Learn all about thread! We discuss the different types of thread, its properties and weights, and how to find the right thread for your sewing project. We also discuss top tips for finding a good quality thread, and ways to strengthen your thread when hand-stitching!

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The transcript for this episode can be found on this page at the end of the show notes.

Love to Sew episodes mentioned:

• Episode 28: Sewing Activewear with Johanna Lu
• Episode 56: Hand Sewing with Brooks Ann Camper 
• Episode 72: Cultivating Community with Natalie Chanin 
• Episode 106: Couture Sewing with Susan Khalje 
• Episode 136: Fabric Dyeing

About #memademay challenge

Thread storage options:

• Helen’s spice rack tray storage:

• IKEA Alex Drawer unit
• Thread storage boxes
• Thread rack
• Bobbin wheel storage
• Pegboards:
  • Basic pegboard
  • IKEA Skadis peg board

Different types of thread mentioned:

• All-Purpose Thread: Gütermann sew-all thread, Gütermann Mara 100, Mettler Metrosene thread

• Cotton Thread: Mettler Silk Finish Cotton, Gütermann Natural Cotton Thread
• Silk thread: Gütermann Silk, Mettler Amanda

• Serger thread: Coats SureLock Serger Thread
  • Buy serger thread locally in Vancouver at Our Social Fabric!
  • Buy serger thread locally in Montreal at Kava Machine à coudre!
• Bra-making / activewear thread: Gütermann Mara 120, Sulky Poly Lite

• Topstitching/ Jeans:  Gütermann Jean Thread, Gütermann Mara 70, Gütermann Top Stitch Heavy Duty Thread
• Elastic Thread: Gütermann Elastic Thread

Hand-stitching tools mentioned:

• Thread Beeswax
• Thread Heaven – discontinued
• Prym Ergonomic Thimble
• Dritz Soft Comfort Thimble

Other thread resources mentioned:

• ‘Making a Thread Chain’ blog post by Oliver + S 

• Rainbow thread!

Pattern mentioned in this episode:

• Amy Jumpsuit by Closet Core Patterns
• Reeta Midi Shirt Dress by Named

Shirring patterns:

• Ariana Woven Dress by Style Arc
• Carter by Seamwork
  • A Guide to Shirring by Seamwork

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Transcript:

This transcript was made from the Love to Sew Favourite version of this episode, released on August 10, 2021. You can listen to this version using the player below:

Caroline: We are recording today on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the Coast Salish and Kwakwaka’wakw peoples, including Tsleil-Waututh, Squamish, Musqueam, and K’ómoks first nations.

Hello, Love to Sew listener. We’re currently in our podcast off season. So we’re taking a little break from recording right now.

Helen: This summer, we’re excited to revisit some of our favorite episodes from years past. We hope you will love these reruns as much as we do. Remember, you can still access the show notes by going to lovetosewpodcast.com and searching for the episode. If you want more Love to Sew, head over to our Patreon. We have a lot of fun over there, and we appreciate our Patreon fam so, so much.

Caroline: For $5 U.S. per month, you’ll get access to our monthly bonus episode. Our Patreon episodes really feel like a catch-up with friends. This is where we share what we’ve been up to in our personal lives, our businesses, what we’re sewing, and things we’re loving like recipes, podcasts, TV shows, board games, and more. Throughout the month, we also share behind the scenes photos.

I recently gave our patrons a sneak peek of some of our upcoming exclusive Blackbird releases, and Helen you’ve given sneak peaks of patterns too, right?

Helen: Yes, it is top secret stuff just for our Patreon supporters. And if you join at $10 U.S. per month, you will get 15% off discount codes for Blackbird Fabrics, Helen’s Closet, and our Love to Sew swag shop. And this code can be reused again and again, so it’s a great deal, especially if you shop with us frequently. Plus, you’ll get a bonus mini-sode where we answer a patron question or cover a specific sewing topic. So you can learn more and sign up to support us at patreon.com/lovetosew.

Caroline: And don’t worry folks, we’ll be back in September 2021 with a fabulous new season of Love to Sew. Now let’s get to this Love to Sew favorite.

Helen: Hello and welcome. I’m Helen.

Caroline: And I’m Caroline.

Helen: And we love to sew. This is a podcast for makers where we talk about sewing a handmade wardrobe and bring you interviews with inspiring creatives and small business owners in our community.

Caroline: This week, we are chatting all about thread. We discuss the different properties of thread, the different types of thread out there, and the top tips for choosing the best thread for your project. We also share how you can strengthen your thread when hand stitching and how to identify quality product.

Helen: Tip top quality. Weaving the threads of thread knowledge.

Caroline: Hi, Helen.

Helen: Hi Caroline.

Caroline: How are you?

Helen: I’m good. How are you?

Caroline: I’m really good. What we’re going to talk about today is thread. And one of the sections that we’re going to cover is elastic thread. And before we recorded this, we were talking about how much we want to try ruching now.

Helen: Oh yeah, shirring. Like, those off the shoulder tops that you can do a shirred edge along the shoulder or a classic sundress with the shirred back. So many great applications. And I was getting very inspired looking at all the pictures.

Caroline: Yeah. That’s on my list now. Yeah. I’m imagining a lot of, like, peasant-y oversized, like, big sleeves voluminous dresses in my future.

Helen: And your past and your present. Should we get to the show?

Caroline: Yes, let’s do it.

Helen: We have some feedback here from Hannah, “Thank you for being curious. I am a sewer and an engineer. Through your podcast, I’ve learned the value of being curious. You joke in your podcast about this word, and I’ve adopted it fully into my technical work world. I’m currently preparing for a job interview with a video, thanks, Melanie, that outlines why I should be selected for an elite training program to be recognized for my professional curiosity and provided with additional training in solving ‘wicked problems’ in quotes.”

I wonder what that means. Wicked problems.

Caroline: Wicked problems.

Helen: “So while this isn’t a sewing related benefit, it’s one that I’ve received from listening to your podcast. Thank you for giving me the knowledge to apply for a new role. Sewists really are the best. From Hannah in Melbourne, Australia.”

Caroline: That’s such a sweet message, Hannah. I love that you pick up on the word “curious” in our podcast because I say it a lot. And you’re right, we do joke around about it because I say it a lot. I tend to start sentences with “I’m curious,” but I am curious a lot of the time when we’re with guests because I want to know more about them and what they have going on. And it is true that that can translate to so many different parts of our life and being curious is really important.

