Thread education?

[DDandJ]

Can any of you great upholsterers educate me on thread?  Should I use nylon or polyester?  I see both in my supplier's catalog.  I've always used nylon but was wondering if anyone preferred polyester over nylon or vice versa.

Also, I don't undertand thread size.  The higher the number the finer the thread?  Or is it the other way around?

I'm trying to hone my blindstitching skills.  My local supplier carries #18 nylon hand stitching thread.  Do I really need this or can I just use the same thread I use on my machine?

[bobbin]

My knowledge of thread and its manufacture is really very weak.  But here is some of what I know:

1.)  the higher the number the heavier the thread.  69 is lighter weight than 92, 138 and 206 are commensurately heavier still.  I honestly can't remember the weight of the thread I run on my overlock machine (29?) and I think it's 46 (thereabouts) that is pretty stout for garment production.  It's been a long since I worked in the "rag biz". 
2.)  Nylon has it's application but if you're doing anything that is going to be subjected to the elements (sun) it's going to fail.  And quickly!  At the very least you should use 100% polyester thread for outdoor work.  We use a minimum of 92 for any marine work that will be exposed to UV rays. 
3.)  Polyester is the greatest thing since sliced bread.  It's strong, color-fast, and flexible.  When coupled with cotton  (in garment construction) it provides strength ("rot" protection) that will usually outlast the life of the garment.  The weight selected would depend on the weight of the fabric to be stitched together. 

I order a lot of thread through a site called The Thread Exchange.  Their FAQ page has perhaps the best summation of thread I've ever read. 

[sofadoc]

For indoor furniture, Bonded nylon #69 is the norm (also referred to as TEX-70). I also use bonded nylon #46 (TEX-45) for lighter weight jobs where I want a smaller needle/finer seam.

Bobbin is "dead on" on the outdoor #'s.

I've tried hand stitching with machine thread a few times. It's harder to tie it off. Too slick. The hand-stitch thread is waxy, so it clings while you're tying it off. I'd go with the hand-stitching thread (sometimes referred as" curve needle thread"). #18 is correct.

[bobbin]

Many more moons ago than I wish to recall I worked for a furrier.  Fur work often requires a good deal of hand sewing and we used to have packs of thread in the basic palette of furs that were specifically for hand work.  "Silamide skeins" sticks in my mind; a supplier I haven't used in years (Banasch's, Cincinnati, OH) used to carry them.  As Sofa. mentioned the thread was uncoated and it slid through the work easily and was easy to tie off. 

www.thethreadexchange.com

I looked it up and that should get you to their home page.  I use polyester exclusively only because I move between outdoor and indoor work so frequently.  I'd rather be safe than sorry, so it's polyester for me as far as furniture and slipcovers go!

[Tejas]

I'm still an amateur so beware of any recommendation. For marine applications exposed to the sun, at least say from Florida to Texas, you might want to consider Tenara thread. Pricy, but that's all I use.

[bobbin]

Tejas is entirely correct, Tenara is way more able to withstand the onslaught of Old Sol's rays than V92.

The price difference will overwhelmingly determine your thread choice. 

[Eaglewis]

I was simply told-69 nylon for indoor upholstery and 92 polyester for marine and outdoor upholstery. So that's what I'm going with till I figure out different.

Wade

[DDandJ]

Thanks everyone for the input.  I only do furniture (so far) and am using the 69 nylon.

I ordered two spools of #18 nylon hand stithing thread.  One black and one beige.  I'm going the blind stitch the back of a chair.  Any tips on blind stitching?  Start from the top and go down?  Keep the stitch straight (how??)?

I watched Mike802's wing chair videos on youtube and watched as he blind stitched the outside pieces of the chair.  Very impressive.

[sofadoc]

I like to start from the top and go down. That way I can hide an ugly knot on the bottom when I tie it off (or even staple it).
I never hand stitch anymore, unless it's a delicate velvet that might bruise if I used nail strip or Pli-Grip.

On the whole "indoor vrs. outdoor" thing, several years ago I had a lady bring in some patio cushions. She needed them ASAP for a party. I was out of 92 polyester thread. She told me to go ahead and use the 69 nylon because thay were going to enclose the patio real soon.
7-8 years later she brings the same cushions back in to be covered again. They never got around to enclosing that patio, so the cushions were at least partially exposed to the elements ever since.
Of course the thread was rotten, but it had actually outlasted the fabric that it was holding together. The fabric was completely disintegrated.
Don't sell #69 nylon short, it's better than you think. And expensive thread like Tenera just might be "overkill" for many applications.

[superfly]

Thanks for this it helps me a lot.
Now I know which thread to use for my little project  ;)

[DDandJ]

The #18 handstitching thread worked like a champ.  I started at the top and worked my way down the sides.  I think using the correct thread made my stitching better.

I, too, have used nylon thread on outdoor cushions.  Only because I was ignorant of polyester thread.  I'll get a couple of spools of poly to keep on hand.  I'm glad to hear the nylon thread outlasted the fabric.  I actually did a lot of outdoor cushions several years ago and no one has come back with any complaints.  They were for people I know well.  Trust me, if the cushions fell apart I'd hear about it.  Lol.

[ahkahn]

Basically, my understanding is that the thread number is an abbreviation of the denier of the thread.  For example, 69 is really 690 denier.  92 is 920 denier, and so on.

This is some great information:

http://www.thethreadexchange.com/miva/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=TTE&Category_Code=nylon-thread-information

http://www.thethreadexchange.com/miva/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=TTE&Category_Code=polyester-thread-information

-Andrew

[Gregg @ Keystone Sewing]

Basically, my understanding is that the thread number is an abbreviation of the denier of the thread.  For example, 69 is really 690 denier.  92 is 920 denier, and so on.

This is some great information:

http://www.thethreadexchange.com/miva/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=TTE&Category_Code=nylon-thread-information

http://www.thethreadexchange.com/miva/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=TTE&Category_Code=polyester-thread-information

-Andrew

Andrew,

I have some A & E charts, but THIS is the information I've been looking for.  I know/thought I knew most of this, but it's ALL HERE.  I WILL BE USING THIS!

Thanks!