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Creative Design Studio (RKR4CDS)Haven't we had this discussion before??
Snopes doesn't have it or I'm looking under the wrong headings and it's not in our Library (Joints/Materials) .
Wasn't the conclusion that it doesn't disintegrate but that artificial sinew or upholstery Conso & Mastex hold up better in the long run?
Help/Input, pls???
Here's a thread on that, Bobbie: http://www.teddy-talk.com/viewtopic.php?id=609
hey Shelli - I read this 'thread' thread with interest and it made me think back to the leather-sewing conversation we had about my ostrich and the problems you were having with your thread not catching and pulling back up. if you are sewing with nylon upholstery thread on leather, your problem might be your thread. nylon thread frequently slips, at least on my machine, on leather. to be honest, I don't think you need to be using upholstery thread on the machine at all. I sew everything on the machine with regular gutterman thread. I've done so for the last 12 years and have never had a problem, even on my really big pieces (all of my stuff is pretty hefty, Don Quixote is 36" w/out his helmet & weighs about 25lbs and the 22" bear under my avatar is about 15lb - and he's gone through airport security, been manhandled by Customs, passed around a plane and been hugged by many a child)
if you're not comfortable with regular thread, try Gutterman's upholstery thread, which has a more 'cottony' feel and a softer hand. I use mastex upholtery thread to close seams and set eyes, but I attach my leather noses with regular Gutterman - and I pull pretty hard. the key is your thread tension, you've got to go slow and steady
and you can't do it with Coats & Clark, which snaps when hand sewing and frays on the machine (esp leather)
I had my first experience with Coats recently ... urgh. 
I also have a huge selection of colors that I picked up at a factory outlet in Germany. it's called SABA / AMANN and it sews beautifully on fabric and most mohairs. it's stronger than Coats but not as tough as Gutterman (I didn't know anything about thread at the time, but it was 1 euro for a 1000M spool and I think I bought enough for a lifetime. . . )
BrisbaneI once used Guttermans to sew leather pads onto my pawpads. It worked wonderfully. And I agree with slow and steady though.
Creative Design Studio (RKR4CDS)and you can't do it with Coats & Clark,
Isn't that cotton-covered polyester? The cotton shreds off as it can't stand up to the abrasion of sewing. (Funny, that's what I think it was manufactured for)
I LOVE Mettler's Metrosene Plus - - but the best of it is marked Swiss Made. They moved to Germany and the twist isn't as tight as before. Those spools used to GLOW on the racks. Reflected jewel tones. Not all of them do that not. I could hand-sew several full body parts with the same threaded needle and it never even developed the crimp over the needle eye.
From my Viking/Husqvarna shop I was told: Guttermann's was reported to've started in Germany but has moved operations to Mexico. Their thread always was fuzzier on the spools than Mettler's (they don't glow w/reflected light in the stores.) Next time you're there, compare the 2 brands side-by-side).
They're both all poly so they don't have the cotton problem; but twist does make a stronger product.
I thought G's was a step down from Mettler.
wow, thanks, Bobbie! I've never heard of Mettler's, so I went and googled it (there are so few references to it online that your post about the couch was the 3rd listing! I also found a scource - and this little tidbit. . .
http://www.craftconn.com/Main.asp?Task= … out+Thread
anyway, I will track some down and give it a try. and yet again, another reason this list is so valuble - the smarts of the real pros! thanks again, bobbie!
Posts: 3,540Ironically I sew by hand and I've used nothing but Coats & Clark's the whole time. I ferret out their button thread for the most strength and durability, and I can say its held up beautifully! I've had one of my bears attacked by a beagle puppy (and it took years before I had the truth from the owners 
) The fur didn't hold up to the puppy, but the lining and the stitching did.