Helen: Yeah, definitely.

Caroline: So I’m curious, Helen, do you want to answer the next question?

Helen: I do. What is it?

Caroline: “Hi, Helen and Caroline. Your podcast is my favorite. If you do an episode on thread, can you PLEASE talk about your favorite storage ideas? Thank you for stitching us all together in this community with your work on this podcast, Pat.”

Helen: Aw, thanks, Pat. Thanks for stitching us all together. I love it.

Caroline: I love that, too. Okay, I love talking about thread storage. I’ve tried a lot of different storage methods over the years.

Helen: Same, and it’s really hard to wrangle. And one thing that I’ve learned is just, you need to wrap up the tails into the little groove that holds them in place else it’s just going to be a bundle of thread mess, no matter what your storage is.

Caroline: Yeah. We’ve all been there with the big nest of threads in all different colors, or you walk out of a room and you have, perhaps, the end of a thread attached to your pants, and you realize that that thread is trailing all the way back into another room, still attached to the spool on your thread rack. Just me?

Helen: Oh yeah. What about when you drop a bobbin and it rolls all the way across the room and completely unravels and you’re like, no!

Caroline: So keeping the tail ends of the threads under wraps, quite literally, is, uh, pretty important in terms of thread storage, just to keep things clean and tidy. But what about where you actually put your thread when you’re not using it?

Helen: Yeah, I actually keep my thread in a drawer in this case that my dad built for me. Uh, we’ve talked about it on the show before. It has a drawer, and inside that drawer, there are the spice rack containers. So it’s plastic, basically drawer organizer, and it has these little lips that are angled. So you’re supposed to put your spices on there, but I put my thread on there, and it can hold two levels of thread. And then I organize it by color, and there’s some space on the side for the bigger spools. It’s really cute and so great.

Caroline: I love that solution. The idea of using spice racks in a drawer. It doesn’t have to be a custom made beautiful wood unit that your dad made you. It can just be a little drawer unit from IKEA or something.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: Those ALEX storage units are really popular in the sewing world. I think those are great. And then getting those inserts, uh, would be a really, really great way. And then keeping that dust away from the thread and the light away from the thread is a good idea, as well.

Helen: Yeah, so it doesn’t get dusty. I do have to reorganize it lots because when I go in there looking for a spool and spools go everywhere and…

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: …I have to fix it up every once in a while.

Caroline: Yeah, definitely. And if you’re concerned about dust in your sewing space, there are also specific boxes that you can buy that, we’ll link a few examples in the show notes, but I have some plastic ones that I believe are, maybe Prim, uh, brand, but you can get a lot of different ones from Walmart or from specialty shops for storing thread, for storing bobbins, for storing cones of thread. So many different options for storage.

Helen: Yeah, they have little plastic pokey things in them, right? So you put the thread on, it actually holds them in place.

Caroline: Exactly. Yeah. Um, you can also buy a thread spool rack. So those are those, kind of, racks that you can either hang on a wall or on a pegboard, or you can just, like, set it like a picture on a surface. Um, so, often they have that little thing on the back that, sort of, folds out so that you can rest it on a surface and not have to hang it on the wall. I’ve used those, and honestly, I think, I’m looking forward to going back to that. Right now, I have all my threads in clear boxes, but it’s kind of annoying to get them down and find the right thread color. I really enjoyed having a thread rack with all my thread colors, right in front of me, easy to grab, easy to put away, organized by color, looks really pretty on the wall, as well.

Helen: Yeah, it’s so beautiful. My mom actually just gave me one of those because she is not using hers anymore. She was like, you probably don’t want this. And I was like, actually I do just because it is almost, like, an art piece the way you organize it, whatever color rainbow-tizing method you use. It can look so cute in a sewing room. So I’m excited to set that up.

Caroline: Definitely. You can also get a pegboard, just, like, a regular pegboard, at the hardware store, and those pegs that slip into, like, all purpose pegboards work really well for the larger thread cones that you get for sergers. They don’t necessarily work as well for those smaller thread spools, but you can even hang one of those little wooden thread spool organizers on your pegboard and then have pegs for your cones. I’ve done that. I think that works really well. IKEA also has a really cute, kind of, IKEA version of a pegboard that’s a little bit more stylish and different, and they have some nice hook options that could work for threads and even a little shelf that could work for de-, serger cones.

I store my cones in that little cabinet right next to you actually. It’s part of this shelving unit… Oops, I just opened it. But I keep all of my thread cones in there, and I find that really easy to grab, and they’re all, kind of, organized and, um, I didn’t have anything else to put in there. So it works really well.

Helen: I keep all of my serger cones in a bag.

Caroline: That must be fun.

Helen: Um, it’s not, I really need a better solution.

Caroline: Yeah, like I said, I’ve tried a lot of different methods over the years, and I want to go back to that, like, wooden thread spool organizer. But I do want to mention that you should be mindful of where you hang your thread in a room, especially if it’s not protected by some kind of a plastic or, you know, outside, away from the light.

Because I have had the plastic core of my serger cones get kind of crumbly from sun exposure. So there was a period of time where I had all my cones on display in my apartment, but it was right next to the window, and they got a lot of sun exposure, and then that inside just, kind of, cracks and crumbles now. So they aged a little bit quicker, not to mention the discoloration that could happen on say a cotton thread if you have that on display in a room that’s getting a lot of lights. So just be mindful of that.

Helen: Yeah, it’s real. I put my hammock in a window over winter, one time just hanging, like, by the window, and the next summer I went and sat in it and just fell right through it.

Caroline: Oh my gosh. It’s amazing what light can do to a fiber depending on the fiber, right? Yeah. I also have seen plastic covers for those thread racks. So you can buy, it’s almost like a sewing machine cover, but it’s meant for covering thread. So you might be able to find that in a sewing supply shop or maybe on Amazon. We had a lot of thoughts for Pat.

Helen: We did. I mean, not to mention bobbin organizers. There’s so many different ones. I love my bobbin wheels. I have three of them. I just keep buying more because they keep having more bobbins. And I know some people only have a few bobbins, and they’re really diligent about rotating the thread out of the bobbin, but I’m not that person. Give me all the bobbins.

Caroline: I actually find Bernina compatible bobbins a little bit harder to find, and that’s why I don’t have a huge stash of them. Otherwise, I would have tons cause I hate having to unravel thread from a bobbin to make more room, or you just wind it over the thread underneath, and then, of course, the next project that you do, you need that thread that’s hidden inside the bobbin.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: It can be such a mess. I also use those little bobbin wheels. Um, at the workshop space, we have, like, a little plastic case that holds all the bobbins. There’s so many different things you can do with bobbins.

