light to medium weight natural fibers, heirloom sewing, patchwork, quilting, and projects that you plan on dyeing later. However, be careful when considering using cotton thread on knit fabric. Knit fabrics are stretchy, but cotton thread has very little stretch, so cotton thread may not be the best option for knits. 

Cotton thread:

• Has little stretch
• Limited strength
• Great to use on garments to be dyed later
• Not very compatible with knits
• Great for heirloom sewing, patchwork, and quilting
• Great for use on light to medium weight natural fabrics

Choosing the right invisible sewing thread

Gutermann Invisible Thread comes in clear and smoke, is made of 100% nylon, and is a monofilament (a single filament), which is similar to fishing line, only thinner. It’s great for quick repairs and on any project where the sewing thread needs to be strong and not seen.

Invisible sewing thread is:

• Thin
• Strong
• Great for hemming, quilting, and multicolored fabric

Choosing the right elastic sewing thread

Gutermann Elastic Thread is 64% polyester and 36% polyurethane. It comes in black, white, red, and navy. Elastic sewing thread has a continuous elastic core wrapped with thread. You need to hand wind it on to the bobbin for machine stitching and shirring or smocking. When making clothing, the zigzag of stretch stitch is often used, and this typically gives enough stretch in many styles. 

Elastic thread is:

• Thicker than other threads
• For gathering, shirring, and smocking
• Commonly used on jersey cotton and elastic material
• Ideal for projects such as elastic waistbands and ruffle 

Choosing the right waxed sewing thread

Silamide has been a favorite of tailors and dressmakers for years. It’s a fine tailoring thread used mostly for hand sewing and custom tailoring. 

Our Silamide comes on skeins inside a cardboard sleeve. To use, simply break off the perforated bottom of the card and then cut through the bottom loop with scissors. This produces approximately 41’ pre-cut strands. Remove and use each strand as needed.

Waxed thread is:

• Very strong
• Glides beautifully through the fabric without knotting
• Perfect for sewing snaps, hook & eyes, buttons, fasteners, and hand hemming

Choosing the right serger sewing thread

Maxi-Lock and Gutermann Serger Thread are two kinds of serger thread. Serger sewing thread is wrapped on large cones and typically 100% polyester. Serger thread is most commonly used with serger machines to serge seams on clothing. 

There are cone adapters available if you want to try to use serger thread on your regular sewing machine, but be careful as serger threads are meant to be used on machines that use several bobbin threads at one time, and they tend to be not as strong or thick as sewing thread to reduce bulk. A serger machine sews, trims, and finishes seams in one step in a zigzag motion and generally uses 3 or 4 cones of thread.

Serger thread is:

• For use with serger or overlock machine
• Not as strong or thick as regular thread

Choosing the right metallic sewing thread

Sulky Metallic has a foil-like appearance, is used for decorative stitching, and is an ideal embroidery thread. 

Metallic thread is created by twisting and bonding a fine foil around a strong thread core, which creates a smooth and strong thread. A special needle is often needed if a lot of metallic thread is used. 

When storing your metallic threads, be sure to place them upright and away from heat and light. This helps to reduce fading or abrasion with other materials in your sewing cupboard.  

Metallic thread is:

• For decorative stitching, embroidery
• Tends to be fine
• Used for hand and machine sewing
• Not all metallic threads are suitable for machine embroidery
• Sold in solid colored threads and mixed colors

Choosing thread for sewing machines can be an easy task when you know where to start. However, if you need extra assistance, we’re happy to help you with your sewing project and advise on the right types of thread for the job. 

Find sewing thread for all of your sewing supplies needs at Manhattan Wardrobe Supply.