I’ve noticed lately that quilters are talking about how their thread stashes are starting to compete with their fabric stashes. I’ve noticed my own thread collection growing—I love all the new colors, especially the variegated ones. Fortunately thread doesn’t take up nearly as much space as fabric.
We recently received 12 collections of Coats & Clark’s brand new Dual Duty XP® thread! Each collection box includes 50 spools of polyester-wrapped core-spun thread that has a strength and smoothness that works perfectly for all types of sewing, quilting, and crafting. Another great feature: The new trap spool holds the thread neatly and securely. The color assortment in the pack is amazing – it must have taken someone forever to choose 50 colors out of the 360 total colors included in the Dual Duty XP line – and the collection even includes some multi-colored spools! These collection boxes sell for $65 in stores, so getting to give one away to 12 lucky members of our online community is quite a treat indeed!
Here’s some consumer reviews of the new Dual Duty XP line of thread:
I’ve been meaning to write and tell you how very much I like the new Dual Duty thread and the new spool. The quality of the thread is better than anything I have ever used – sewing machine or by hand.
-Joan Wilson, Founder, The Fairy Godmothers of Fayetteville
I just wanted to let you I love the new way you your changed your sewing thread spools. Now all I have to do is to pull the thread and the thread comes out.
-Mrs. Ann Brogan, Allentown, PA
Being a professional seamstress for decades, I have been using and recommending the more expensive imported threads. However, recently, the store for which I am the seamstress and which is the largest fabric store on the West Coast, received your new display with all of your new threads. I was asked to give your new threads a try. So I did on some very delicate silk. I was amazed at how buttery your thread traveled through the fabric. I was immediately sold. I congratulate you for your most excellent progress with your Dual Duty All Purpose threads. The colors are wonderful and the texture is superb. I am happy to say that i am your greatest admirer and consequently, so are the customers who come to me for advice.
-Pauline Lareau, Fabric Depot, Portland, Oregon
For a chance to win a box of thread, post a comment here or on facebook by Tuesday, September 8th, describing the most unusual way that you’ve used thread. We’ll randomly pick winners to be announced later that day. Good Luck!
*Comments will be closed at 9am PST on Tuesday, 9/8/09
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Connie Reed: I have used thread as dental floss before when I was away and had forgotten to pack the dental floss. That was probably a big no no according to the dentist.
see her comment in recent quilting tips from the tech editors post
The most unusual use for thread I have found is as a cat toy! Nothing entertains my cat more than batting around a spool of thread and chewing on the end!
The most creative way that I’ve used thread is thread-play on my Art Quilts. I have made raindrops and ripples on water using the free-form foot of my sewing machine. I can’t have too many colors of thread!
Gosh, I don’t think I’ve ever done anything too unconventional with thread, but I’ve gotten some extremely creative ideas from the comments of others. What a cool resource for thread creativity! The box of thread is beautiful; it would be like winning a big box of candy. I’ve got my fingers crossed :o)
The most unusual way I’ve used thread? hehe, I used to play with my mom’s thread spools like they were blocks – stacking them and “making” furniture for my Barbies. Of course, it was all temporary so that mom could still use the thread! :)
I ♥love♥ all the great new colours of thread and hope to be chosen!
Anne in Ontario Canada
p.s.
I hope you pick Rosa so we learn the secret of the ice cube!
I grew up using Dual Duty thread. One of my most unusual uses for it lately has been lacing together heat-fusible (Perler) beads after my daughter saw online ideas for making a basket by lacing together rings of fused beads to a solid base. The idea book suggested fishing line, but its tendency to tangle made Dual Duty the no-fuss choice for that project.
I save all my thread bits and make “material” using my leftover threads and fancy yarn and bits of material and water soluble stabilizer. While at Girl Scout camps during the years we took pine cones, smeared them with peanut butter and bird seed and strung them up in the trees using thread.
Lovely colors, and thanks for the giveaway.
I think this is the only type of thread I have in my stash! In the last few years, since I’ve been teaching high school, I’ve found myself using it for science projects. It makes great chromatin, can be used to sew small books together, and even supports a balloon to fly across the room for a physics project. Being a teacher will surely make you look for ways to use traditional items in non-traditional ways.
I have several crazy ways that I have used this thread but one of the uncrazy ways to use it is when hand sewing that ‘little’ slit left over after sewing and stuffing your floor pillows or any other slit for that matter!
I love to use this after I have cut varying degrees of a color line (little pieces of different color variations) and then lay it down on an applique of sea life, water and/or animals that is then couched down with thicker threads (30-40wt) at the top only. This makes a fine hairy look or can actually create textures and more through the naked eye appeal to the applique that is most enjoyed by children!