Helen: Oh yeah, definitely.

Caroline: Anyways, we should get to the show because we’re going to talk all about thread today, and I’m really excited to do that.

Helen: Yeah, and some of you might be thinking, isn’t all thread the same?

Caroline: No, not all threads are the same. There are actually a variety of different threads out there. For some projects, several different types of threads could even be suitable, so you might be mixing thread types within a specific project.

So, do keep in mind, like, if you’ve been using all-purpose thread all this time, that’s fine. There’s no need to worry. All-purpose thread is great for 99% of projects. I use it for almost all of my sewing projects. So, do you, Helen?

Helen: Yeah, I do. I do. And I, I use also topstitching thread with jeans, but mainly it’s all-purpose all the time.

Caroline: And you definitely want to be looking for quality thread when you’re picking it out. That’s I think one of the biggest tips that we want to convey today is just, don’t go for the cheap stuff. Don’t go for that, like, dollar thread bin, because you’re going to pay for it later. Those threads are lower quality. They’re not as strong. They’re not going to wash as well. They’re not going to be as colorfast. There’s lots of problems with that.

So you want to check for a smooth strand that doesn’t have any fuzz or little bumps in it. Also, poor quality thread can carry lint, and it can break easily. So you can check the strength of the thread just by pulling a little bit, you know, kind of, testing its strength by pulling at it from two ends and seeing if it breaks.

Helen: Yeah. I think our favorite brand of thread is Gutterman. It’s generally the most widely available. Um, Mettler is just as good as Gutterman. I just don’t see it as often, but maybe where you are, you see Mettler more. Great brand. But tell us your favorites, and I’m sure in different parts of the world, maybe there’s different brands that are more common.

Caroline: Yeah. And we also want to mention, just off the top, that you want to use a thread that matches your project. So we’re going to cover a lot of what to consider later on in this episode, but you just want to keep that in mind when you’re choosing a thread that you need to choose a thread that’s appropriate for your project. Most of the time that can be all-purpose thread, but sometimes you might want something more specialty.

Helen: Yeah, totally. So let’s talk about properties and the construction of the thread. Threads can be made from natural fibers or synthetic fibers. Natural fibers being like cotton wool, silk, linen, and synthetic fibers being like rayon or polyester or nylon. All-purpose thread is a polyester thread.

Caroline: Yes, fibers can be twisted and spun into thread in different ways. So that might involve one single strand, known as a monofilament thread, or multiple threads spun together, that would be a filament thread.

Helen: So, which is all-purpose thread?

Caroline: So all-purpose thread is a filament thread, and you can actually just pull out some thread spools from your stash and check that out for yourself. Pull it and, kind of, untwist it and see if you can see multiple filaments in there.

Helen: Yeah. It’s like a little curly cue. Okay. So in the processing of the thread, it involves twisting, lubricating, and winding the thread. Some threads go through additional processing, such as mercerizing, with cotton which involves immersing the cotton in sodium hydroxide so that the fibers will bloom. And this improves the dye uptake, making it stronger, gives it a silkier finish, and it also reduces the shrinkage.

Caroline: So fascinating.

Helen: Mhm. And what about weight? Because we definitely see lots of different weights of thread.

Caroline: Yeah. When we were doing research for this episode, we saw a lot of tex weight. Tex weight is really common for Gutterman thread, but there really is no universal sizing for thread weight that goes across all the different brands.

However, you can learn the sizing systems to identify the thinner and thicker threads. So, for example, weight and ply is often used as a measurement. So that’s expressed with a slash between two numbers which indicates the number of kilometers of thread per kilogram of weight. So, in this case, the higher the number, the thinner the thread. So, we also saw that, when we were doing some research, just weight 40 or weight 60. Um, so the weight 60 would be a thinner thread, and the weight 40 would be a lighter weight thread.

Helen: But the tex is the opposite of that…

Caroline: Exactly.

Helen: …which makes it a little bit confusing. So the higher the tex, the heavier the thread, and the lower the tex number, the lighter the thread. So it can be a little bit confusing, but you can often tell from just looking at the pictures and the other supplemental information, if you’re buying from a website, or if you’re looking at two threads in person, it’s a lot easier to tell which is heavier and which is lighter.

There’s also the denier?

Caroline: Mhm.

Helen: …which is used for polyester, rayon, and nylon. And this size indicates the weight in the grams of thread. So a higher denier means a thicker thread. Lower denier, a lighter thread.

Caroline: Definitely. Yeah. These are all really good systems, but, to be honest, I didn’t even know anything about the weight categorizations of threads going into this, and I’ve been fine this whole time. So I feel like it’s good to know, but that’s not necessarily what you need to base your decision on. You’re probably going to get used to looking out for the brands that you really like and the names within those brands for the threads that you like.

Helen: Yeah, totally.

Caroline: Okay, so I want to go through the different kinds of threads that you can find out there. Now, there are a lot of threads out there, but we’re going to cover threads most suitable for garment sewing today. So let’s go through some of those more commonly used ones and the ones that we recommend and why.

Helen: Yeah, so all-purpose thread, you’re going to encounter all the time in you’re sewing journey. For example, Gutterman sew-all thread or Mettler Metrosene thread. All-purpose thread is made out of polyester, and it’s sometimes called cotton-wrapped polyester. The core of it is still polyester, so it’s great for all projects. Just because you’re working with, maybe, a natural fiber like cotton, linen, or wool, you can still use an, uh, polyester all-purpose thread.

Caroline: Mhm, and this is the thread that we use for 99% of our projects, right?

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: So this is really a good bet if you are going to invest in a bunch of thread in a bunch of different colors, all-purpose is where you want to go. Um, we really love the Gutterman sew-all thread. Uh, I think it’s a really great brand, and it’s really reliable.

Helen: Mhm.

Caroline: One cool thing is that you can even find recycled polyester thread from Gutterman right now. We haven’t tried it, but I think it’s so cool that we’re seeing this innovation in thread, and I feel like it’s just the beginning.

Helen: Yeah. That is really cool, and they have the most color options in an all-purpose thread range, and you can use it on your machine or you can use it to sew by hand. It just works in all different places.

