How to tell if old thread is still good to use
Have you ever been lucky enough to inherit sewing supplies, or find them at a yard or estate sale? No doubt there can be amazing vintage finds including sewing machines that will easily glide through multiple layers without a groan, vintage dress forms and out of print patterns, mysterious sewing objects from the golden years, and sometimes huge collections of vintage fabrics and threads.
As pretty as those vintage and wooden thread spools are, how do you know if the thread is still ‘good’? Is it OK to use in your sewing projects now or could it cause you problems you hadn’t considered? Could a fabulous project be ruined by a thread that bleeds, frays or snaps?
Find out what causes thread to become damaged or unsafe to use, how to prevent this by looking after your precious threads carefully, and how to test a thread before using it in this interesting article on the Craftsy blog by Beth Galvin.
Possible uses for old thread? How about this one suggested by a Craftsy reader?
I always use old thread for using to cut cinnamon rolls off the roll of dough. You roll out your dough, spread butter, sugar, and cinnamon on it, and roll it up. Cut off 15″ or so of thread, slide it underneath the end of the roll, wrap both ends around about 1″ from the end, and keep pulling both ends until it cuts all the way through. No more squished rolls!
