Holy SuperBOB's

What's New?
Mother Superior's Holy SuperBOBs! (I think we were talking about Batman when we named this one.)



Mother Superior's Holy SuperBOBs contain a set of 35 colors of L-style SuperBOBs packed into a BobbinSaver donut. Each bobbin is 118 yds.
Made with The Bottom Line 60 wt. polyester. Very convenient for portability.
The Bottom Line is fantastic for hand and machine applique, bobbin thread, detailed top quilting thread, binding, and even dental floss.

Texture Magic Tuesday/ Hot Pink Dressy Bag

Our thanks today goes to Bev Lewis of St. George, Utah for sharing with us her HOT PINK DRESSY BAG made with Texture Magic.

Bev spends her summers in Logan, Utah attending many of the performances of the local theatres. She needed a dressy evening bag and used Texture Magic to add just the right touch.

We think this bag would match perfectly with a black dress.

Bev wrote "The pattern is my own, a mishmash of other patterns."

As you use patterns of your own for Texture Magic, remember we offer a Conversion Chart on our web site that will help you determine how much fabric is needed to allow for shrinkage.

We love hearing from you. When you make projects with Texture Magic, feel free to send pictures with a description to nedra@superiorthreads.com

We Are Now on Facebook

Superior Threads is now on Facebook!
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/pages/Saint-George-UT/Superior-Threads/260463290260


It’s easy to join our page: From your Facebook page, click on ‘Friends’ at the top, and then ‘Find Friends’.
Search for ‘Superior Threads’ in the search box. Click on the ‘Pages’ link on the left-hand side of the screen.
You should then see the Superior Threads logo. Click on ‘Become a Fan’. That’s it! We'll be watching for you.

Charlotte Warr Andersen's Recommendation

"The people at Superior are truly professionals in their field"

After many years creating pictorial quilts and using hand applique I now tend to do more machine work. Over the years, I have built an extensive thread collection to enable the processes I use, and products from Superior Threads have now come to the forefront of that collection.

The people at Superior are truly professionals in their field. They are well acquainted with the physics of thread and have helped me work through any problems and questions I have had. They have educated me about how thread is created, the purposes for which each thread is suited, and where it will best perform. I love the range of size, colors and characteristics of the threads Superior has produced and how they allow for wide variety in my work.

One of my favorite threads is Superior Metallic. I can do heavy embroideries with this thread and get fantastic results. I can make pieces that are as gloriously gaudy or strikingly simple as I want. I have made metallic embroideries that are dense with thread but yet are surprisingly supple.

And now, at my request, they have brought a new thread into their line. Charlotte's Fusible Web is a Superior fusible thread. I have been using fusible thread for many years and for a variety of purposes. I thought I knew all there was to know about the thread. But the staff at Superior Threads passed their knowledge along to me about the varying qualities of many brands of fusible threads available. I'm confident that Superior Threads Charlotte's Fusible Web will be the best fusible thread on the market and will give a light bond with great adhesion. Please look for ways to use Charlotte's Fusible Web on their website.

Sincerely,
Charlotte Warr Andersen

Threads For Clothes Construction

Our threads have many uses. One of our customers asked, "What is the best thread for clothing construction? Has everyone forgotten about us? Is there a thread for us please?"

We are happy to answer, "Yes, we have a fantastic thread for clothing construction."

I promise you will fall in love with So Fine.

Although the label says it is a quilting thread, it is a wonderful, all purpose construction thread. Use it both top and bottom to make smooth and accurate seams.

So Fine is a strong, soft, polyester, has no lint, and is available in 50 original colors, plus 50 NEW colors, plus 34 NEWEST colors. All these choices makes it so easy to match fabrics!

So Fine is also a wonderful serger thread, making soft and pliable seams.

#427 Nutmeg

Texture Magic Tuesday/ Baby Blessing Dress

Do you want that heirloom look with out all the work? Our grandmothers would have been so happy to have Texture Magic.

A baby blessing dress shared from Nedra, one of our employees.

"I put Texture Magic on the yoke of the dress. Doesn't it look like I spent hours smocking?" she said.

First she applied Texture Magic to the back of a piece of silk and stitched together in a 1/4" grid system, and then steamed.

Within seconds the fabric began to shrink, giving it that wonderful textured look.

Next she cut out the yoke of the dress, and hand stitched beads intermittently between the folds.

Adding a little piece of Texture Magic to the cuff gives a perfect touch.

"It was so easy to construct this dress and it turned out looking like something out of an expensive boutique. I credit the result to Texture Magic that can make everything look like you've spent hours, when in reality, the process was fast. I made this dress in one day. It was that easy." Nedra said.