Caroline: Yes. So all-purpose thread is great for most things, but it’s not necessarily ideal for really fine fabrics or super heavy fabrics either. So for fine fabrics, I would consider using a silk thread instead. Um, silk is strong, and it also produces nearly invisible stitches. For super heavy denim or canvas, I’d say, like, over 14 ounces, you can use jean or topstitching thread or, like, a thicker weight of a polyester thread.

Helen: Okay. What about cotton thread? We did that episode about dyeing, and we were talking about using cotton thread with cotton fabric if you’re planning to dye your project so it’ll absorb dye better.

Caroline: Examples of cotton thread would be Mettler Silk Finish Cotton or Guttermann Natural Cotton thread. And most cotton thread is mercerized. I would say it’s best matched with lightweight to medium weight woven fabrics, such as cotton or linen. But again, like you mentioned, it’s a great natural fiber option. If you’re going to dye your garment, cotton thread has really good strength, and it’s great for sewing buttons and reinforcing buttonholes.

Sometimes it will shed and leave behind, like, a lot of lint and fuzz in your machine. So that’s one thing to keep in mind. And I would say it’s more commonly used for quilting, specifically machine quilting, not so much for garment sewing.

Helen: Yeah. Although if you are really into the sustainability side of sewing, using cotton fabric, cotton thread means that your project could actually be compostable which is really cool.

Caroline: Yeah. It’ll definitely biodegrade more quickly over time.

Helen: And silk thread, which we’ve already mentioned a couple of times, some examples being Gutermann Silk or Mettler Amanda, is super soft and also has good strength, and it takes well to dyes and is very flexible.

Caroline: Mhm, silk thread is also really great to work with when you’re hand stitching because it glides through the fabric so nicely. It can be used for basting stitches, embroidery work, sewing silks and wools. So obviously if you have a beautiful silk satin fabric, go with a silk thread because that’s just a really great fiber match, fiber to fiber.

Silk thread does tend to be one of the pricier threads out there. So that might be a reason to not necessarily stock up on silk thread, but I think it’s great for those really special projects.

Helen: Yeah, we’ve seen it in high quality shirt making as well. You get that beautiful invisible seam. The topstitching is just that much more delicate, and it really gives a nice professional look.

Caroline: Yea, it really sinks into the fabric really beautifully in shirt making projects.

Helen: Yeah. Okay. What about the big honkin’ thread cones?

Caroline: So thread cones or serger thread, these are finer than all-purpose thread because serger thread is designed for high speed sewing. That’s also why in industrial settings, a lot of the time they’re using thread cones because it just works better with those industrial high-speed machines. Generally, serger thread is a hundred percent polyester, and it’s wound on a larger thread cone.

Make sure you check the content because I’ve seen cotton thread on cones that looks super, super similar to poly thread on cones. And that is generally used for quilting, but because it’s, like, a thinner weight cotton thread, it’s just not as strong as a thinner weight polyester thread. So I wouldn’t necessarily recommend that for garment sewing again, unless you’re trying to go for something that’s super environmentally friendly and is going to biodegrade quickly.

Helen: Mhm, yeah. And serger cones can be a little bit expensive. When you first get a serger, you might get black and white and gray. And then with projects over time, you’re gonna pick up more cones and trying to decide which color cones to get, because it is an investment, but they do last a long time. So WAWAK has a great deal on serger cones. They’re about $2.30 U.S. per cone for their Sherlock serging thread. So that’s where we’d recommend grabbing those, or your local fabric store likely has serger cones as well.

I know in Vancouver, Our Social Fabric, which is a textile recycling initiative, often has serger cones for, like, two bucks a cone which is great. And those are just coming from industrial factories where they don’t need those colors anymore.

Caroline: Yeah. When I used to live in Montreal, there was this sewing supply shop called Kava. I think they’re still around. And they had this whole backroom area with serger cones in every single color you could imagine for $2 each.

Helen: Nice.

Caroline: I know! These big cones. So, so many of my thread cones are from there because I stocked up when I was in school, and believe it or not, I very rarely have to buy new thread cones because all the colors that I liked in school are still colors that I like now.

Helen: I know I am often buying black thread cones, but all the other colors seem to last quite a while.

Caroline: Yeah. They really do. So it’s worth investing in those colors that you sew with often.

Helen: Yeah. What about nylon thread?

Caroline: Yeah. So nylon thread is synthetic, and it’s often used as a transparent one ply thread that’s great for anything requiring durability and strength. So this includes, like, leather, canvas, even vinyl. I’m thinking nylon thread is probably great for sewing, like, tents or boat covers, that kind of thing just because it’s just so strong.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: But generally, nylon doesn’t take high heat super well, so I would keep that in mind, if you’re using nylon thread for a project. Also, you can find nylon thread that has, kind of, a fuzzy texture, like a wool-like texture. Past guest, Johanna Lu, recommends using wooly nylon thread in the loopers of our serger machines when sewing activewear. So wooly nylon is a nylon thread.

Helen: Yeah, and the reason why she recommends that is because it has a little bit more give, a little bit more stretch. So if you need those garments that stretch really, really a lot over your body, then wooly nylon is the way to go.

Caroline: Okay. What about thread that would be suitable for, like, bra making and activewear sewing?

Helen: Yes. There is a specific kind of thread that I see recommended for this. I will admit that I just usually use my all-purpose thread for bra making and sewing my activewear leggings and things like that. But I’ve heard that this thread can make quite a difference, and it’s Gutterman Mara 120.

Caroline: Yeah, I also have some Sulky Poly Lite in my stash that I purchased when I was really into bra making. One of the shops that I was buying from was selling that as a bra making thread, and I think it works really well. Basically, threads for bra making or activewear, you want them to be a polyester thread, and you want it to be lighter weight than an all-purpose thread, so something that’s just a little bit finer. That means it’s going to have a little bit more give and stretch, a little bit more, but the polyester is going to still make it very strong.

Like Helen said, you can totally use an all-purpose thread. We’ve both done that. It’s still a polyester thread. It’s just a little bit thicker, so it’s not going to have quite as much give as something like a Mara 120.

Helen: Yeah, and it, you can see the difference. We were comparing two spools that you had here, and even just holding it in my hand, I could see that one was finer, silkier, smoother. So I would like to try that on my next bra. I think it would look really beautiful.

Caroline: Yeah, and other characteristics of polyester thread that are great for, like, sewing activewear and bra making is that it can be strong and stretchy, like I mentioned. So that’s great for sewing with knits or spandex. It’s heat resistant and colorfast. So that’s really great if you’re going to be, you know, in and out of the sauna and the pool, perhaps.

