"XX weight" usually refers to cotton threads and is based on the cotton count of the number of 840 yard hanks obtained from 1 lb of fibres. Linen threads are usually measured by the number of 300 yard hanks obtained from 1 lb of fibres. Thus a number on a reel of linen thread is likely to be 2.8 times higher than the number on a reel of the "same size" cotton thread.
Modern sewing machine cotton (for ordinary sewing together of pieces of fabric) is generally 50/3 cotton count - or 32 wraps/cm. There aren't any 3 ply linen threads as fine as that - Fresia 100/2 and Bouc 90/2 are the nearest (if they are still available) and anything much finer is like hens' teeth! Brenda On 27 Jan 2013, at 01:57, Susan Reishus wrote: > The "33" weight sounds quite thick---"45" might be more > tolerable as many standard sewing threads are nowadays in the 50 range. And > then some threads are given a wt. that varies considerably, also. As I > mentioned, handkerchief linen typically requires 80 (and often 90) thread. Brenda in Allhallows www.brendapaternoster.co.uk - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lacemaker/sets/
