Cherry Blossoms

I’ve just been loving Thread Week! I hope you have too. There have been so many useful thoughts about different threads for different techniques. Today, I want to talk about machine embroidery thread!

My go-to is Isacord 40 wt. polyester. I love its sheen, huge color selection, strength, and how consistently it stitches. And since 40 wt. is such a workhorse for machine embroidery, it’s what I reach for most often.

A few quick thread tips:

Thread weight matters, the higher the number, the finer the thread. Changing weights can change the look, and even the coverage of a design.

Match your needle to your thread. Shredding, skipped stitches, or breaks? The needle is one of the first things I check.

Don’t forget the bobbin! I pair Isacord with OESD bobbin thread, its finer weight helps reduce bulk on the back of the embroidery.

Use a thread stand. I love the multiple spool stand available for my BERNINA. It helps larger cones feed smoothly, plus I can line up my colors in stitching order.

I always do a test stitch! Fabric, stabilizer, needle, thread, and design density all work together, so a quick test can save a lot of frustration.

And, of course, there’s COLOR! Sometimes changing just one thread color can completely change the personality of a design.

Next week on Quilty Quips, we’ll share a little more about ourselves. You’ve heard about our first quilts, now we’ll tell you how we became designers!

Stay tuned and tell me, what’s your favorite embroidery thread?

If you follow me or have ever taken a class with me, you know I love a good sewing tool, especially one that makes a job easier or solves one of those little problems we run into all the time.

And I think of these as tools, not gadgets. These are things I reach for again and again, and don’t want to sew without!
So, in no particular order, here are five of my must-haves:

1. Zirkel Magnetic Pin Holder: when I’m sewing and pulling pins as I go, I don’t want to stop and find my pincushion. I just toss the pin in the general direction of my Zirkel and, zip! …that strong magnet grabs it, you don’t even need good aim!

2. Clover Yarn Threader: I’m not confessing how many of these I own! There’s one by every machine, by my handwork chair, in the car... you get the idea. I use it for wool, embroidery and cross stitch, and with a Clover Gold Eye Chenille #24 needle to bury threads when doing machine appliqué. It makes threading a needle a breeze!

3. Wonder Clips… in ALL sizes: binding? Wonder Clips. Thick bag layers? Wonder Clips. Vinyl that I don’t want to pin? Wonder Clips. There always seems to be a size that’s just right for the job, so yes, I need them all!

4. Seam Ripper/Stiletto Combo: the seam ripper is for those rare occasions when something needs to be “unsewn.” Haha!! Flip it around and the stiletto becomes my extra finger for guiding little pieces right up to the needle. Two tools in one, just perfect!

5. Dovo Hardanger Snips: all-time favorite and most used scissors in my studio or on the go! They’re tiny, sharp and precise for close trimming and getting into those little spaces. I use them both at my sewing machine or for all handwork.

So there you have it, five tools that have earned their place in my sewing room!

Did we introduce you to a new “must-have” this week? Or do you have a favorite tool I need to know about? Tell me in the comments!

And join us next week for Quilty Quips, when we’ll talk about our favorite threads and why different threads really do matter for different jobs!