Helen: And it can also be washed or dry cleaned with most cleaning solvents, so you don’t have to worry about any special care.

Caroline: Yeah, for sure.

Helen: Okay. What about our favorite novelty thread or specialty thread which is jeans or topstitching thread?

Caroline: Yes. I love making jeans. I love topstitching. I think it’s such a beautiful finish on those heavier duty garments. So some examples of jeans and topstitching threads, Gutterman Jean Thread, Gutterman Mara 70 is a great one, Gutterman Top Stitch Heavy Duty Thread. A lot of different brands of thread have, like, a topstitch version, but you do want to be mindful of the weight of it because really heavy topstitching thread can be a little bit difficult to work with and a little bit finicky on a machine. So, you don’t necessarily have to go too heavy to get that look.

So, a lot of the time this topstitching thread is either, like, a heavy duty poly or a cotton covered polyester. So you might see something that’s, like, 70% poly, 30% cotton. That’s pretty common, um, in a topstitching thread. Of course, you’re going to want to use a larger needle size to accommodate thicker thread, so keep that in mind. You want to make sure that you’re changing out your needle if you’re working with a top stitching thread.

We also recommend using regular or all-purpose thread in your bobbin when you’re working with top stitching thread. This is going to help with tension, and it’s also going to avoid too much bulk. So if you’ve ever tried out topstitching thread and had issues with it, it might be because you also wound your bobbin with topstitching thread.

Helen: I did that.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: The first time I sewed jeans, I put it in both sides, and it’s just a mess.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: It’s way too much bulk, especially if you’re trying to do a button hole or something. Like, on a pair of jeans, you don’t want all that bulk underneath, so you can put your nice, beautiful gold topstitching thread on top and then have your navy underneath. So on the backside of your jeans button or the inside of your jeans, you’re not seeing that gold top stitching. It’s just matching with the jeans fabric.

Caroline: I did want to also say a little bit more about jeans thread because Gutterman has that “Gutterman Jean Thread.” I’m putting that in air quotes, but that’s, like, their name for it. That’s pretty readily available in sewing shops. It’s quite thick, and it feels like cotton. A lot of the time that’s one of the ones that has like 30% cotton in it. I have used this many times for jeans making, and it works fine.

But through experience and over time, I’ve discovered that my favorite thread for topstitching is Gutterman Mara 70. So, it’s not quite as heavy as that Gutermann Jeans Thread. It’s finer and smoother than that commercial one, and it comes in larger spools and lots more color options. So, I love it for jeans. I also love it for, like, just topstitching on, like, a cotton twill or a bull denim trouser or something like a trench coat or a chore coat.

I just think it gives such a beautiful finish. It’s heavier than all-purpose, but it’s lighter than topstitching. It comes in those beautiful big spools. We sell it at Blackbird. I love it.

Helen: Yeah, and if you’re wondering about how to get that topstitching look without topstitching thread, maybe you don’t have a place nearby you where you can grab thread, you can do a triple stitch on your machine. So it actually goes forward and backwards with just your all-purpose thread. So it gives you that thicker look, and it works great, but it can be a little bit bulky, and it does slow down the process immensely of sewing your seams. So we wanted to put that out there, but it’s worth experimenting with.

Another thing I’ve seen is putting two threads in the top of your machine and one in the bottom. So you get a little bit of a thicker top thread. You’ll have to work to get the tension right before you can get going, but that can work well as an alternative. And lastly, when working with topstitching thread, you probably want to increase your stitch length. You don’t want to have just a regular stitch length or a short stitch length. You need to give that topstitching room to breathe as it goes along.

Caroline: I would highly recommend doing some tests on your fabric, especially if you’re making jeans. I think, like, different colors of thread look better with longer or shorter stitch length, depending on the weight of the thread that you’re using. So pull out a couple layers of that denim, and test out some of those stitches in the stitch length and take some notes so that next time you can go back and be like, what was that length of topstitching that I like the look of on jeans. Cause I think everyone, kind of, has a different preference for that.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: You can also compare to your ready to wear jeans.

Helen: Oh yeah. That’s a great tip. I love the Mara 70 as well, especially for buttonholes and bar tacks. It’s just a little bit less bulky. It makes a big difference.

Caroline: Yeah, it really does. Okay. We also wanted to touch on elastic thread.

Helen: Yeah. I got so excited about elastic thread when I was researching because I’ve never used it before. And when I was reading about it, I was like, oh, this sounds so cool. Elastic thread, you can get a Gutterman one. They have an elastic thread spool. It’s actually only 11 yards per spool, so you can imagine how bulky it would be. Um, so you want to make sure you get enough to do whatever project you’re working with.

And I think a common misconception is that if you’re sewing with a stretchy fabric, that you should use an elastic thread or a stretchy thread, that’s actually not the case. We have a whole episode about sewing with knits, and mostly you’re going to be using zigzag stitches, other stretch stitches.

And elastic thread is great for elastic waistbands, for ruffles, and for techniques like shirring which is a gathering technique that creates a stretchy garment or stretchy portion of a garment. So check out the Ariana Dress by Style Arc. Has that beautiful shirred panel in the back. It’s also very comfortable to wear, and there’s no need for a zipper, a button, or anything. Also, the Carter Dress by Seamwork has this beautiful shirred waistband that just tucks in the dress. And again, super, super comfortable.

Caroline: I love those two patterns.I really want to make the Ariana dress.

Helen: Me too. It’d be super fun. So elastic thread is thicker than normal thread, quite a bit thicker. And it’s made from the same stretchy material as the elastic that you see in wider strips, just the normal elastic that you would put in your swimwear or in your waistband. And it’s more similar to elastic than it is to thread. So if you’re looking for it in your local fabric shop, check out the elastic section. It might be there instead of in the thread section.

And to sew with elastic thread, you have to hand wind the bobbin. So you do it without stretching the thread, as you’re winding it. You can’t just stick your thread in the machine and put it through your tension disc cause it will pull it, and it will end up all stretched on the bobbin. And try to wind more than one bobbin because it doesn’t hold a lot of that thread, so you’re going to run out often. So prepare yourself ahead of time, and wind a bunch.

And then you’re only threading the bobbin of the machine with the elastic. You’re threading the top of your sewing machine with your regular sewing machine thread. And you’re only putting the elastic thread in the bobbin. And always leave a couple of inches of a thread tail when you stop sewing so that you can properly tie it off because it is stretchy. So don’t use your thread cutter on your sewing machine. That’s not going to give you enough of a tail.

