Superior Threads
(800) 499-1777
April 1, 2010 Newsletter
We are continuing the $3.95 SHIPPING ON ALL RETAIL ORDERS within
the U.S. 50 states. You choose the products, we’ll choose the shipping
method. (Wholesale and business account orders have different shipping
rates.)International orders: We now offer regular Air Mail rates for international shipping to most countries.
April 1st Special All March specials (see March Newsletter, Specials section) will be valid through April 1st 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time (U.S.) Specials on Metallic 5,500 yd. cones and Art Studio Colors 2,000 yd. cones will end at 8:00 p.m. See below for new April specials.
WISE WORDS FROM MOTHER SUPERIOR
We recently spent a week
in a film studio making educational videos. We will post them on our
website and on the Superior Threads' YouTube channel as each is ready.
These videos are short clips (one to seven minutes each) and show how
to use our products and give hints to achieve the best results.
Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter and be the first of hear of new products and specials.
EDUCATION
Many
sewers have been taught to select the needle based solely on the type
of fabric they are using. This is the case when using knit fabrics
which require a ballpoint needle. Woven fabrics do better with a
regular point needle. Nowadays with the many varieties of thread
available, it is also necessary to select the needle based on the
thread size. Assuming most sewers use woven fabrics, how do we select
the best needle? For those who have been to our seminars, we talk a
lot about the Topstitch style needle. We have learned much from the
top professional quilters, embroiderers, and educators and discovered
that the majority of them use the Topstitch style needle for nearly all
applications including quilting, applique, piecing, embroidery, and
construction. The advantages of the Topstitch needle are threefold:
1.
The eye is elongated and almost twice as large as a regular needle
eye. This allows more room for the thread to move and decreases the
stress on the thread.
2. The point of the Topstitch needle is sharp.
3.
The groove that runs up the shaft of the Topstitch needle is deeper and
wider than the groove of other needles. This is important especially
for medium and heavier threads because the groove protects the thread
while sewing.
Choose the needle based on the size of the thread. Below is a guide.
|
very fine threads (60 wt., #100) MonoPoly, Bottom Line, #100 silk |
Home: Topstitch #70/10 Longarm: #14 (MR 3.0) |
|
fine threads (#50) |
Home: Topstitch #80/12 Longarm: #16 (MR 3.5) |
|
medium threads (#40) |
Home: Topstitch #90/14 Longarm: #18 or 19 (MR 4.0-4.5) |
|
heavier threads (#30 and heavier) |
Home: Topstitch #100/16 Longarm: #19-21 (MR 4.5-5.0) |
When to use very fine thread? For invisible machine applique, color blending, and micro-quilting.
When to use fine thread? For piecing, construction, blending, detail quilting, and when you don't want the thread to show.
When to use medium thread? Most
digitized embroidery designs, decorative stitching, decorative
applique, quilting, and when you want to see the thread but don't want
the thread overpower the quilt.
When to use heavier thread? For decorative stitching, buttonhole applique, and when you want the thread to stand out.
BOB'S TEACHING SCHEDULE. Thread Therapy with Dr. Bob
April 7-9. St. George, UT. School of Threadology. Certified Threadologist Course. (SOLD OUT)
April 16. Providence, RI. MQX show
April 23. Paducah, KY. AQS show
May 3-5. St. George, UT. School of Threadology with guest teacher PAM HOLLAND. Class Schedule. (2 spaces left)
May 12. Overland Park, KS. MQS show
June 11. Flagstaff, AZ. Odegaard's Sewing Center
June 23. Columbia, MO. Statler Users Group Annual Conference
June 25. Houston, TX. Longarm Training Academy.
July 1-3. School of Threadology goes to HAWAII as part of Quilt Hawaii 2010
August 19. Bakersfield, CA. Cotton Patch Quilters of Kern County
Sep. 27-29. St. George, UT. School of Threadology. Certified Threadologist Course
SCHOOL OF THREADOLOGY
April 7-9. St. George, Utah. Certified Superior Threadologist course (SOLD OUT)
May 3-5. St. George, Utah. School of Threadology with guest teacher PAM HOLLAND. Class Schedule (2 spaces left)
July 1-3. Hawaii (Big Island). Certified Superior Threadologist course in Paradise. Part of the Quilt Hawaii
2010 event. Life doesn’t get much better than this. Become a Certified
Superior Threadologist while enjoying a few days in paradise. Other
classes and events are also available as part of the Quilt Hawaii
event. Great room rates at the Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa
have been negotiated. Register through Quilt Hawaii (6 spaces left)
Sep. 27-29, 2010. St. George, Utah. Certified Threadologist Course
$30 IDEA WINNERS
1. Rosann Gilbert (Texas).
When talking about a particular thread in the Comments section, why
don’t you place a link that will take us directly to the thread
described?
Bob's Note: Good idea. We linked them. The Comments section share actual comments from our customers.
2. Chris Biro. Could you add a tab under 'Other' or 'Products' for closeout items?
Bob's Note: Done. Closeout items are now listed as a new category in the Products menu. There are three items on closeout.
