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shantell Oct 1, 2005

Do you order matching thread when you order your fur?  I seem to be unable to find matching thread...maybe I should just use translucent or "invisible" thread instead.  I wonder if my color distinction has gone wacky!!!

What about foot pad material?

It what I call a da-lem-la

Pipa Oct 1, 2005

Hi Shantell, i purchase my thread from a sewing shop that sells all sorts of threads and they have every colour under the sun so i buy the colours to match the stash of fabric i have in and then i know i always have some thread to match !   

shantell Oct 1, 2005

I've tried that...however, my local craft store carries lots of cotton thread in a fairly decent array of colors which is great for my quilting habit...but not so good my for newly acquired bear habit.  They have about 6 colors of upholstery thread and some polyester thread...some all purpose thread.  I've become somewhat disillusions with them in the recent months...they aren't meeting my "bear" expectations.       Or perhaps I'm just being too fussy and the thread doesn't have to match "perfect."

Shall I complain?  Kidding...

SueAnn Help Advisor, Banner SponsorOct 2, 2005

You will find many colors of upholstery thread right here at Intercal, Shantell!!  www.intercaltg.com/catalog/supplies.html#mastex

shantell Oct 2, 2005

Sue Ann...that is exactly what made me wonder if others just order thread at the same time.  I was perusing around Intercal earlier today during my big day of doing absolutely nothing productive and invisioning how I could spend my childrens inheritance on things like mohair, glass eyes, etc.    

Carolyn Green Oct 2, 2005

Hi Shantell,

I always buy matching thread when I buy my mohair from Intercal.
the thread is always a great match.

Hugs
Carolyn

jenny Oct 2, 2005

I tend to get the really large reels of thread in kind of basic colours....like off-white which does for all my light fabrics....a biscuity brown which does for all the browns and golds...and a dark grey which does for all my greys and blacks.....I'm not much into 'colours' so I never need pink ..or green etc!!

That way I don't need to keep millions of colours in ..

For paw pads I do have a huge stash of colours to match my fabrics....in ultrasuede, felt and cashmere...

I am a panic buyer of fabric and paw pad material...I always think there's going to be world shortage!!!!

Jenny

Jellybelly Bears Oct 2, 2005

I use matching thread, but I choose myself if I don't have one already...I have sooo much cotton! 

clare14 Oct 2, 2005

I too have tonnes of thread, and usually have the correct shade in there somewhere for my chosen fabric.

If I can't find the correct colour and can't find anything suitable I use invisible thread.   I don't like it much, but I do use it!

Eileen Oct 3, 2005

I'm having such trouble finding good quality upholstery thread that I think I'll start ordering it from Intercal too.

I can't even find perle cotton anywhere here--so much for the Big City, folks  !

Our local Walmart carries a few basic colors of Gutermann, our Fabricland carries a few more, but it's a constant hassle, not worth the time and travel.

I love the artificial sinew for hand-sewing, but the colors are limited.

Besides, I like getting the packages!

Eileen

psichick78 Oct 4, 2005

I'm pretty impaired when it comes to matching colors. Maybe I'm a little color blind. So, there is a sweet little sewing store in my area that I go to. The owner is a great lady and she always helps me pick out matching thread. I just bring in the mohair i want to use and she does the rest. I like this because I can get a collection of thread slowly, but now I'm wondering if I should be buying the larger spools. Maybe just in the basic colors like Jenny does.
it's a little bit of a pain, to buy thread for each bear, but it's nice to shop, and the store owner has become a fan of my bears ( she's never seen an artist bear before ) and she has just recently bought one after begging me to show her some of my bears.
Although, I have HUGE, HUGE spools of clear nylon thread. It's called philament. Got it from my grandparents after they closed doen their drapery shop. It was used in the huge quilting machines that quilts bed spreads. Great stuff, and really strong. But I still like to buy thread.
And that's my ramble for the day!!  :dance:
Heather

Judi Oct 4, 2005

I really like the uphostery thread.  Yo need a really good quality strong thread especailly when needle sculpting eye sockets, etc.

I am like Jenny.  I have the basic tones and these generally work for any color of fur or mohair.  You're not going to see the stitching anyway.  If I also tend to go a bit lighter with my thread than the color of the fur/mohair.

Shelli Retired Help Advisor, Banner SponsorOct 4, 2005

I'm with Judi.  I have about four or five colors (black, white, cream, a couple of browns -- basically everything JoAnne's carries that could possibly match mohair!) and they all seem to work with all mohairs.

I use upholstery thread to stitch EVERYTHING.

shantell Oct 4, 2005

I went to Joann's (my craft store...if that's what you want to call it  ) and purchased every color of upholstery thread they had in any color I thought I might use...which meant I didn't buy green (which I love) and came home with only 6 spools ranging from cream to black.