Caroline: This is all really, really great information, especially the hand winding your bobbin. I would never have thought that was necessary. I’ve never hand wound a bobbin, but I guess if you only have 11 yards of thread on a spool, you could probably do that in just a couple of minutes.

Helen: Yeah. I don’t even know if 11 yards would fit on the bobbin either.

Caroline: Yeah. Oh my gosh. So cool.

Helen: Yeah. And a walking foot can help if you’re working with elastic thread as well. And again, I’ve never done it before. So this is all just my research online. Um, it looks like a lot of fun, so I hope that more people want to try it, too.

Caroline: Yeah, we gotta do that this summer. Okay. What about metallic thread?

Helen: Ooh, also not an area I have a lot of expertise in.

Caroline: Metallic threads involve multiple layers of materials wrapped and twisted together. And this thread is used for decorative purposes due to its vibrancy and sheen. It’s known to be temperamental in machines though, so do be careful. The key is to stitch slowly, loosen your tension, and pair it with an all-purpose thread in the bobbin.

Helen: I love it.

Caroline: Where would you use a metallic thread?

Helen: Yeah. Uh, I mean, we’ve talked about putting it in a serger before to do a decorative edge or decorative hem, and then you just let that thread be.

Caroline: Just let it go.

Helen: Let it do the talking.

Caroline: Yeah I think it would be cool for embroidery projects, too. Or, like, adding some, kind of, like, jazz to, like, a hem or a neckline or something.

Helen: Oh yeah. A decorative stitch on your sewing machine and a metallic thread. Beautiful detail along a cuff or, maybe, the top of a pocket.

Caroline: Very cool.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: Yeah. So other types of thread that we’re not going to talk about today are linen thread, rayon thread, there are many more. I know, in the quilting world, there are so many different categories of cotton thread. So we’re not going to get into that too much today, but just know we haven’t covered everything, just the ones that we think are relevant to garment sewing.

Helen: Hey, if you’re a thread expert, hit us up. What about selecting the right thread? We’ve gone through all of this. There’s a lot of options. How do you pick one?

Caroline: Yeah. So I think number one would be: follow your pattern instructions because sometimes certain projects call for a specific type of thread, and that might be mentioned in the instructions. So read through that to make sure that you have that covered, but beyond that, you definitely want to consider the fabric weight and fiber content when you’re choosing a thread.

So, like we talked about earlier, if your fabric is heavier, like super heavy, you might want to use, like, a topstitching thread or a Mara 70 or something heavier duty that’s just going to withhold that strength and stress on the seams. If you are sewing something that is lightweight, flowy, silky, you might want to use a lighter weight silk thread.

And then, fabric content also matters. So if you want to sew a cotton shirt, maybe you want to use a cotton thread, or maybe you want to use a silk thread so that it just breaks down more quickly over time. If you’re sewing with, like, polyester or nylon, you probably want to use a poly thread. So just, kind of, keep in mind, generally you’re matching fiber to fiber, if you can, but all-purpose thread works for pretty much everything.

Helen: And consider, also, how you’re going to care for the garment. Some threads don’t do well with high heat. Um, but generally again, the all-purpose thread is great for wash and wear clothes, hand wash clothes, dry clean clothes. It works great for most things.

Caroline: Yeah. So consider the type of garment, too. So if it’s an everyday garment, all-purpose thread’s going to work great. If it’s a special occasion or couture garment where you’re going to have a lot of hand stitching involved, silk thread would be an amazing investment. If it’s outdoor or, like, heavy duty, then you want to use a heavier duty thread.

Helen: Yes, and of course, don’t forget the needle. So getting the right needle and thread combination is just as important as the right fabric and thread combination. The very point of the needle is the part that’s interacting with, well, interacting the most with the fabric, but the eye of the needle is what’s interacting with the thread. So if the eye is too small for the thread, it can shred or break or end up with skipped stitches or affect your tension. You can’t just stick a topstitching thread into a delicate needle, they’re just not going to go well together.

Caroline: And another interesting thing to consider is the actual groove in that needle. So the groove is designed for the size of thread. So you want to compare the size of your thread to the size of the groove that runs down the needle to the eye. And if the groove cradles the thread, then you shouldn’t run into any issues.

Helen: I love it. Just a nice snug fit. Often the thread manufacturer actually can recommend a needle size on their website for a specific thread. So if you want to get very technical, you can figure out the perfect pairings and go from there.

Caroline: I think we should also touch on color matching because I feel like on the day-to-day in a sewing practice, like, when you’re picking out a thread, it can be really stressful to find the right color.

Helen: Yes. And honestly, I think we probably stress about it too much because most people aren’t up close and personal with our clothes and aren’t noticing that it’s a shade or two in either direction with color matching. And sometimes we have thread in our stash that could work perfectly, but we’re tempted to go to the store to get that perfect, perfect, perfect match, um, which is fine. In some cases, that’s great. So always a good idea to take a swatch with you to the store, or if you’re buying fabric at a store, just buy the thread at the same time, that’s what I try to do.

When I go to my local store and pull out the thread, lay it on top of the swatch to test the coloring together. I personally find that putting the three-dimensional spool onto the swatch or onto the fabric doesn’t give me the best idea of whether or not it’s going to match. So I like to unwind a few inches of the thread in the store and lay it on top and look at the thread flat on the fabric, and that gives me the best idea.

Caroline: Mhm, and take a step back because sometimes when you’re looking at it really up close, you’re like, oh my gosh, this isn’t a perfect match, but then, you know, hold it a couple of feet away from your head and then you’ll be like, oh, okay, it’s fine.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: I can’t really tell the difference between the thread of the fabric.

Helen: Yeah, and if you’re having trouble getting the thread loose off the spool in the store, because it’s really in that groove and you can’t get the tip of the tip of it free, you can actually just twist that bottom part of the spool where the groove is, and the thread will start to come loose. Then you can pull it off easily and wind it back up when you’re done. Don’t leave the loose threads for the people at the store, please.

Caroline: And what if you can’t find a perfect thread match?

Helen: Typically, I go with a darker shade, as it tends to blend a bit more than lighter shades unless I’m working with a really light fabric, and in that case, a lighter thread tends to work better.

Caroline: Mhm, I also find, like, especially when we’re looking serger threads, often a gray will blend in really beautifully with a lot of different colors.

Helen: Mhm.