Its interesting to learn about the Guttermans and the Mettler's though. I'd thought the Guttermans was 'fuzzier' the last time I bought threads.
hey Debbie! I've never had a problem sewing with Coat's button/upholstery thread either, it's the regular thread I've been talking about. I'll use any kind of thread for sewing clothing & embroidery (but I still find that Coat's regular thread snaps when dong something as simple as sewing on a button) (unfortunately, initially I scoffed at my momma when she said there was a difference between threads and bought a huge roll of everything coats had on the rack - 12 years later it's still cluttering up the thread drawer but it does come in handy when I need a certain color)
speaking of which. . I used to buy an incredibly strong bonded nylon from Spare Bear Parts. they seem to have folded and I'm almost out, does anyone have a clue to where more might be found? it was unbranded, came in great colors and is the strongest thread I've ever used. I bought a box of every color and I'm down to my last few spools.
speaking of threads. . . are we double threading here??? :crackup:
q.D.paToOtieSI had my first experience with Coats recently ... urgh. :mad:
Ugh, I hear you Paula. I have some older Coats that works beautifully and bought some new when the store had a 50% sale. I noticed that the packaging had changed and that there was more on the spool even though it said it was the exact same thread (button, coat, and upholstery). I have been SADLY disappointed. I'm going out to another store today that has the older thread and stock up! The new one twists, and knots, and tangles way too much for my liking!!!
Creative Design Studio (RKR4CDS)Yes, we're double-threading here, though they began as separate 'threads'...
so I went and googled it
I'm glad you Googled them, but was EXTREMELY disappointed to read only their COTTON thread listed.
This is a quilting shop/supplier, so of course they'd feature only the Cotton line.
I use only the "Metrosene plus", and it's 100% polyester. It's an absolute work horse. The button twist and cordonnet are strong threads, but one doesn't always want the heavier/thicker threads This is regular sewing wt.
http://www.amefird.com/mettlermetrosene … ochure.pdf
I was buying the original Swiss Made spools on eBay about 10 years ago and had over 500 spools of just this brand on hand.
After NFing, I gave them all away except about 2 doz basic colors.
M'sMP was equal to Gutemann's in my arsenal, but I thought just a bit less fuzzy See below for independent agreement on my theory! Everyone should print out this page... and carry a magnifying glass with you to the sewing shops...
Compare prices & Shipping
http://www.elegantstitches.com/Thread-Machine.htm
http://www.bymichelle.com/thread.html
This from the site of a designer of huge kites:
If you MUST go to the fabric store, use Mettlers Metrosene, Güterman, or Mölnlycke thread only.
Friends don't let friends sew with anything by Coats and Clark** from the sewing store.**Note: Coats & Clark is now making an excellent industrial/commercial grade dabond thread
Another site:
For thread, go with a good quality poly (I like Mettler's Metrosene, and
Empress Mills for the serger. Gutterman is OK< but less wonderful than
it used to be!),
That goes back to my saying that they've (M and G) both changed manufacturing locations and the materials are not as good as they were 10 years ago.
OK, got to start my day!
Past Time BearsI have used C & C upholstery thread for years - not in the machine, but for sewing up openings. Lately I've had much trouble finding this thread in fabric stores. I finally asked a salesperson what had happened to C & C upholstery thread. She looked at the display rack holding myriads of threads . . . none of which were 'upholstery', then opened up a little book hanging on the display. She finds out that the upholstery thread has been renamed 'heavy' thread and they are the same. So I bought "heavy" in the colors I needed, but haven't used any of it yet. We'll see if it's the same.
Hey Kelly... Thanks for the pointer! I DO use nylon upholestry thread so again, will take you up on your excellent suggestion next time in the hopes it's just a matter of thread choice that's been causing my stitches to slip.
Where HAVE you been all my life??? 
PS I use upholstery thread because I pull really hard with my hand stitching and kept breaking every other kind. But I don't necessarily think it's a prerequisite to making a good bear. It just stands up to ME better.
Love Bear ForeverCoats thread......
There are different yarn court on those thread so Lisa I am not sure if you have got the different yarn court of thread.
As I am in the garment industrial, coats thread are the best machine sewing thread in our trade.
I never face any problem using those thread.
Even our own garment production for heavy duty uniform we do not have any problem with it....
( But of course that time we will use a heavier yarn court thread)
So if you are facing problem with those thread, try with some heavier one 40's/3 ( regular what we are using are 40's/2)
Good luck !!!!! 
