Re: [h-cost] thread in general
Defiinitely depends on the machine - my Janome works just fine with the super-fine monofilament thread (YLI wonder thread, available from Clotilde or Nancys Notions) or the Sulky clear poly thread, but Pierre's Designer 1 hates it - won't sew, breaks the thread, tangles in big loops on the bottom of the fabric, etc. I don't use it for everything, but sometimes you need clear thread 'cause nothing else matches. I don't use the Coats monofilament though - the contrast between the two is like the difference between 2 lb. test and 50 lb. test fishing line. I have also noticed the decline in quality of Coats thread. Unfortunately, the other brands don't come in anywhere near as many colors (at least in our area). Sandy At 07:21 PM 5/10/2008, you wrote: >Sylvia Rognstad wrote: > > One question relating to threads I have is does anyone think > > that cotton covered poly threads are better or worse for regular > > machine sewing than all poly? >I think it is going to depend on your machine and what you are sewing. >Some of my older machines sew beautifully with silk and cotton threads, >but snarl on any kind of polyester or synthetic thread. My new >computerised Viking sews fine with brands like Metrosene and Mettler, >but shreds silk thread. > >Sadly, I noticed about 12 years ago that the quality of Coats & Clark >dropped significantly. They used to sell a rather smooth thread, and the >newer thread is much coarser and has more slubs in it by comparison. You >can see and feel the difference. > >Unfortunately, there isn't a good replacement for C&C. I was using >Signature brand for a while there, but they discontinued their cotton >home sewing thread a few years back, and I am down to my last couple of >spools of it. > >Dawn "Those Who Fail To Learn History Are Doomed to Repeat It; Those Who Fail To Learn History Correctly -- Why They Are Simply Doomed. Achemdro'hm "The Illusion of Historical Fact" -- C.Y. 4971 Andromeda ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] Overlocker thread
Sylvia Rognstad wrote: > One question relating to threads I have is does anyone think > that cotton covered poly threads are better or worse for regular > machine sewing than all poly? I think it is going to depend on your machine and what you are sewing. Some of my older machines sew beautifully with silk and cotton threads, but snarl on any kind of polyester or synthetic thread. My new computerised Viking sews fine with brands like Metrosene and Mettler, but shreds silk thread. When I sew cotton fabrics I like to sew with cotton thread so the fibers all react the same way in the wash. Cotton threads can shrink in the wash and cause your seams to be come puckered. > Joanns just discontinued the former. > And lost my thread business. I still buy cotton covered poly from Hancock's. Sadly, I noticed about 12 years ago that the quality of Coats & Clark dropped significantly. They used to sell a rather smooth thread, and the newer thread is much coarser and has more slubs in it by comparison. You can see and feel the difference. Unfortunately, there isn't a good replacement for C&C. I was using Signature brand for a while there, but they discontinued their cotton home sewing thread a few years back, and I am down to my last couple of spools of it. Dawn ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] Overlocker thread
I took a serging class at a community college with a woman who ran a sewing machine repair place (they sold used and Viking machines too.). She warned us that the large cones of thread sold as "serger thread" at places like Joannes were not good quality. (This does not include the quality threads like Gutterman etc -nor does it include the specialty threads like wooly nylon - they seem to work just fine) As a consequence I purchased thread from her but it never had any markings on it. I was fortunate enough to buy a set of the basic colors - black, white, cream, and grey That was almost 20 years ago and I still have plenty My guess is that it is industrial quality thread - and oddly enough we have several of those tailoring ends/discount fabric stores in Phoenix that sells trims, buttons, fabric, etc. They also sell what looks like thread cones which were used in industrial sewing construction, but perhaps were so color specific that when they were done with the "run" they just got rid of the thread. So, I guess I'd call it "used" thread - but I have never had any problems with any of it. Who knows who made it! Sg > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Sat, 10 May 2008 > 16:17:31 -0500> Subject: Re: [h-cost] Overlocker thread> > > I have an older > Viking, and if I use the cheap coned thread on that machine > I have no end > of trouble. Skipped stitches, bobbin snarls, tension binding, > etc. I > generally use Gutterman, which I think is a cotton/poly thread.> > Denise B> > Iowa > > ___> h-costume mailing > list> h-costume@mail.indra.com> > http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] Overlocker thread