Caroline: So I wouldn’t be too choosy with matching your serger thread unless you’re really into those details.

Helen: Yeah, and remember, of course, your serger thread is on the inside of your garment. So sometimes textiles have different colors on one side or the other, like with denim it’s blue on one side and, maybe, whitish gray on the other. So a gray thread works perfectly there.

Caroline: Mhm, I feel like we need to talk about hand stitching because this episode is about thread, and you need thread for hand stitching.

Helen: You definitely do. And we talked with Susan Khalje about hand sewing tips. Um, we also talked with Brooks Ann Camper about hand sewing. So Susan recommends coating your thread in beeswax to make it stronger, and this can really help you when you’re hand sewing. So to coat your thread in beeswax, you can simply run your thread through a beeswax block, or if you have something like Thread Heaven on hand, you can run it through that. And then you can put it in a press cloth and use your iron to heat up the wax and use a scrap piece of cotton or muslin fabric. Designate that as your beeswax press cloth.

Caroline: Mhm, that’s a really good point. Wax is going to melt under the press cloth in the iron, and it’s going to make the thread actually feel a lot different. It’s going to give it some strength and also make it not so soft and tangly. And it also helps for the thread to glide through the fabric as your hand sewing.

Helen: I’m reminded as well of Natalie Chanin. She was talking about loving your thread where you just pull it through your fingers multiple times just to relax it, so it doesn’t have so much curl to it…

Caroline: Not so bouncy.

Helen: …so that, so you can just calm it down a little bit before you get going, and that actually does make a big difference in the amount of tangles that you get.

Caroline: Yeah, and you can also use something like a thread conditioner. I know Thread Heaven has been discontinued, but I still have some in my stash, and I really love that as a beeswax alternative. Um, it does exactly the same thing, but you don’t have to run it under an iron.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: Another thing we wanted to mention about hand sewing is a tip from Brooks Ann Camper. We’ve talked about this on the show before, but basically, thread has a direction. So when you’re hand sewing, you have the best results if you thread the end that comes off the spool into the needle, the fibers are actually wound in this direction and working with a twist is going to give you less knots and tangles. So Brooks Ann says that an easy way to remember is that you thread the same end when using your sewing machine.

Helen: Yeah, exactly. So don’t thread the end that you cut on the spool.

Caroline: Yeah. Got it right this time.

Helen: Such a great tip.

Caroline: Yes.

Helen: Also, if you are hand sewing, silk thread can be great for sewing with delicate fabrics, and remember to choose the correct hand sewing needle, too. Thinner needles for delicate fabrics, heavier or thicker needles for heavier projects. And use a thimble, people. Get yourself one of those thimbles. It’s so helpful, and it protects the skin on your fingers from getting calloused or pierced.

A while back, we shared on the show which finger you’re supposed to put your thimble on. And I saw quite a few people posting saying that it blew their mind and that they didn’t realize it was supposed to be on either your ring finger or your middle finger, and then you hold your needle with your pointer and your thumb. And you’re actually using the thimble to push the back of the needle through. It’s not for the other hand to protect it, coming out the other side from getting pricked, it’s to help push. And that really speeds up the process as well.

Caroline: Yeah, and we love the ergonomic thimbles from Prym. I think you might have one from Dritz, as well. But they’re really great. They’re, like, silicone, and they have these, sort of, diagonal holes going into them, so you can really get a good grip on that needle as you’re pushing it through. They’re really comfy, and they come in different sizes.

Helen: Mhm, okay. So, Caroline, can thread be fun?

Caroline: Uh, yes, it can.

Helen: What are some fun things you could do with thread?

Caroline: Well, I think one simple fun thing you can do is contrasting topstitching. So try a fun contrast in color, or maybe a coordinating color. I’m imagining, like, a light khaki with, like, a brown topstitching or a blue with a darker blue or vice versa. I think it can look really sleek. You just have to be a little bit of a slow sewist so that you make sure that you get those lines really nice and crisp and beautiful so that they look good in the end.

Helen: Yeah. You can pick out some detail in the print. I made my tiger shirt dress, uh, it’s a navy base with gold tigers on it. And I used gold thread on the pockets to accentuate where the pockets were, and it really looked super cool.

Caroline: Ooh. So you used gold thread only on the pockets, not for everything else.

Helen: Yeah, I didn’t use it everywhere. I just wanted the pockets to pop because I was doing perfect pattern matching with that project. So the pockets were blending in, but also standing out as a nice contrast.

Caroline: Oh, that’s such a great idea. You can also do decorative stitches along a hem, or maybe a neckline, you know, all of those, like, hundreds of stitches that we have in our sewing machines that we don’t use. It’s actually really fun to add that to, like, the hem of a dress, especially if you’re using, like, a vintage pattern or vintage-inspired pattern. I think it’s a really nice detail. Totally.

Helen: Also, thread chains. I find those very satisfying to sew. You’ll see them connecting a lining to a jacket on the inside. Often at the underarm, you’re connecting those two with a thread chain. You can use thread chains to create loops that go over buttons, and they’re just really satisfying to watch and to make, so check them out. Get a YouTube video. It’s very soothing.

Caroline: Yeah. They actually look, kind of,intimidating, but then when you learn how to do it, you’re like, wow, my fingers just do this. And I don’t even know what I’m doing, and it’s happening, and it’s working.

Helen: I know.

Caroline: That’s how I feel about thread chains. They, kind of, blow my mind.

Helen: Yeah, and rainbow thread. I see a lot of people using rainbow thread in jeans or other projects. Um, there’s other fun variegated serger cones that create cool effects, different colors, so great for the inside of an unlined jacket or a pair of pants that you’re going to cuff at the bottom, adds that extra pop of color, super fun.

Caroline: Speaking of cuffs. I love a good contrasting serger thread. We have used red looper threads in our serger for jeans that are going to be cuffed. It, kind of, creates, like, a faux selvage denim look. Um, but it doesn’t have to be red. You can use, like, a bright pink or, like, a lime green or something really fun that pops just for a cuff. It’s just a little pop of color.

Helen: Love it.

Caroline: Okay. We did have some additional, kind, of tips and thoughts and, maybe, some troubleshooting help that we wanted to throw in here at the end. I mean, the first thing is I feel like we need to acknowledge thread chicken because it’s a game that is never fun to play. Sometimes I don’t even know I’m playing it. Never fun.

Helen: It’s too late to play. I think it’s fun.

