Superior Threads

Articles in January 2012

• Hand Embroidery with Superior's Silks

  Posted: 24 January 2012 at 12:22 a.m.

  How many of you have tried Silk Embroidery before?  One of our staff member's wife has just completed her first hand embroidery project using several of our Silk Threads .  We were very impressed with her freehand work and decided to blog about it.  She started with some leftover fabric, drew the flowers and names onto a piece of Dissolve 4x , loaded the fabric and dissolve onto an embroidery hoop, then stitched away!  After completing all the stitching, she soaked the project in some warm water and the dissolve water soluble stabilizer vanished, leaving the completed project.  This niftly little project has its place as a wonderful decoration pillow showcasing her talent.

   

  

  

   

  

   

  Threads used in this project:

  Razzle Dazzle

  #25/3 Silk Embroidery Floss

  Quilter's Silk #16

  Silk Ribbon

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• Solving those Thread Myths Left & Right!

  Posted: 23 January 2012 at 7:13 a.m.

  

  So Many Myths...
  There are so many myths regarding thread.  Some are propagated purposely due to a financial motivation, others by misinformed professionals including store sales staff and repair technicians, and most by innocent people just passing on what they have heard.

  -Here are some of the most common myths-

  
  Myth 1.  Polyester will tear my quilt fabric.
  Not true.  If you have attended one of Bob’s seminars, you have seen hands-on proof that this is a myth.  (If you haven't, please watch his thread therapy DVD ) Thread tearing into a fabric has nothing to do with the thread fiber type but with the strength of the fibers (both in the thread and in the fabric). Some cotton thread (such as glazed cotton) can be stronger and more abrasive than polyester.
  
  Myth 2.  My machine repair person said that I must use only ____ thread.  (Fill in the blank with a brand name or cotton or poly, etc.)
  Some have been told to use only cotton thread.  Others have been told to use only polyester thread.  I’m sure the person who says this means well.  He/She probably just finished cleaning a machine full of horrible lint ...

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• Superior's Titanium-coated Topstitch Needle & the Universal Needle

  Posted: 20 January 2012 at 7:29 a.m.

  The titanium-coated Topstitch needle is a powerful tool to have in your quilting & sewing supplies.  Topstitch needles are the standard needle used by professionals in the quilting and sewing industry.  Taking the technology that commercial needles have with a thin coating of titanium-nitride and combining this coating with the topstitch style needle gives us a "best of both worlds" revolutionary needle for the quilting and sewing industry.

  We will take a close look at the differences between a Universal and Topstitch style needle under a microscope and also point out certain needle flaws which can have cause trouble when stitching.

  Compared in this article is - Superior's 80/12 titanium-coated Topstitch needle and another brand's Universal 80/12 needle under 40x magnification.

  Universal Needle- Size 80/12

  Superior's Topstitch Needle - Size 80/12

   

  We can see that the eye on Superior's Topstitch needle is more than twice as long as the universal's.  Why is this important?  Having an elongated eye allows for the thread to move more freely when being stitched.  Less stress is put onto the thread at the point where the stitch is created which in turn puts less friction on the thread.

  The ...

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• So Fine #40 Quilt Sample

  Posted: 19 January 2012 at 10:11 a.m.

  
  So Fine #40 is variegated polyester thread with precision-dyed 1-inch color change intervals.  More importantly, it is a wonderful thread to use for topstitching.  The fiber is an innovative polyester that grasps onto fabric well and when sewn or quilted with proper tension, makes wonderful stitches.  The nature of So Fine thread is different from any other polyester thread.  The smooth, lint-free processing it goes through is a patented and protected process.  This makes So Fine #40 thread the only thread like it in the world.  The weight of thread being a #40 is ideal for topstitching when you want to see the design of the thread.  With 35 colors and growing, you will find the top trending color variations within this line. 

  So Fine #40 is the most recent addition to our family of So Fine #30 & #50 threads.