>I never use cotton thread for anything, as I live in a dry climate, and > it breaks faster. I think I read that poly has more give to it as > well. I just use the cheap poly cone threads that are made for > sergers. One question relating to threads I have is does anyone think > that cotton covered poly threads are better or worse for regular > machine sewing than all poly? Joanns just discontinued the former. I have an older Viking, and if I use the cheap coned thread on that machine I have no end of trouble. Skipped stitches, bobbin snarls, tension binding, etc. I generally use Gutterman, which I think is a cotton/poly thread. Denise B Iowa ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
[h-cost] Bernina, was: Re: Sewing and Embroidery Machines
Hi Jane, Greetings from soggy Fauquier County! :) I have a Bernina Artista 200e, which I adore. It performs superbly as a standard sewing machine, can do overlock/serging, and is really excellent at embroidery. It has fairly easy to understand instructions on scanning new designs, can hoop very well and easily, and even has an attachment for embroidering on baseball caps. The Artista series is about 3 years old now, but I really love mine. :) If you're nearby, give me a holler offline if you'd like to come by and play with it sometime; I think getting to actually sew or embroider on a machine is a good idea. Cheers, Sharon On Sat, May 10, 2008 at 2:00 PM, <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Date: Sat, 10 May 2008 16:37:34 + > From: "Jane Pease" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: [h-cost] Sewing and Embroidery Machines > To: h-costume@mail.indra.com > > Anyone have any experience with/comments on Bernina machines? > > Thanks > > Jane In rainy No VA ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
[h-cost] Sewing and Embroidery Machines
Anyone have any experience with/comments on Bernina machines? Thanks Jane In rainy No VA ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] Overlocker thread
I never use cotton thread for anything, as I live in a dry climate, and it breaks faster. I think I read that poly has more give to it as well. I just use the cheap poly cone threads that are made for sergers. One question relating to threads I have is does anyone think that cotton covered poly threads are better or worse for regular machine sewing than all poly? Joanns just discontinued the former. Sylvia On May 10, 2008, at 3:10 AM, S Young wrote: > Hi All, > > What is better for an overlocker, cotton or polyester? Yes this is a > very open ended question! > > What do you find best to use in what situations. > > Sidney > ___ > h-costume mailing list > h-costume@mail.indra.com > http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume > ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] Sewing and embroidery machines
I am so glad you mentioned the Designer 1 machine. I am purchasing one from a friend who bought it with all the accessories, but her health won't let her use it much. It is to be my first embroidery machine, so any advice will be greatly appreciated. She bought the extra software too, though I'm not sure yet what all that entails. Thanks, Vicky Pierre & Sandy Pettinger <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: Getting into this discussion late, as with the 2 week Costume-Con hiatus, I'm still catching up on this list (lots of good stuff to read!). Anyway, my 2 cents: Pierre has a Husquvarna Designer 1 and loves it. He has all the newest toys that have come out for it - the XL hoop, the "endless" hoop, etc., and the newest software. He is the digitizer in the family - since all of the things we do are originals (originals as in not pre-digitized, sometimes, and sometimes drawn by us as well), and he's the one who can draw. I pick the colors, though. He wouldn't have any other machine. While I don't know about the newer machines like the SE or the new one, be aware that the Viking software requires that a "dongle" be installed on the computer for the software to work. If I can get him to chime in this weekend, he can give more details on digitizing. I do know that you can do a large object in several pieces, as we did one - a large dragon for the front of a costume. I have the Janome 11000 and I love it also - we're very machine specific - He doesn't like my Janome and I don't like his Viking - just small differences in the way things are done (both sewing and embroidery) and how the machine "feels" cause this. They're both excellent machines. The