Caroline: I mean, I don’t think it’s fun.

Helen: I love watching those, I mean, it’s annoying because you know, you’re going to have to change it, but I, kind of, love watching those final few bars of thread on my spool disappear. I’m, like, on the hem, and you’re not sure you’re going to make it.

Caroline: Oh my gosh. But in all seriousness, I think it’s always good to get in the habit of checking how much thread you have in your top thread, and also your bobbin, periodically throughout your project, especially before you finish off, like, a large hem. Because this is often at the end of a project, and it’s just the time when your threads start to run out. How many times have you run out of thread, like on a hem of a dress? Like, at the very end? You’re like, home stretch… I just have to do the hem.

Helen: Oh yeah. And the worst is if you don’t realize for several feet of a circle skirt or something.

Caroline: It’s true. That’s happened to me way too many times, and it’s always just face palm moment where I’m like, why didn’t I check?

Helen: Oh yeah.

Caroline; And if you really listened, too, I find I can hear when it happens. Sometimes if I’m really paying attention to the sounds of my machine. Often I have, like, background music or a podcast on, so I don’t really notice, but if you’re listening, you can usually tell when you run out of thread.

Helen: My new machine has a bobbin running out beep.

Caroline: But then you just let it beep, and keep going.

Helen: Oh yeah. Because what am I, I’m going to take it out and unwind it? No, I want to use every inch of that thread.

Caroline: It’s true. I also wanted to give a tip of, like, considering how much bobbin thread that you’re going to need for a specific project. So, for short projects, like, for example, like an Ashton top or like just a simple boxy top, I would only wind half a bobbin because, for me, bobbins are, like, a commodity. Hard to find in my sewing room, hard to find available ones. So I don’t like having tons of, like, half used bobbins, especially if it’s a color that I don’t see myself using in the near future again. And for bigger projects, I wind two bobbins, so I don’t get, kind of, stalled halfway through, in the flow of my sewing project, having to wind another bobbin.

Helen: That’s really smart. I should do that more often. I do tend to overbuy thread which we haven’t talked about yet either, but I almost always buy two spools, or even three, because I really do not want to have to go back to the store.

Caroline: It’s true. I do, too. I tend to buy too much thread. Yeah, it’s good. It’s like you’re building up your stash. It’s like fabric.

Helen: Yeah, exactly. Um, so what if you run out of thread and you, it’s 10 o’clock at night, you want to finish your project, and you’re out. What can you do?

Caroline: Ooh, one thing I like to do when that happens is often, like, you’ll run out of thread, for example, on the top thread, but you still have a little bit of bobbin thread left. Take that bobbin thread spool, put it on the top. Use that for the part that’s going to be visible, and then use, like, a coordinating color or a very similar color in your bobbin. So you’re just switching out your bobbin thread, putting it in the main, you know, main actor role.

Helen: Yeah.

Caroline: And your supporting role, it can be not an exact match because it’s not going to be visible.

Helen: Yeah. Speaking of that, sometimes if I want to get sewing and I don’t have a perfect match or enough thread in a perfect match, I’ll do, like, all of the construction seams in a black thread or gray thread, something that’s neutral, it’s not going to show that much and save my precious matching thread for only the topstitching and see if I can make it work. Again, thread chicken. I think it’s fun.

Caroline: Oh, we disagree on that one.

Helen: So, Caroline, you have a tip for us I hear?

Caroline: It’s the mind blowing one of the episode and that’s that you can pull off the end of a thread spool. Now, longtime listeners, this might be, not be shocking to you because we’ve, have mentioned it on the show before, but you can actually pull off the bottom end of a thread spool. This is applying to, like, Gutterman, Mettler, I’m not sure if it’s every single brand, but the most common brands that I use, you can just pull it right off. This is super helpful if you are having trouble getting that thread out of, like, the little groove, initially.

Sometimes it’s tucked really far in there, and you can’t even reach the end of the thread. You can just pull off the end and get it out right away. It also has these really cool little, like, long compartments hidden inside where you can put hand sewing needles. I’ve totally used that, like, if I’m on the go and I want to bring some mending with me, just take a thread, spool, throw a hand sewing needle in there, grab my little snips and I’m good to go, and it’s all, kind of, compact. I don’t have any loose needles in my bag.

Helen: Yeah, it really is one of those fun sewing tips that if you’re new to it, it’s a bit mindblowing.

Caroline: Yeah.

Helen: The end comes off the thread spool. Nobody told me!

Caroline: We’ll have to post a video on Instagram this week of that.

Helen: Yeah, that would be fun. Alright, when it comes to shopping, stock up on neutral thread colors. We talked about this but, for example, black, white, off-white, gray, khaki, navy, red. Gutterman actually has a package that contains all of these main colors. And oftentimes you can work with one of these colors in a pinch if you run out, or just think about what colors you use often. Consider the colors that you’re wearing.

For us, it’s probably more in the neutral tone with some rust and some olive thrown in there, maybe a bit of denim-y blue. And it’s more cost-effective to buy larger schools of those commonly used colors, so instead of buying the single smaller spools, get a big, big boy. Caroline: Mhm, and on websites like WAWAK and Cleaner’s Supply, you can get those big spools for a really, really great price. So I definitely recommend checking that out.

Helen: Mhm.

Caroline: So send us your feedback. We want to know what is your favorite kind of thread? Do you have any juicy thread stories to share with us, perhaps a very exciting game of thread chicken that you want to tell us about? Tag us in an Instagram story or post on social media, send us a voicemail, an email, a DM. We love hearing from you. We want to hear your thread stories.

Helen: Yes.

Caroline: That’s it for this Love to Sew favorite, we’ll be back in September with our new season. And in the meantime, you can find me Caroline at blackbirdfabrics.com and Helen at helensclosetpatterns.com and our Love to Sew swag shop at lovetosewshop.com.

Helen: We’re recording in beautiful British Columbia, Canada, and you can get in touch with us and get links for everything we talked about in this episode at lovetosewpodcast.com. Just search for the episode title.

Caroline: And of course, if you want to join our Patreon fam, now is a great time to start. For just $5 U.S. per month, you’ll get access to our monthly bonus episode. And $10 U.S. per month will get you a 15% off discount code for Blackbird Fabrics, Helen’s Closet, and our Love to Sew swag shop, plus a bonus mini-sode. Go to patreon.com/lovetosew for more info.

Helen: Thanks to our amazing podcast team. And thank you all so much for listening. We’ll talk to you soon.

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