  See this quilt "Storm at Sea" hanging in our booth at Road to California right now!

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• Black Light Threads - Reflective and Glowing Threads

  Posted: 16 January 2012 at 7:11 a.m.

  Many longarm machines offer a Black Light option when quilting which allows the quilter to see certain threads better.  What makes some dyed threads "glow" under a black light?

  Superior Threads Chemistry 101 - A black light (bulb, LED, or tube) gives off ultraviolet light which happens to be highly energetic. The human eye can't see this light of the spectrum.  (This is perhaps why it became known as "black light".) Fluorescent substances absorb the ultraviolet light and then re-emit it almost instantaneously. Threads which are dyed with fluorescent pigments or threads which are bright white will absorb the black light and reflect it back in a wonderful glowing sheen.

  Here is a selection of our threads viewed under standard fluorescent light

  

  And the same thread selection viewed under a black light

  

  Here is a list of our threads that glow under a black light:

  
  Bottom Line # 621
  Highlights # 741, 731, 726
  Kimono Silk # 373
  King Tut # 993
  MasterPiece # 186
  NightLight ExtraGlow   Blue, Green, Yellow, Pink, Purple, & White
  OMNI # 3001, 3160
  Rainbows # 841
  So Fine #30 # 1135, 1136, 1138, 1140, 1141
  So Fine #50 # 451
  SuperBrights # 726, 741 through 750
  #30 Silk # 401
  #50 Silk # 401

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• Superior Thread Holder new Innovative Thread Delivery Notion by Superior Threads

  Posted: 12 January 2012 at 7:41 a.m.

  We have been working on a new product for a little while and we are excited to announce that it is ready for launch! The Superior Thread Holder combines a Cone Stand/Holder with an effective spool delivery system.  Whether a spool is cross-wound or stack-wound, the Superior Thread Holder will accommodate both.  Made of strong acrylic, this useful tool is also a piece of art!
  
  

   

  Watch all of our Superior Thread Holder Videos

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• Superior Threads' Snap Spool Feature

  Posted: 9 January 2012 at 7:31 a.m.

  Here's a nifty video clip showcasing our Snap Spool feature which is found on many of our products.  Mother Superior provides a wonderful narration on why this feature is beneficial.

  
  
  
  

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• Mystery Tie?

  Posted: 4 January 2012 at 3:44 p.m.

  

  We received a "Mystery Tie" in the mail - no note included in the box, just a vintage, olive-green tie.  Was this a New Year's surprise perhaps? Or was it a secret gift to one of our friendly staff members? We weren't sure.

  So I did what any man faced with a Mystery Neck Tie would do.  I'm wearing it today.

  

  Happy New Year to whomever sent us this lovely vintage neck tie and to all our Blog readers!

  If you are the person who sent this tie to us, please e-mail us at info@superiorthreads.com and let us know how we can serve you.

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• Ask Dr. Bob/ Titanium Needles

  Posted: 3 January 2012 at 6:36 a.m.
  ASK DR. BOB
  

  Question: I was recently at a class by a "national" teacher who definitely had an opinion about titanium needles, and I was curious what you think. She said that we shouldn't use titanium needles because they're too strong and could actually punch a hole in the bobbin case (rather than break).

  Is this true?

  She comes from the commercial industry, so maybe her experience is with full titanium needles? I noticed that your needles are not full titanium, but titanium coated. Would that make a difference?

  

  Answer: I've also heard this opinion. No needle is made of pure titanium. That would cost hundreds of dollars.

  Any needle referred to as titanium is, in fact, only titanium coated with titanium nitride which is an ultra thin coating applied to the surface of the needle. The coating is very hard and reduces wear on the needle. It does not significantly affect the overall strength of the needle.

  Most industrial sewing factories around the world use titanium-coated needles because they last 5-8 times longer than the standard chrome-coated needles.
  Most longarm machine companies use and sell them also.

  
  If it were true that titanium-coated needles were potentially ...

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