Black Thread Facts

Is black thread really weaker than the other colors? We get this question quite a bit. The answer is: black thread may be weaker than other colors if the thread has been overdyed.
**We guarantee that Superior Threads products are never overdyed.


Bottom Line #625 Black/ 60 wt. lint free polyester
Some companies put all the mis-dyed colors in a reject bin and then overdye them black. The excess amount of dye in these overdyed threads can cause the fibers to weaken.
We believe in offering only the finest quality products, manufactured under the most strict guidelines. We do not sell any seconds.


MasterPiece #161 Raven/ 60 wt. Egyptian-grown extra-long staple cotton.

Handy Nets

Are you looking for a great stocking stuffer for that special quilter in your life? Make sure to check out the Accessories section on our web site.
One item we can highly recommend are HandyNets.

Smooth, lint-free threads are wonderful but they can also be slippery. When using cones of smooth and slippery threads like Rainbows, Brytes, or metallic, place a HandyNet over the cone to prevent the thread from sliding down and puddling at the bottom of the cone.
Leave the net on the cone as you use it.

Recommended for both longarm and home machines (when using cones with a thread stand). The net also makes a great storage device to prevent unwinding.
HandyNets can be purchased in a package of a dozen or a pack of 100 nets.

Are All Threads Labeled Egyptian Cotton Really From Eygpt?

We are often asked if all the threads on the market labeled Egyptian Cotton are really from Egypt. No,they are not.

For the record, our King Tut cotton and MasterPiece cotton are made from authentic Egyptian-grown extra-long staple cotton.

*King Tut

Many years ago, the term Egyptian cotton became a generic term for long staple cotton. Just as we use the word Kleenex for tissues or Xerox for copying, the term Egyptian cotton was used for any long staple cotton grown anywhere in the world.

Egypt is now very strict in trying to protect this term but old habits die hard and I don't know if it will ever stop. A major thread factory in Europe labels their thread as Egyptian cotton even though it is grown in and imported from Romania and countries other than Egypt. They consider it OK to call any long staple cotton "Egyptian cotton" due to the common use of the generic term.

So how can we tell and does it really matter? Unless you have reliable information directly from the source, there really is no way to know the origin. What matters is the integrity of the company and the quality of the final product. Is Egyptian-grown cotton really better? We think so. Egypt has the perfect climate for growing top quality cotton and their quality standards are strict. By combining the absolute best raw material from Egypt and the best processing technology in Japan, we end up with the best possible product.

Texture Magic Tuesday/ Fusible Applique with Patsy Thompson

Texture Magic works with so many different applications. Our thanks today to Patsy Thompson for showing us how Texture Magic can be applied with a fusible applique.
Patsy is a true artist and we appreciate the sharing of her wonderful talent with us.


"Don't you love how easily you can really jazz up a simple block with some thread and Texture Magic?" she said.
To read more about Patsy's application, see her blog post on 8/11/09

Patsy first started experimenting with Texture Magic in June. She applied Texture Magic to warm colored silks for the flower centers. Patsy hand dyes her own fabrics, mainly working with cotton sateen and silk.
See Playing Around With Texture Magic 6/13/09

"I'm really enjoying this Texture Magic stuff!"


Judy Simmons blog highlighted Patsy when she came as a guest speaker to their Fiber Arts Alliance meeting. Patsy demonstrated to the group step by step instructions on how she works with Texture Magic. She showed samples of Texture Magic applied to many different types of fabrics from cotton to silk to felt. In the making of this leaf, and Judy noted that "When treated with steam (the leaf) it held it's shape." She continued "I think the uses for this textured fabric are endless."

Patsy is a quilt artist specializing in free motion quilting. She has produced 18 DVD's on Machine Quilting. Her works have been exhibited in quilt shows and juried exhibits across the U.S.

Update on our Building Addition

We are now in the process of moving into our new addition. It's wonderful to have more warehouse room.

We went from this.

To the carpet being laid.

And new shelving for all those Superior products.

Upstairs we are busy finishing the School of Threadology. This room will house the many midarm and longarm machines.

Our Bernina Room will have a lot of classroom space.

With plenty of floor outlets for the machines.

Additional classroom.

Our next session of the School of Threadology here in St.George, Utah is in November. John Flynn will be a guest teacher at this session. There are still a few openings and we would love to have you join us.

Texture Magic Reps Wanted

Reps Wanted
Superior Threads is recruiting independent sales reps to introduce, demo and sell their popular new product, Texture Magic at local shops all over the world. We still need reps in all States and Provinces except:

Maine
New Hampshire
Vermont
South Carolina
Louisiana
Ohio
Wisconsin
Nebraska
Washington
Ontario

What is the role of a Texture Magic Rep?
Texture Magic is a very exciting product but, when only seen in a package the excitement and creative possibilities are not effectively communicated. What turns Texture Magic into a “must-have-I-can’t-wait-to-get-started-on-it” product is seeing and touching it in a project.
Superior Threads’ Texture Magic motto is: “Everyone who sees Texture Magic buys it.”

A Texture Magic Rep uses sample projects and a Demo Book to sell Texture Magic to stores and groups. The objective is to get Texture Magic in front of as many people as possible where they can see it and touch it in a project. When they see what it can do with fabric and touch the fabulous textures it creates they’ll want to buy it to create some of that wonderful “Texture Magic” for themselves.

If this sounds like a fun part time job, please contact kent@superiorthreads.com for details and an application.

Changing a Spool of Thread

WISE WORDS FROM MOTHER SUPERIOR
Q. When changing a spool of thread on my sewing machine, is it best to clip the thread close to the spool and then pull the thread out downward through the needle rather than pulling it upward?

A. That is probably the better way, but not absolutely necessary if you are using a very good quality thread. A loosely twisted, low quality thread pulled backwards through the machine may cause problems but a smooth, tightly twisted quality thread will not cause damage.

Texture Magic Tuesday/ Bow Tucks Bag

Our thanks today to Margaret Miller of St. George, Utah for her contribution to Texture Magic Tuesday.
Margaret has been using Texture Magic in a lot of her recent projects.

She recently made Bow Tucks Tote by Penny Sturges of Quilts Illustrated.

On the pocket of the tote, Margaret used a stipple stitch, and on the base she stitched a grid.

She has found using the June Tailor Grid Marker helpful in saving time.

Margaret liked her Bow Tucks Tote so much she made another as a gift.

On this one she put batting in the base, and felt it gave the purse a little more stability.

For the pocket she used a stipple stitch.

Margaret operates her own pattern design/longarm business Quilting Sew Unique.

*If you have projects made with Texture Magic, we would love to hear from you. Please send pictures and a description of your projects to nedra@superiorthreads.com

Happy Labor Day

We are out of the office today, while we spend time with our families. But, we will be back in business bright and early tomorrow morning.

Have a Happy Labor Day!

Should I Use a 2-Ply or a 3-Ply Thread When Piecing?

Does it really matter if we use a 2-ply or 3-ply thread for piecing?

*MasterPiece is a 50 weight, 2-ply Extra-long staple Egyptian Cotton available in 59 colors.

If the strength is sufficient and a very fine thread is desired, a 2-ply thread will make a nicer seam. A 3-ply thread may be stronger but also heavier.

When piecing, we usually use a short stitch length. This short stitch makes a strong seam and therefore a quality 2-ply thread is perfectly fine to use.

Of course, a 3-ply thread would also be OK, but it will add more bulk to the seam.

Choose piecing thread wisely. Processing is as important as the raw material. The thread should be extremely smooth with no slubs and very little fuzz or lint. Avoid glazed, coated or waxed threads in your machine.

We also offer MasterPiece pre-wound bobbins in 37 beautiful colors.

Superior Three-in-One Snippers

With Christmas only a few months away, it's time to be thinking of those gifts that all quilters love.
A great gift idea on our list is the Superior Three-in-One Snippers.


Longarmers especially enjoy using this multifunctional tool.

• The SNIPPERS have sharp blades that clip the threads flush with the fabrics. The ergonomic design helps prevent hand fatigue.
• The SEAM RIPPER has very sharp, high precision pointed tips that slip under the smallest of stitches, without damaging the fabric.
• The extended points make a great AWL.

The Three-In-One Snippers comes with a cover to protect the precision tips and blades.
You can find our Snippers on our web site under accessories.

Texture Magic Tuesday/ Whole Cloth Quilt

We are constantly experimenting with Texture Magic to see how it responds in various projects. I wanted to see how Texture Magic would do in a whole cloth quilt with batting.

I layered this quilt in this order: I layered the orange Dupioni silk fabric for the front, Texture Magic, wool batting (for more loft) and then purple Dupioni silk as a backing.

Beth Murray of Durham, California did a beautiful job quilting the whole cloth piece.

She used Superior Threads Glitter for the thread.

We measured the quilt before steaming at 52 1/4" X 67".

The stitching before steam.

The purple Dupioni silk is a two-tone with a slight olive green sheen.

Laying the quilt out on a large table, I began steaming it. We use an up and down method and watched the parts begin to curl up, and then lie flat as the shrinking was completed.

The silk took on an almost embossed look.

.

The feathers took on a trapunto look.

The finished quilt before it was trimmed and bound.

The finished size ended up being 47 1/2 X 61, meaning it shrank around 10%.

Texture Magic can be purchased from our web site in continuous yard cuts. Look under Custom Cuts.