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Member since 4/30/03
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Posted on: 5/29/22 12:47 PM ET
I've been watching Linda Lee and Louise Cutting recommend lighter-weight thread for years, and have often switched over for lighter fabrics on my sewing machine. I was thinking of ordering some very lightweight Aurifil Mako thread to use in the needle position for blind hems on my serger. Has anyone tried something this lightweight? The loopers seem to be able to accommodate a wide range of thread weights but my gut tells me that the ability to tension such a lightweight thread could be a problem in the needle.
  
Member since 4/1/08
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Posted on: 5/29/22 3:21 PM ET
In reply to utahliz
I've used prewound embroidery bobbin thread in needles and loopers. (BabyLock Enlighten) This was for silk chiffon that only sees gentle wear. The thread was here, I tried it, it stitched in well, I was surprised.

If you try the Auroful a good precaution may be to gently clean the tension disks when changing to the lighter thread.

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Member since 5/2/09
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Posted on: 5/29/22 4:46 PM ET
If it was 50 weight or even 80 weight just thread, I think it would still run through an overlocker just fine in the needles or a looper. I have run 80 weight even much more slippery and flexable 2 ply rayon embroidery thread through an over locker (needles and looper) and that works fine. Just with a machine. I got some 2 ply 100 weight all cotton thread too, (the most skinny thread I have) but never tried it there as that is hard to find and pretty expensive, and the overlocker would use up a lot of it. So, I don't think just an overlocker would be a problem with that or almost any thread at all.

But, what are you going to attempt to blind hem with the overlocker? If it's 100 woven cotton fabric, I guess you could try it- but I never use an overlocker to blind hem any woven fabric actually, ny guess is it would not be any more blind or invisible than doing it by sewing machine, and most times that is not all that invisable unless it was in some busy print cotton dirindle skirt or in some curtains or something. If you wanted to blind hem some knit fabric and if the that fabric was cotton or synthetic, not sure that real skiinny. all cotton thread would have an advantage there at all really. But, try it and see what you think. 1 little spool of thread is most times pretty cheap.
  
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Posted on: 5/29/22 10:08 PM ET
In reply to utahliz
When I was serging a silk chiffon project, I used Mettler cotton 60/2 wt thread in needle and loopers because that was the best color match and it was perfect for the fabric. It all worked out great. IIRC I used a size 70 needle.

The Aurifil Mako cotton 50/2 wt thread I use for sewing should work fine in a serger.
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Member since 4/30/03
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Posted on: 5/30/22 11:41 AM ET
I'm talking mainly about lightweight knits and chiffon/georgette-weight wovens. I mostly stopped using the serger blind hem several years ago because I couldn't get it to be as unobtrusive as I thought it should be, and switched to other methods. But I've got a new serger, and I played around with doing a careful serger blind hem on some knit dresses I made for my granddaughters. It made me think it's worth giving the technique another chance, and that I might have better results than in the past if I use lightweight thread. I don't have a coverstitch machine and don't think it makes sense for me at this point. For the knits, I generally use a twin-needle stitch for hems, but it's often been a pain in the neck to get it to look really tidy on my machine, and it doesn't always have the stretch I'd like, due to idiosyncrasies of my (old) machine.
  
Member since 7/19/17
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Posted on: 5/30/22 2:28 PM ET
Not related to blind hem, but did try the lighter wt poly thread, OMG, such a change, no lint, smooth running, now what to do with all the "dirty thread"?
My next project will be with 2 ply cotton on regular machine.
I never knew about these wonderful threads, had been going to Joann's all these years...on occasion changing to mettler silk finish cotton, if I was near a sewing machine shop, but found the "silk finish" very dirty, much to my surprise....lint everywhere. They must have had some bad stuff go through about 3-4 years ago. Going to retry it soon. Not sure the cotton will work on the serger if I just go slow, real slow.

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Member since 4/30/03
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Posted on: 5/30/22 9:33 PM ET
In reply to sewingonvintage
Interesting about the Mettler silk finish cotton. I may have tried a spool or two a while back but it was very difficult to find around here, probably more so now.
  
Member since 7/19/17
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Posted on: 5/31/22 7:13 AM ET
Red Rock Threads has more thread types than you can shake a stick at.
More expensive than others.
Also sew for less has some types but not all, and of course Wawak has thread, but missing some of the important brands, but probably would not sell as quickly as SOP thread
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Member since 2/21/14
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Posted on: 5/31/22 10:50 AM ET
If I'm overlocking the edges on a lightweight fabric I generally use a 2-thread stitch (1 needle & 1 looper) and embroidery cotton thread.

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SusieSewing
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Member since 5/28/07
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Posted on: 5/31/22 4:45 PM ET
Mettler Serafil overlocking thread is fine but strong and never a problem in my overlocker.
  
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