ILOVEGEORGE Posted September 8, 2006 Report Share Posted September 8, 2006 Hello everyone : - ) I recently received "George" and as a bonus a beautiful array of threads. As a novice, i can't imagine that I will use the 20 odd spools in a hurry......so my question is.... How do I store my thread to get the maximum useable life ? Thankyou Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LA Posted September 8, 2006 Report Share Posted September 8, 2006 I think you will find that you use those threads faster than you thought possible! In the mean time, put the spools in plastic baggies, prefferably in a dark place. I like to date them with stickers, so I know the age too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILOVEGEORGE Posted September 8, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2006 Thankyou Linda... Can't wait to put the first spool on and start learning Have a great weekend ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltbuddy Posted September 9, 2006 Report Share Posted September 9, 2006 Linda, how long do you keep your thread stored before you have to throw it out? Or does that ever happen? Janet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrammaJoy Posted September 9, 2006 Report Share Posted September 9, 2006 Throw thread out?????!!!!! Please don't tell me you have to do that. I have thread that is over 10 years old, and it still seems perfectly good to me. I've never stored mine in baggies. Please advise what I obviously do not know. Hugs, Joy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judi Posted September 10, 2006 Report Share Posted September 10, 2006 Hmmm - I wonder the same thing? I know to keep it out of the light, and I do not like them to get dusty, but is there an age or out-of-date time line? As long as it is working fine, and not having any problems....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenscratch Posted September 10, 2006 Report Share Posted September 10, 2006 I got some thread from the lady I bought my machine from. They were partial spools of Maxilock, Aerofil??, etc. Some of them may have been 10 years old, that's how long she had the machine, and I still use some of them. They haven't ever been in baggies. Should they be?? What does that do for the thread? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted September 11, 2006 Report Share Posted September 11, 2006 You won't find an actual date stamp on thread like you do milk or cottage cheese, but yes thread does have a shelf life. The bad part is that you don't know how long it was in a warehouse before shipping to a store or how long the store had it before you bought it. You can get away with a longer shelf life if you properly store the thread in a place where the sun does not directly hit it (a dark place as Linda said is best) like behind a cupboard door. Plastic bags works well if you are in a high humdity area...those that live in the desert like Nevada don't need that step, it stays dry and your don't get much rot there. I have spools that are a couple of years old that I brought with me and these will have to be THROWN AWAY....didn't get them bagged fast enough and the humdity got to them before I could get them unpacked....oh, well. If your thread can withstand the pull test then its okay, but if it snaps with just a gentle tug, throw it away....its not worth the hassle and the money for "Sewers Aid"....no amount will help it. Our machines are way to powerful and if its starting to turn, just throw it away. HOWEVER, if its a large large king cone....sometimes you can get down a few layers and it will be okay....so play a bit before you toss the item. Also some people swear that by putting thread in the freezer for a few hours helps with dryness.....haven't ever tried it, but I do know that when I lived in the desert I would sometimes spray it with a bit of water and then apply "Sewers Aid" and it would be all better, so I guess its what works for each of us...and for those of us that have 10 year old thread, just try it before you hassle with the fighting of thread tensions and thread breakage...its just not worth the hassle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted September 11, 2006 Report Share Posted September 11, 2006 I have been wondering the same thing. Why would you store thread in plastic bags, yet you are told not to store fabric in plastic bags. Wouldn't it be the same thing?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltbuddy Posted September 11, 2006 Report Share Posted September 11, 2006 I was wondering why the plastic bags also, but if it is just to keep them from rotting from the humidity then we won't have a problem up here in central BC. Our air is so dry that we have a problem with static causing the thread to want to stick to us as we pull it off the spool, or when we cut our threads they just don't want to fall into the garbage, almost get a sprained wrist flicking them! lol Sometimes I use my "older thread" and practice doodling on my regular sewing machine. I have also bought a new spool of thread and it has been no good right from day one, too bad we couldn't do the pull test in the store first. Janet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted September 11, 2006 Report Share Posted September 11, 2006 Janet, Who says you can't do a pull test in the store.....been doing it for years....if its a wrapped cone...aske to have it tested before you buy...most store owners will let you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Linda S Posted September 12, 2006 Report Share Posted September 12, 2006 I keep my cones of thread in plastic bags too and haven't had problems with them drying out and breaking, etc. Linda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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