Bespoke Cutter And Tailor

Quote from: EvanTA on March 04, 2025, 02:47:15 AMAll the better if you can point me to an option available in the US, from Wawak or Bias Bespoke ideally.

I have been using Gutermann Mara 150, which is available on Wawak. It's a Tex 20 version on their polyester thread and has been great on my thinner shirtings. If you haven't used these spools before, you will need a spool holder to sit behind your machine.

I just ordered a spool of this stuff to try in the future. It should be of similar quality.
https://www.biasbespoke.com/?target=order&order_number=27151

The biggest challenge that I have with this finer thread is that you need a small needle (I'm using size 60) and it's hard to balance the stitching on my home machine. I believe that this is one of those few cases where it's time to adjust the bobbin tension. But I need a new bobbin case for that.

I think Mara 120 (Tex 25) is about as far as you can go without having to faff about with your bobbin tension.

My problem with polyester thread (aside from environmental concerns) is that - assuming your main cloth is 100% cotton - you need to get the iron up to a decent temperature to get nice, pressed seams and edges, which can weaken the thread.

Quote from: Gerry on March 04, 2025, 09:47:16 PMMy problem with polyester thread (aside from environmental concerns) is that - assuming your main cloth is 100% cotton - you need to get the iron up to a decent temperature to get nice, pressed seams and edges, which can weaken the thread.

I'm just a hobbyist and I gave up on cotton thread for most seaming some years ago due to a couple annoying wardrobe failures and the ready availability of high quality polyester thread in lots of weights. But now you have me thinking. Do you find that polyester thread makes it more difficult to get crisp seams? Or is it just a matter of iron temperature being hard on polyester? Maybe I should give cotton thread another chance. At least for something like a dress shirt where the stresses are not that high and it will never see the inside of a dryer.

Quote from: DrLang on March 05, 2025, 10:51:47 PMDo you find that polyester thread makes it more difficult to get crisp seams? Or is it just a matter of iron temperature being hard on polyester?

The latter. Yesterday I literally had a stray polyester thread melt against the side of my iron. I no longer buy the stuff, but I have a stockpile that is gradually being used up when making toiles and samples. My minor mishap occured while rolling trouser pocket seams out of sight to the wrong side. The pocketing was 100% cotton so needed a high temperature on the iron to get a nice finish. Melty thread, that can't be good, can it.

Other than bed sheets/underwear, never put any garment in a dryer! Or a washing machine for that matter. They shorten its life. If trousers are washable, soak in water with mild detergent, gently compress them with fingers outstretched (wringing the cloth can stretch areas and damage seams) then hang them from a door frame; they should dry overnight/within a day. Place a towel underneath them if they still drip, or hang them over a clothes rack initially, until they've stopped dripping. Knits can be dried on a towel, shirts also hung from door frames.

As for wardrobe malfunctions, if the CB seam of trousers is sewn with cotton thread, go over it a second time by hand with a back-stitch using thicker thread. I use Gutermann 'sulky' thread. I prefer either a stem or outline stitch - variations of the same thing: a back stitch worked from the underside, so to speak, which allows one to direct the thread and get a decorative, roping effect. Which stitch is used depends on the direction of the curve (the thread is directed towards the outside of a curve, otherwise it looks angular). Silk can also be used for the backstitching (it tends to be stronger). That should hold the seam.

Polyester-core thread is better than pure polyester. It's cotton wrapped, so can take more heat. Best of both worlds (though personally I don't like using plastics).

Interesting. I have a giant spool of polyester thread that was thrown into an order I received as a freebie. I used it to overlock some raw edges and it is the only polyester thread that has ever melted on me. I don't know if that's just bad luck or a sign of terrible quality.

Use of the dryer is definitely not going anywhere in my household as that is not a unilateral decision that I can make. Though very little of my own clothing ends up in there these days. It's easy when my wife wears only black. Space for hang drying is limited in the extreme. But you've convinced me to give cotton thread another try.

Quote from: DrLang on March 06, 2025, 03:15:00 AMInteresting. I have a giant spool of polyester thread that was thrown into an order I received as a freebie. I used it to overlock some raw edges and it is the only polyester thread that has ever melted on me. I don't know if that's just bad luck or a sign of terrible quality.

The brand of polyester thread I used to buy is Mettler, which is good quality. Fine for wool and man-made cloths, but clearly it doesn't take too well to the higher temperatures needed for cotton. Mostly, polyester thread isn't going to totally melt, but it will weaken with heat, which is why I would only ever use cotton thread in shirts.

How do people think that silk thread meets the rigors of everyday wear?

Some say that silk desolves in some types of soap.

Well, as a rule of thumb silk thread is stronger than cotton, and for dress trousers it's OK to reinforce the CB seam of trousers with it (having already machined the seam). But no, I wouldn't put it in anything washable. Nor would I use it as the main thread, simply for cost reasons. 

Well, I can't say I've ever noticed any issues with Gutermann poly thread. Not saying it can't happen, but I've never noticed it.

Only place I'd use silk would be for hand finishing a silk evening shirt - but that's because it's expensive, not because I'm worried about strength. That would be dry clean only.

I'm not sure that thread strength should really be that much of a consideration on a shirt anyway - you're normally using quite fine fabrics, so the thread isn't likely to be the weakest link. Maybe if you're making something like a Ventile windshirt or a sahariana...

Quote from: Dunc on March 06, 2025, 08:20:37 PMI'm not sure that thread strength should really be that much of a consideration on a shirt anyway - you're normally using quite fine fabrics, so the thread isn't likely to be the weakest link.

Absolutely, a year or so back I carried out an autopsy on an old Italian shirt I bought in the late 80s. All the seams had held, but holes had started to appear in the cloth. I've also got a collection of late 50s/early 60s shirts that I use for research and the cloning of collars. Again, any damage is always to the cloth. The seams hold, despite being stitched with cotton thread (which does degrade over time), and chain-stitched at that (as mentioned in another thread, it's a myth that chain-stitch creates weak seams).

One thing that some bespoke shirt makers are keen on pointing out is that if one runs a finger down the seams of chain-stitched shirts, if polyester thread is used it feels rough. Although that's true, you've got to go out of your way to even notice this. I've owned plenty of ready-to wear-shirts in the past that supposedly had this 'issue', but not once did I notice that the seams were rough. More bespoke propaganda! 

I also never had issues with poly thread or breaking seams.
I love silk for button holes because it is so smooth and makes the most beautiful knots. But I would never use it in washables, just in woolen items.
And I think the seam breaking in the back trouser seam is due to the bias of the fabric there. The fabric stretches but not the thread. Meanwhile I (double)sew this seam with a slight zig zag. This gives the seam enough elasticity but does not disturb ironing apart the SAs.