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 Sulky 12 wt. and 30 wt. solid color and NEW "BLENDABLES" Cotton Thread
- Q: Is the heavy Sulky 12 wt. Cotton suitable for both hand and machine work?
A: It is the perfect thread for both. At last a convenient "floss" on a spool that is easy to use. When used on the machine it mimics handwork beautifully. It comes in 66 gorgeous Sulky colors, and with the handy snap-end spools, there's never any unraveled, knotted mess.
- Q: Can I use prewound bobbins with Sulky 12 wt. Cotton on the top?
A: Sometimes....it depends on the machine. You may need to tighten your top tension some to compensate for the lighter-weight thread in the bobbin. I think the Sulky 30 wt. Cotton would be a better choice, but if your machine is happy with a prewound bobbin, then use it.
- Q: Is Sulky 12 wt. Cotton like the Cotty thread that was available some years ago?
A: Sulky 12 wt. Cotton IS the Cotty thread that was available some years ago. Cotty didn't have a very good color selection and had very limited distribution in the U.S. Sulky decided to add quite a few vibrant, today colors, while deleting a few others that were either very similar to other colors, or were not very attractive; we also began winding them on our very popular snap-end spools. At the same time, we introduced the matching 30 wt. Cottons in the same 66 colors which were never available in the U.S. before.
- Q: I like to use 14/90 metallic needles for decorative stitching, is that okay?
A: Be sure you are using a quality metallic needle such as Schmetz. Other well-known metallic-type needles can be as much as 1 mm longer, and this may cause you endless problems.
- Q: If my thread breaks using this heavier Cotton thread, what do you recommend?
A: According to Cindy Losekamp, Sew Artfully Yours, who has been using the 12 wt. Cotton thread for many years for both decorative stitching and for her computerized embroidery designs, you may need to tighten your top tension! I know that's startling, but she has a "big dog theory" about this thread which is basically, "when walking a big dog (12 wt. Cotton), you need to hold on tight or the big dog will run away with you", which means you need to "restrain" the thread more as it passes through the tension. This may not be the case on every machine out there, but it seem to be true when doing computerized embroidery with the Sulky 12 wt. Cotton.
- Q: Is Sulky Cotton colorfast?
A: Yes, all of the Sulky threads are colorfast in both hot and cold water. HOWEVER, there are laundering cautions regarding not using bleach or detergents containing optical brighteners with any natural fiber thread such as Cotton or Rayon. Polyester thread like Sulky Poly Deco can be bleached and abused
much more than the natural fiber threads. See the Q & A section on Laundering
- Q: Can I use the Sulky 12 wt. Cotton in the bobbin?
A: Some machines love it for bobbin work, but if yours doesn't, use the matching Sulky 30 wt. Cotton in the bobbin. Sulky 30 wt. Cotton comes in the same beautiful 66 colors. When using heavier threads like the Sulky 12 wt. Cotton, many sewing machine manufacturers suggest using a separate bobbin case made just for this type of work, or a separate bobbin case that is loosened to better accommodate heavy threads. (We do not recommend adjusting your bobbin tension ever! Be sure to use a separate bobbin case if you are going to change the tension for heavy, decorative threads.)
- Q: Does it matter which spool pin I use?
A: Generally the vertical spool pin produces less stress on the thread. Be sure to use a felt pad underneath the spool.
- Q: What size needle should I use with Sulky 12 wt. Cotton?
A: Use at least a 14/90 needle with both the 12 wt. and the 30 wt. Sulky Cotton. Depending on the thickness and density of the fabric(s) you are stitching through, you may need to upsize your needle to a 16/100 for the 12 wt. Cotton. Some machines prefer a topstitch needle when using heavier threads, but generally speaking, any 14/90 will work fine.
- Q: Can I use the Sulky 12 wt. or 30 wt. Cotton for computerized embroidery?
A: You can, and there are more and more designs digitized for the heavier 30 wt. and 12 wt. Cotton Thread, especially with the popularity of Redwork and the many designs now available for that. HOWEVER, if the design is not specifically digitized for 30 wt. and 12 wt. Cotton thread, you may need to enlarge it to accommodate the thickness of the thread. It just depends on the digitizing. Many of the outline designs will work fine without enlarging, but you need to do a test sample first. (See the tension recommendation below.) Almost any filled-in design that is not digitized for 30 wt. and 12 wt. Cotton will need to be enlarged. One caution: When you enlarge the design be sure you tell your software NOT to increase the stitch-count, or you will defeat the purpose of enlarging the design.
- Q: Isn't Cotton a "linty" thread?
A: Yes it is, and you do need to clean your machine and bobbin area frequently because of the lint buildup using any Cotton thread. We were all so thrilled when Sulky Rayon threads came out because they produce almost no lint, but everything old is new again, and now we are all so excited about using Sulky Cotton threads and Cotton fabrics once more.
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