A great idea is to work a swatch in the stitch pattern of your choice, wash it and hang it up for a few days to see how much the yarn sags. Cotton shrinks when washed, rots & fades over time, and isn't as strong as the polyester cored cotton wrapped all purpose sewing thread also sold by Coats & Clark. Most Mettler Thread is made of long fiber polyester or Egyptian cotton, but they also carry a line of silk finished thread. It also means the fibers used in Sateen take dye better. $7.88. Hi, Lynn – Lacis.com carries candlewicking thread. Some sewing purists believe that you should use the same thread as the fabric yarn content, so cotton thread should be used to sew cotton fabric. Solids and variegated. Well, crochet thread is a specially formulated thread, usually made from mercerized cotton, that is used for crafting decorative crochet items such as doilies or, in the case of Lyn’s crochet patterns, flowers and fine home decor. The Spruce Crafts uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. 40 Spools Polyester Embroidery Machine Thread Bright and Beautiful Colors. Mercerizing also increases the strength of the cotton thread. I am also making some potato bags can I use this thread as well bluenines. Mercerization, the process by which mercerized yarn is made, is named for the British chemist John Mercer, who developed the process and received a patent for his work in 1851. We have 50+ different colors of premium thread in stock and two sizes. Coats And Clark 100% cotton thread: This one was almost completely smooth under the microscope, a tightly-wound thread without stray fibers. The lack of stretch in cotton thread also makes it ideal for quilting projects because they won't lose their shape. Mercerization, in textiles, a chemical treatment applied to cotton fibres or fabrics to permanently impart a greater affinity for dyes and various chemical finishes. 250 Colors Cotton Line Floss Sewing Skeins Cross Stitch Thread Color Embroidery. Few Loose and Stray Fibers . What is mercerized cotton sateen? Lot of 2 Allary 100% Mercerized Cotton Craft Thread/Floss, Assorted Color. You get 40 beautiful … Eliminating the fuzz or lint from the cotton is part of what makes mercerized cotton so shiny. The spools are twist balanced, meaning the thread won't twist together as the spool unravels, which can lessen knotting and tangles while sewing. Each color can be easily found with their numbering system. 3,360 yards per lb. Luster, by the way, is caused by the way light reflects off the surface of things. Mercerized Mercerization is the process of immersing the cotton fibers in a caustic solution which causes the fibers to swell. Mercerization is the process of treating cotton thread in a caustic solution (usually sodium hydroxide) under tension, which causes the fibers to swell. It is absorbent, washable, durable cotton weaving yarn. It's commonly called kitchen cotton because it is often used for dishcloths, washcloths, and other projects that can take a lot of abuse. Engine or Cotton-Gin . 1 Replies Posted on: 11/27/12 7:40 PM . Mettler thread also has many different materials to choose from so that you can match your thread to your fabric even more easily. Mercerization is a process that makes the yarn smooth, stronger and takes dye better. In Sateen, the long cotton fibers are mercerized, meaning soaked in lye (sodium hydroxide) and then in an acid. The strongest and heaviest of the hand sewing threads. As stated earlier, cotton thread has been used since the dawn of human existence. The thread is mercerized with a beautiful and lustrous finish that provides a smooth finish and minimal thread breaks and is nearly lint-free. Thread size is determined by the length of a thread needed to weigh a specific number. DMC 6-Strand Embroidery Cotton Floss, Ecru. General purpose thread: A medium-weight thread made from cotton, silk, polyester or a blend of cotton and polyester. This allows the dye to better penetrate the fibers and increases the luster of the thread. 4 PACK of 6000 Yard Spools Black Sewing Thread. She is the author of three books and over 300 articles about knitting on The Spruce Crafts. Cotton thread is the perfect accompaniment to 100% cotton fabric and is therefore most commonly used in patchwork and quilting. Mercerized yarn is also sometimes called pearl cotton or pearl cotton, and the fine knit thread used for napkins and other delicate projects is usually mercerized. Then make your pattern choices accordingly. Mercerized yarn stays shiny through washing and gives a nice, somewhat fancier look to finished items. All sewing and quilting thread undergo some of the same processing, such as twisting, lubricating, winding, etc. Put your Mettler Thread to use with project ideas and tutorials at ThinkCrafts.com. There are key differences between cotton thread and polyester thread. Polyester thread has a little bit of stretch to it, so anything you are sewing to wear should be made with polyester or nylon thread. Mercerized yarns more readily accepts dye and holds the color longer. It is a great choice for kids clothing, summer tops, and shawls, bearing in mind that mercerized cotton shares some of the problems inherent in knitting with other types of cotton yarn (heaviness and tendency to stretch when worn that can't be fixed with blocking). The perfect thread for sewing on buttons, tacking carpet, or for most craft hand sewing applications. Mercerized cotton or Egyptian cotton goes through a specialized process that makes natural fibers more luminous and stronger. It was a similar type of machine that spun the cotton thread onto the first wooden cotton spool s for hand sewing and later sewing machine use. Ontario CANADA Skill: Intermediate. ‘For men there is a solid-color 100 percent cotton pique available in 19 colors, and a mercerized solid-color 100 percent cotton pique in four colors, both in sizes S through 3XL.’ ‘I'm hoping the yarn is good… it's a mercerized cotton from the Netherlands that can machine washed and dried.’ Get sales alerts, exclusive offers and achance to win a $100 shopping spree! $24.97. Shop for Mercerized Cotton All-Purpose Thread. It is also stronger, takes dye a little more readily, produces less lint, and is more resistant to mildew. Mercerization is the process of subjecting cotton thread to a chemical process in which the thread is dipped in a sodium hydroxide bath, followed by an acid bath. For knitters, mercerized cotton can be used for a variety of projects. There are so many different types of mettler thread, any sewing project you have can be completed with the right type. This process causes the fibers to swell resulting in the thread to accept dyes more readily. Mercerization also gives the fibers a smoother, more reflective surface. The process of making mercerized cotton is rather complex. Use for mercerized cotton. By using The Spruce Crafts, you accept our, How to Single Crochet an Edge on Any Knitting Project, How to Knit a Soap Pouch to Prolong Your Bar of Soap. By the way, pearl or perle cotton has also gone through mercerization process. Cotton is usually mercerized. Choosing lightweight yarns for your projects will be better than using heavier yarns. Every spool of Mettler Thread has a 3 digit number on the bottom. Fiber count of a thread is the amount of individual strands make up the string of thread as a whole. Guttermann 100% polyester thread: This is one of the more expensive threads on the market and has far fewer loose fibers than the bargain brands. No matter if you are looking for the best thread … This makes it ideal for visible seams in your projects. I often use this type of cotton thread in my projects. They are: Cotton threads. Mercer found that adding caustic soda (lye) or sulfuric acid to cotton made the fiber swell and straighten. Free shipping . Mercerized cotton, by itself, is commonly used for knitting, crocheting, embroidery, and other craft projects. Mercerisation is a textile finishing treatment for cellulose fabric and yarn, mainly cotton and flax, which improves dye uptake and tear strength, reduces fabric shrinkage, and imparts a silk-like luster. This increases the luster while also strengthening the thread. The terms "pearl cotton" and "pearle cotton" are also used to refer to Mercerized cotton, because of the deeply lustrous appearance of the finished cotton thread.In addition to having rich color saturation and a shimmering appearance, this fabric is also much stronger than conventional cotton thread. Made in Canada. DMC 6-Strand Embroidery Cotton Floss, Medium Baby Blue. 99. Member since 11/4/05 Posts: 202. The process of making mercerize… $18.99 $ 18. Sets and individuals. This is the color number, and most stores have a system to easily locate Mettler Threads based on its color number. This treatment increase luster, strength, affinity to dye, and resistance to mildew and shrinkage. However, it’s a good choice when sewing delicate fabrics and garments like lingerie. It can be a little hard on your hands. NOS Vintage Bucilla Super Mercerized 6-Strand Floss Thread #2173 Peacock Blue. 52. No one was too impressed by that, but in 1890 Horace Lowe developed a process by which caustic soda was added to the yarn under high tension, which added the luster that mercerized cotton is famous for today. Cotton threads however, can have additional processing to enhance the stitching experience. Metallic Crochet Embroidered Thread Mercerized Yarn Cotton Craft Knitting Set Of 10 Pieces. In mercerization cotton fabric is treated with caustic soda which swells up the cotton fibers in cotton fabric adding below properties. Mercerized yarn is also sometimes called pearl cotton or pearle cotton, and fine crochet thread used for doilies and other delicate projects is usually mercerized. Cotton thread has low stretch and tends to break easily. This thread is ideal for all sewing projects because it … Mettler Thread is a durable, machine washable thread line made particularly for sewing and quilting projects. If you go to their online catalog and search “candlewicking” the matte cotton threads normally used for it will come up. 50 yds (45 m) 74% Polyester, 26% Glace Finish Cotton. Cotton Thread for quilting, sewing and more. Cotton thread is a little bit stronger than polyester thread and a lot softer. Mercerized cotton is a special kind of cotton yarn that is more lustrous than conventional cotton. There are two item numbers JS02 and JS03. Free shipping . thhat will withstand heat. Mettler's Silk Finish 100% mercerized cotton: There were very few loose fibers. 50 wt and 40 wt 10% mercerized cotton. A Massachusetts man, Eli Whitney, secured a patent on the cotton gin in 1793. Coats Extra Strong Upholstery – Art S964 (Click HERE for this thread) Spools color-coded in … Cotton with long staple fibre lengths resound best to mercerization. Long, fine cotton threads are usually used for mercerization, such as Egyptian and Pima cotton, because they require less twist than other fibers used in the process. What is mercerized cotton used for? For knitters, mercerized cotton can be used for a variety of projects. This 8/2 un-mercerized cotton weaving yarn is perfect for dish towels, hand towels, placemats, and tablecloths. This yarn is strong, durable, takes (but doesn't necessarily hold) color well.