I even asked them if they ever get any other colors...she looked at me like...why would you want more.  I guess I'll be order some others online if I need them.   Ahem...such is life!

psichick78 Oct 4, 2005

Question, can you use upolstery thread on your sewing machine? I thought it was too thick, but maybe I'm wrong. I just use polyester thread, but would like some stronger stuff.
Thanks
Heather

kbonsall Oct 4, 2005

I have a white, a brown a dark brown and  a black (upholstry thread that is) - for my minis I have monofiliment thread (clear thread)

Shelli Retired Help Advisor, Banner SponsorOct 4, 2005

Oh yeah, you can for sure use upholstery thread in your machine.  I only ever sew with it; never ever bother with anything else.  It's terrifically strong, and lets me get away with NOT double stitching seams, except where prudence demands I should, because it's almost impossible to break, unless you take something sharp (like scissors) to it.

psichick78 Oct 4, 2005

Thanks Shelli, Did you have to adjust your machine, or could I just pop it in there?
Heather

Eileen Oct 4, 2005

Strangely enough, I've actually used upholstery thread for upholstering and slipcovering.  :angel:

You don't need to adjust your machine to use it. Just adjust for the thickness of whatever you're sewing. This stuff is nice and strong and nicely finished--not quite waxy, but not quite not--so it doesn't snaggle as syntetics do.

Eileen

carsoncreations Oct 5, 2005

Oh yeah, you can for sure use upholstery thread in your machine.

Shelli,

I have never tried the upholstery thread as it looks to be very heavy for machine stitching.   So glad it works for you. 

I have used the Coats hand quilting thread and was reprimanded by my sewing machine repairman.  So I switched to Coats Dual Duty Plus Machine Quilting and Crafts thread for my machine stitching.  It is a finer thread so it does not compromise the machine and is very strong.  It can be found at Walmart and JoAnne Fabrics which has more color choices.  True, there isn't a wide range of colors in the Coats machine quilting thread, but enough to do a variety of bears.

Recently I did a bear that needed a totally different color thread, so I tried the Gutterman threads.  I was very happy with them, but they are a bit pricey, so I keep swatches of mohair in my purse and whenever I find the thread on sale, I am able to stock up and get the colors I use the most.

I do double stitch heads as this is the one area where stress is magnified with needle sculpting and inserted eyes.  Don't want any seams bursting.

Amazing how the same end results can be obtained with many different sources.

Hugs,

Wanda

Delartful Bears Oct 5, 2005

:clap:  Oh goodie, I'm pleased to read that I'm not the only one that double stitches the heads - was wondering if I was doing the right thing - I'm very rough with my sculpting.
Danni

jenny Oct 5, 2005

I double stitch everything...even the ears...because I am paranoid I suspect. But I always think that by double stitching I have a safety net of knowing that if I am a bit wobbly on my first circuit I can correct it on my second. I have an industrial machine which goes like the clappers and I never hand stitch anything apart from the openings so it's quick anyway.

carsoncreations Oct 5, 2005

Danni,

Yes, when I start pinching and pulling while sculpting, I sure don't want any seams to give, so double stitching is the answer for me.

And Jenny, I have a machine with adjustable speed, so I always use the lowest speed and then no matter how hard I push on my pedal, the stitches are a slow consistent rate so I can manipulate the curves without too much trouble and in the end, it does save time, for I don't have to take out stitches that went wild out of my planned route, so to speak.

Just have to experiment to find whatever works for each of us.

Hugs,

Wanda

Helena Oct 5, 2005

Well, I just finished sewing my first complete bear with invisible thread and have to say it wasn't as bad as I thought it might be....I actually found it stronger than the Gutermann thread I usually use. But because it's less flexible it does seem to tangle around fingers, body parts, joints more easily, and it's not easy to see :P.

Dilu Oct 5, 2005

Shantell

I priced both brands of upholstery thread on as many sites as I could find- except e-bay....Intercal''s prices are right in the running.  So I did order the thread at the same time.  Now I just replace what I use up- black- and order colors I don't already have- so that I am not caught off guard.

But the old seamstress in me has the same mindset as Jenny- stock up and have everything on hand.

Besides I find that I use so much cross over-  now I am using my silk threads on the mini's-and I want every color God ever created for that.  It always amuses me when I start looking for something that I used to use in .....clothing, machine embroidery, quilting, applique, needle point, cross stitch, yikes!!!!

and the really neat thing about Intercal is the COUPONS !!!!  Gotta love the coupons- that has to be an insentive for ordering the thread from them-I have been known to add thread like black that I use an awful lot just to get an order up to $200= that save $10 equals my shipping costs- So I see it as free shipping!

Thanks Intercal