I have also done this same method on smaller pieces by simply tying knots leaving a loop long enough between the first knot and the next to make the hair the desired length after I finish and go be and cut it in half. Love the Blog!
I love random bits o’ thread sandwiched between two microscope slides, edged in copper tape and then made into a necklace – so very delicate and it matches anything you wear it with!
I was looking to buy this thread set online because it is so expensive in the store and then I found your post. It would be so wonderful to win this thread! I am a college student and on a rather tight budget.
One of the most unusual ways I have ever used thread is to hang up a calendar in my dorm room. The walls were made of cinder blocks and the calendar wouldn’t even stayed taped up. So I ended up looping thread around a pipe on the ceiling near the top of the wall and then threading it through the hole on the top of my calendar.
I also recently wanted some bamboo placemats and decided to make my own. I cut the sharp ends off of a bunch of bamboo skewers and decoratively wove then together with thread. It took a bit of work to figure out the best way to do it but they turned out really nice! and it only costs $1 for 100 skewers, so this is perfect for a girl on a budget!
If I won this thread I would put it to good use on my latest project – making zippered make-up pouches and pencil cases.
I love this thread. What fantastic colors. I am crossing my fingers!
I would love this thread collection! My favorite thing to do is go to the fabric store and let my 5 year old daughter pick out fabric and then matching thread from the Dual Duty display, for a simple project. We sew on Mondays with Mom, since there will be no Kindergarten on Mondays this year in our town – budget cuts!! We will be learning lots of math and technology while we sew totes, skirts, small quilts etc!
I go through thread like water – I make fabric baskets, fabric belts with decorative stitching on them, box bags..on and on. I could really use this!
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I *love* Coats & Clark thread!
Over 55 years ago I started my lifelong journey of sewing and creating…
I used my mother’s old sewing machine, scraps of fabric, and her Coats and Clark threads (jewels of delicious colors, on little wooden spools!)… to sew clothes for my dolls! As my skills and experience developed, I began to sew my own clothes… first play clothes (shorts and tops), and then the skirts and dresses that became my favorites to wear. By the time I was in high school, I made all my junior prom, prom, and special dance dresses, too.
Coats and Clark was always there, as the “always reliable, always the best” thread to use for *all* my sewing.
There were some “unconventional uses, growing up, too!! There was the “discovery”, *long* before I ever heard about dental floss, of white Coats and Clark getting little bits of popcorn, etc., out from between teeth! There was the experiment with Coats and Clark thread and a doorknob, to “help” out a loose tooth! There were paper-mache-wrapped balloons hanging by Coats and Clark thread, drying. There was the science fair model of the solar system, complete with styrofoam balls (the planets!) hanging by Coats and Clark threads. There was the precious, *never to be forgotten* crochet lesson given to me by my Grandma, with red Coats and Clark thread!!!
After I was married, but before my children were born, the Coats and Clark threads I used to sew all my clothes for teaching now came on the hard foam spools. (How *very* sad I was when my mother-in-law’s dog got my precious bag of new Coats and Clark threads, and chewed them all up!! Apparently he thought these “doggy chew toys” were wonderful to chomp on! I don’t think I ever forgave that dog!!… sigh…)
After my children came, all sewing was for them… baby quilts to toddler clothes, to school dresses, to prom gowns!! What a delight it was, to teach them to sew!!… And, *now*, my grandchildren are learning!!
…And, always, Coats and Clark was the thread that was there, through it all!!
As I said…
I *love* Coats & Clark thread!
Blessings!!!
Pat
I haven’t tried they thread. Why? because our shops doesn’t sell it :S But i love to try, I have read lot of good about it
I’ve used tread as a fishing line, tied to a magnet to get a metal item out of a tight spot I couldn’t reach any other way.
I’m starting to build my theard collection & this would be a great help.
What a great giveaway…thank you!
The most unusual way I used thread was during a science unit we were studying spiders. For a hands on activity I had my little spiders make their own web. Each child was given a brightly colored spool of thread that they used to spin their own web. The room was filled with their colorful creations!
I admit it – I have used thread to floss my teeth when I ran out of my usual floss. (Hangs head in embarrassment…)
This would well used at my house. My Mom and I both sew. Mom is 83 and still sewing.
I tried all day to think of something clever I had done with thread, except organizing it all by color :) I would love to win though! I am forever in search of just the right color – the fabrics I choose never seem to work with a simple black or white. Your post did make me wonder about how the thread has changed – I bought a new spool and pulled out an older spool of C&C and I do like the new XP! The new spool design is neat too!