Bob's Note. Done. On the Description tab page for each thread line, we added a grid showing the recommended needle, tension setting, and bobbin thread for both home machines and longarm machines.
4 & 5. Two winners. Same idea.
4. Dawn Siden (Montana) Texture Magic is the greatest thing since sliced
bread! But, I feel there should be more information on the backside of
the package. As a garment maker, I would like to know if I can now
place my garment in the washer and dryer, and would it shrink any
more? And, can it take dryer heat?
Bob's Note: Done.
Bob's Note: Done.
6.Pamela Dransfeldt (California). I've been on Facebook for a while and cannot believe the networking of quilters on there. Just thinking it would be good for you to have a Facebook page.
Bob's Note. I'm a couple months late in thanking Pam. We've had our Facebook page for a couple months and are up to about 1,700 fans. For the next little while, every time we add another 100 fans, we give away a $100.00 gift certificate to a randomly-selected Facebook Fan.
WHAT’S NEW (This Month)
1. Our educational video library is growing. A new Video has been posted entitled The Magic Needle. This is another chapter from Thread Therapy with Dr. Bob. Learn what needle is recommended by professionals and educators and why. This information will improve your sewing quality.
2. The School of Threadology education book. Contains over 90 pages of educational
information condensed from 10 years of Bob's research and newsletter
education. This is the book used in our School of Threadology.
Reference Guides are also included. Worth $10,000 but available for only $19.95.
3.
When you land on a Products page such as King Tut or So Fine, there is
a horizontal bar showing numerous tabs such as Description, Spool
Sizes, Color Grids, and more. The current page tab is bright pink and
the other tabs are blue. These tabs help navigate through everything
related to that specific product. On the Description tab page, we have
added a new feature -- a grid showing the recommended needle, tension
setting, and bobbin thread for both home machines and longarm
machines. Here is a sample page.
4. The Superior Forum.
We have created a forum on our website for customers to post questions,
responses, ideas, suggestions, and tips. This is for you to share
information and ideas.
WHAT’S NEW (Last Month)
1. New educational video All About Polyester
just posted on our website. Learn about the three main types of
polyester threads: Spun poly, Multi-filament poly, and Trilobal poly.
2. Our revised color catalog and reference guide entitled What Makes Us Superior? is now posted online.
3. New needle sizes for A-1 longarm machines. Groz-Beckert size #16 (MR 3.5) and #18 (MR 4.0)
SAN 11 style needles are made specifically for multi-directional
stitching which is what longarm machines do. Needles for other longarm
brands are also available.
4. New and interesting ideas for Quilt Guilds. Please see this page for ideas
5. A new King Tut color card
combines the NEW 25 and NEWEST 25 colors into a single card. This
color card contains the 2nd set of 50 colors. All color cards are sold
at our cost of making them which is $3 per card. They are worth having.
6. Educational Videos. Thread Therapy with Dr. Bob. A new video with Bob explaining and debunking the myth of poly vs. cotton thread is now on our website. Will polyester thread really tear through the cotton fabric? See it here.
7. 
TOWA Bobbin Tension Gauge for midarm and longarm machines. This
tension gauge measures the amount of tension placed on the bobbin
thread and is very helpful because many midarm and longarm machines
require bobbin tension adjustments. By measuring and recording where
the ideal tension setting is for various threads, you can quickly
adjust the tension as you switch from thread to thread. Available for
both L Style bobbins and M Style bobbins. $67.95.
8. Superior Needles. NEW SIZE. #70/10 titanium-coated Topstitch needles
for all Home machines. These needles last 5-8 times longer than regular
needles and cost only 20 cents more per needle. Pack of 5. This new
needle size is recommended for sewing with very fine threads such as
MonoPoly, The Bottom Line and our new #100 silk thread which will be
introduced in May
Need a new or improved website? Bob's personal recommendation
Websites
For Quilters specializes in websites for our industry. We use them and
recommend them. (This is an unpaid plug.) For more information, click here. They have designed over 200 websites for quilting-related individuals and companies.
Information For Stores
We help customers find you. If you work at or own a quilting-related store, please register on our Store Locator. We will list your store information FREE.
BOB’S SUPERIOR JOKE of the MONTH
"WHERE is my SUNDAY
paper?" the irate customer calling the newspaper office loudly
demanded, wanting to know where her Sunday edition was.
"Ma'am," said the newspaper employee, "today is Saturday. The Sunday paper is not delivered until tomorrow, on Sunday."
There
was quite a long pause on the other end of the phone, followed by a ray
of recognition as she was heard to mutter, "Oh. . . . so that's why no
one was at church today."
THANK YOU for reading. Please forward to a friend and have a SUPERIOR day.
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Bob Purcell, the Thread Professor and self-certified Threadologist.
Superior Threads: The ONLY thread with a guarantee.
Superior no ka oi
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2010 by Superior Threads. If you wish to reprint the Education portion
of this newsletter, authorization is hereby granted as long as the
source is clearly cited as follows: used with permission from Bob
Purcell. www.superiorthreads.com
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