cool thing was that when we got my Janome, we didn't have to get different software - the Husqvarna/Viking software will output in the Janome format. It might output in others as well. The Janome will use either a standard flash drive or a machine-specific card, and can be connected to the computer as well - 3 ways of entering designs. One thing I like about the Janome is it is very well lit - I can work in a room with lesser lighting than I would normally like, because the lights are both bright enough, and they are full-spectrum. I think it has 3 or 4 lights. It comes with a bunch of feet, 2 hoops, etc. What I really like about the Janome line is that a few years ago, they came out with an attachment that mimics a stand-alone machine called the "Omnistitcher". What it does is allow you to apply cording, yarn, thin trim, etc. with a free-motion movement rather than running it thru a cording foot. I have used this for several things to apply passementerie (or the fantasy version thereof) to costumes. It is very quick and easy to do intricate scroll patterns with this - you can even do cursive writing! As a side note, we both really like the Robison-Anton line of embroidery thread. We have a lot fewer problems stitching out embroideries with this than with Sulky. HTH, Sandy "Those Who Fail To Learn History Are Doomed to Repeat It; Those Who Fail To Learn History Correctly -- Why They Are Simply Doomed. Achemdro'hm "The Illusion of Historical Fact" -- C.Y. 4971 Andromeda ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] Overlocker thread
At 12:20 10/05/2008, you wrote: >Is this the same machine I know as a "serger"? > >I generally use the cones of thread which are mostly Polyester; though I >suspect it would be best to coordinate your needle thread(s) with your >fabric as is usually done for standard sewing machines. Hope this helps, >Betsy > >-Original Message- >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On >Behalf Of S Young >Sent: Saturday, May 10, 2008 4:11 AM >To: Historical Costume >Subject: [h-cost] Overlocker thread > >Hi All, > >What is better for an overlocker, cotton or polyester? Yes this is a >very open ended question! > >What do you find best to use in what situations. In the U.K. I have always tried to buy proper overlocker thread, sold on big cones, for my old Singer industrial machine. When it was first made that was all that was available, so that is what it was made for. However, on certain occasions, like trying to match a specific colour, I do use whatever happens to match. As a side note, I really hate synthetic thread of any kind, and recently found a real bargain in a box of 1000 metre white cotton thread spools - a thread which has been discontinued in the U.K. Suzi ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] Overlocker thread
Is this the same machine I know as a "serger"? I generally use the cones of thread which are mostly Polyester; though I suspect it would be best to coordinate your needle thread(s) with your fabric as is usually done for standard sewing machines. Hope this helps, Betsy -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of S Young Sent: Saturday, May 10, 2008 4:11 AM To: Historical Costume Subject: [h-cost] Overlocker thread Hi All, What is better for an overlocker, cotton or polyester? Yes this is a very open ended question! What do you find best to use in what situations. Sidney ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
[h-cost] Overlocker thread
Hi All, What is better for an overlocker, cotton or polyester? Yes this is a very open ended question! What do you find best to use in what situations. Sidney ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] Janet Arnold Image
At 06:20 10/05/2008, you wrote: >- Original Message >From: Margo Anderson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: Re: [h-cost] Janet Arnold Image > >Speaking of Ms. Arnold, does anyone know of any pictures of her? I >just find it so strange that I have no idea what such an important >person in our field looked like. > >Margo< >There's this one: >http://www.vivahotels.com/images/news_images/janet-arnold/Janet-Arnold-1.jpg > > >From here: > http://www.vivahotels.com/uk/events/costume-colloquium-a-tribute-to-janet-arnold.htm > I have personal photos of Janet Arnold - how do I post them to the forum? I really don't particularly want to post them to Photobucket, but will if I have to. Suzi ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] Janet Arnold bibliography
Does this help? http://www.ravensgard.org/gerekr/arnold.html No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG. Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 269.23.14/1425 - Release Date: 5/9/2008 12:38 PM ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume