Greetings Aurifil family. I’m Karen L. Miller ~ Redbird Quilt Co., Master Educator and Program Coordinator for Aurifilosophy, here again to celebrate our 6th year of Thread Matters – The Aurifilosopher Series with monthly contributions by our wildly talented and creative Aurifilosophers from across the globe! That’s 6 whole years of inspiring Aurifil thread education! Today, I’m taking over to share details on a common thread misconception about thread weight. I hope this one proves helpful and am always here to answer any further questions you might have!
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Have you ever wondered why two different brands of thread labeled as being the same weight are different thicknesses? I first stumbled upon the difference in 2009, when my needleturn appliqué mentor, Sharon Stroud, suggested getting a 50wt or 60wt cotton thread for this fine appliqué method. I purchased two spools of 50wt cotton thread at my local quilt shop– one spool of Aurifil and another spool of a different brand of 50wt thread. Imagine my surprise when I compared the Aurifil 50wt to the other brand of 50wt and discovered that the Aurifil was markedly thinner. While the fineness of the Aurifil 50wt worked perfectly for my needleturn appliqué project, I was still completely confused by the difference in thickness of the two threads, each marked 50wt.
What I came to learn is that the thickness or diameter of any thread is determined by two main factors: the thread weight AND number of ply, or strands, that are twisted to create the finished product.
excerpt: ply – noun – b. one of the strands in a yarn
Let’s get into this and start with a little education about how thread weights are determined. Cotton sewing thread has been traditionally measured with the abbreviation NE which stands for Number English. The number refers to how many hanks (for cotton, a hank equals 840 yards – it is different for other types of fibers) weighs one pound. 80 weight thread is made of strands that take 80 hanks (or 67,200 yards) to weigh one pound whereas 40 weight thread is made of strands that take 40 hanks (or 33,600 yards) to weigh one pound. * Learn more via the post linked below.
The thread weight is calculated or “weighted” by a single strand or ply. While it’s a common misconception that thread is weighted with consideration of all ply or strands twisted together, it’s important to understand the difference. Again, the weight refers to a single strand and the number of ply twisted together determines the overall thickness. Most Aurifil cotton threads are 2 ply (two strands of spun cotton twisted together) while a large number of other cotton threads on the market are 3 ply (three strands of cotton twisted together). Not all 50wt threads are alike! A 50wt 2 ply thread is thinner than a 50wt 3 ply, yet both are decidedly 50wt.
Did you know that Aurifil boasts six different weights of cotton 2 ply threads? Spools are color-coded making weight and ply easily and quickly identifiable.
Aurifil does have one 3 ply cotton thread, our Forty3, which was developed to withstand the high speed stitching of our longarm machines. Here you can see the difference between Aurifil 40wt/2ply and Aurifil Forty3.
I hope that this information has been a lightbulb moment for you in the same way that it was me all those years ago. That initial discovery was my introduction to Aurifil threads and I’ve never looked back. Aurifil’s fine 50wt/2ply cotton thread really does work wonderfully for piecing and appliqué and is an absolute lifesaver when wanting to wind a LOT of thread onto a bobbin. It’s the perfect choice to reduce bulk in your seams, and for when you want your thread to disappear or have minimal visual impact on the project. You may wonder, is Aurifil’s 50wt thread really strong enough for these techniques? Absolutely YES! As with many natural fibers, strength is achieved by placing several small stitches, one next to the other.
Eager to leave more about aurifil’s thread weights and fibers? Be sure to check out the three posts linked below and download our handy Thread Reference Card to display in your sewing space.
Part 1: Aurifil 2ply Threads – 2023 Thread Matters with Karen L. Miller – auribuzz
Part 2: Other Aurifil Threads – 2023 THREAD MATTERS WITH KAREN L. MILLER, Part 2 – auribuzz
Part 3: Summary and Downloadable PDF 2023 Thread Matters with Karen L. Miller, Part 3 – auribuzz
Ply