Stitching thread

Guest_1 · Post by **Guest_1** » 01 Aug 2008 10:12

My nylon upholstery thread isn't tough enough-it was white and sometimes darker colors are thicker.

I went to joanns and they didn't have darker colors, or nylon uphosltery thread!

Is polyester good too? Polyester upholstery thread....

any other good ideas?

mc · Post by mc » 01 Aug 2008 10:41

johnson and johnson mint waxed floss. you can burn little stoppers on the end of the strings instead of tying knots.

I've tried other brands, this is by far my favorite.

Wasabi · Post by **Wasabi** » 01 Aug 2008 11:13

You can always try button thread. It's thicker than nylon upholstery, and I assume it's stronger as well.

Or if you sweet talk Ben Roscoe when he gets back from Europe, I'm sure he can provide you some ribstitch cord, which is what I use.

It's like a really strong type of thread, but burns a bit like floss so you can make stoppers at the end like floss (though not as efficient in comparison).

HippieTom · Post by **HippieTom** » 01 Aug 2008 13:11

polyester is fine, i use polyester outdoor upholstery thread an i havent had any problems with it so far
hope that helps

Chase · Post by **Chase** » 01 Aug 2008 14:31

FLOSS FLOSS FLOSS FLOSS floss floss flsos sslof

definitely waxed, which flavor is up to you. I prefer cinnamon...

Alf · Post by **Alf** » 01 Aug 2008 14:35

right! Floss is the best!!!!!!!
but don't use mint!
that's smells kind of strange after gettin' dirty

Guest_1 · Post by **Guest_1** » 01 Aug 2008 15:17

Thanks! I'm looking at thread though! I've used floss and I prefer to stitch with thread.

I'll look into ripchord

Any other thread suggestions?

shredzilla · Post by **shredzilla** » 01 Aug 2008 15:28

I like button thread because it's made from similar materials as facile. (75% polyester, 25% cotton) It's strong, but has a nice give to it., and flows nicely with the rest of the bag.

I'm not a huge fan of floss for stitching or in bags, but I have had some decent floss bags. I would say button thread is cheaper overall too since you get a decent spool for less than a buck, I think most waxed floss is at least 2 or 3 right?

Wasabi · Post by **Wasabi** » 02 Aug 2008 08:05

Actually, I've gotten word from Emily Kulczyk that button thread is weaker than nylon upholstery. Jeremy Mirken has told and shown her how easily it can be broken. However, nylon upholstery is much stronger in comparison, and can actually leave a painful mark on your hands if you try to snap it in half.

shredzilla · Post by **shredzilla** » 02 Aug 2008 09:44

Wasabi wrote:Actually, I've gotten word from Emily Kulczyk that button thread is weaker than nylon upholstery. Jeremy Mirken has told and shown her how easily it can be broken

Show me video proof of how easy it can be broken. (ie. show me the label that says 'button thread') I just tried to break it with my bare hands to no avail. (Even Thread-Killer Miller can't break it!

)They may have accidentally gotten "All-Purpose thread" which looks identical to it.

Yes, button thread is weaker than upholstery thread. Upholstery thread is 100% nylon and kinda springy and what not. Anyway, when I tried to stitch with it once I hated it.

I've never had a bag break because of the thread breaking when using button thread, it's plenty strong enough. I've tied it to something and pulled hard on it using the spool, and yes you can break it that way. But as far as holding panels together, nothing is PULLING on it, and the fabric they're holding together is protecting it, so there's no cause for it to break.

Don't make the mistake of getting All-Purpose thread though, it looks practically identical to Button thread, but it's much weaker. That stuff you can break with your bare hands.

Wasabi · Post by **Wasabi** » 02 Aug 2008 10:42

I guess there are a variety of button threads out there. What I have is made from 100% polyester and is the Gutermann brand (?). I also have a small spool of Coats & Clark brand thread and it is 37% mercerized cotton and 63% polyester.

I don't have strong arms or hands to break either of these threads, but I will try to wrap and tie them around my ankles to see if they snap or not. It will be painful, but I will see how they will endure from this type of stress.

shredzilla · Post by **shredzilla** » 02 Aug 2008 12:18

Yeah your Coats and Clark is probably the All-Purpose thread. Mine's C & C button thread and it's 75% Poly 25% cotton. I think the way it works is the higher cotton content, the weaker it is.

I'll look next time I go to the store, but now that I think about it, yours still may say 'Button Thread' on the label, but if you go to the store, you'll see that the thread with that cotton count is in the "All-Purpose Thread" section of the little Coats and Clark rack.

Moxie · Post by **Moxie** » 02 Aug 2008 14:14

It was Coats & Clark button thread and upholstery thread. Jeremy broke the button thread, and couldn't break the upholstery thread.

Eskimo Joe · Post by **Eskimo Joe** » 02 Aug 2008 14:15

I have the same C&C thread as Mr. Miller and love it. I gave up upholstery for it.

One point that I want to stress is that it can frey and weaken. Especially the red button thread. I no longer use the red for this. But the white is awesome and so is the black.

shredzilla · Post by **shredzilla** » 02 Aug 2008 14:38

Moxie wrote:It was Coats & Clark button thread and upholstery thread. Jeremy broke the button thread, and couldn't break the upholstery thread.

Unfortunately that's not enough information. If you'd ready my post previous to yours, there are different counts on the threads. I'd find it surprising to see someone break the 75% poly/25% cotton button thread using their bare hands.

Although, I agree with Joe that the different COLORS may make a difference as well for some reason. Perhaps the dye can weaken it? I use white as well, it's sort of a beige color actually, but I have used white. I cannot break it with my hands, and I'm definitely not a weak person. Though I remember like 3 years ago when I started I had some green thread that may have been button that I could break easily.

As convoluted as my argument for button thread has become (no thanks to me lol), I still maintain if you use a white button thread, 75% poly/25% cotton, that it will flow easily with the bag, be plenty strong enough to hold together footbag panels without breaking, and you won't be able to break it using the strength of your bare hands.

jrstubs · Post by **jrstubs** » 05 Aug 2008 20:20

I like floss, not only because it comes with a convenient "thread cutter", but it doesn't get tangled up; and if you buy waxed floss, it slides through on each stitch very easily.

HippieTom · Post by **HippieTom** » 06 Aug 2008 20:05

im interested in the floss method but im not real clear on how you melt it togeter instead of tying it in knots because when i experimented with it it just snapped with a little bit of force

Jordan · Post by **Jordan** » 07 Aug 2008 14:11

when im done making a "flower" (5 hexs to 1 pent) I double knot my floss, than cut off some thread, roll the 2 peices of thread together so it forms 1 peice, and melt the end of the floss untill a little black ball forms on the end of the floss. I Wait about a second, and then pinch the 2 peices of thread together.

thats the most secure way of ending a "flower" that I know of...

atleast through reading and experience.

HippieTom · Post by **HippieTom** » 07 Aug 2008 14:15

5 pents to one hex? um no haha
and yeah that sounds secure and all but your still tying knots and my interest in floss is the speed of not tying them at all
thanks for the info though, maybe ill try it on one of my next bags

Jordan · Post by **Jordan** » 07 Aug 2008 14:34

my bad on the whole pent/hex thing...

but why are you worried about saving time? Its not a race...

Just take your time and make a killer shred bag!