<p>Not all thread is equal. Very cheap thread will be fuzzy, hard to thread through a needle eye, knot easily as you sew and break easily due to short fiber length and cheap manufacturing. Cotton thread can also rot over time. Even polyester thread will degrade over time. </p>

<p>Test the thread before you spend a lot of time sewing with it. Pull a bit off of the spool, hold an end in each hand, yank it and if the thread breaks very easily, toss it out. </p>

<p>To make your hand sewing experience a little more hassle free, thread your needle with thread that is about 36 " long. Knot one end. Run the thread through a chunk of beeswax. Iron the thread to soak the wax in. This will discourage the thread from tangling. Don't use wax if you are sewing white fine fabric that will show wax marks. </p>

<p>My favourite hand sewing thread is Rice's silamide finishing thread but it is not available everywhere: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkZ33TC5k_Y" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkZ33TC5k_Y</a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-02-26T00:34:36.730Z
2017-02-26T00:34:36.730Z
Thyrza 
<p>For a 4 inch repair I would use the yarn and needle in the repair kit, and do it now before it spreads further. 
Use the most matching colour and the finest thread if you have several options, and as thin/fine a needle as you can handle for the repair.</p>

<p>When sewing a whole project, it is good to get good quality thread and needles, but for a small repair you use what is at hand.</p>

<p>While silk thread is available, it is expensive and many people will still use polyester or cotton for the hidden seams and only buy silk if there is top stitching where it shows. When you do buy it for the top stitching you might well use it for the rest of the sewing as well.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-12-22T17:47:33.137Z
2016-12-22T17:47:33.137Z
Willeke
<p>I have a pair of silk pajama pants that have come apart along one seam on the leg.  There’s no damage to the cloth and it’s spreading very slowly, so there was just some flaw and that bit of seam was not fastened properly.</p>

<p>To fix it, what kind of thread and needle should be used?  I’m leery of using the generic thread from a wardrobe repair kit (a couple dozen miniature spools in different colors) without at least checking first.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-12-16T13:15:43.030Z
Are you considering sewing this by hand or machine? Answers won't be too different but I am curious
Matt
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-12-16T13:49:21.933Z
By hand, I expect. Only 4 inches.
JDługosz
<sewing>
Thread for sewing silk?
JDługosz
# Thread for sewing silk?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-12-15)

I have a pair of silk pajama pants that have come apart along one seam on the leg. There’s no damage to the cloth and it’s spreading very slowly, so there was just some flaw and that bit of seam was not fastened properly.

To fix it, what kind of thread and needle should be used? I’m leery of using the generic thread from a wardrobe repair kit (a couple dozen miniature spools in different colors) without at least checking first.

**Tags:** sewing

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Are you considering sewing this by hand or machine? Answers won't be too different but I am curious  
> **username_0**: By hand, I expect. Only 4 inches.  

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2017-02-26. Score: 1

Not all thread is equal. Very cheap thread will be fuzzy, hard to thread through a needle eye, knot easily as you sew and break easily due to short fiber length and cheap manufacturing. Cotton thread can also rot over time. Even polyester thread will degrade over time.

Test the thread before you spend a lot of time sewing with it. Pull a bit off of the spool, hold an end in each hand, yank it and if the thread breaks very easily, toss it out.

To make your hand sewing experience a little more hassle free, thread your needle with thread that is about 36 " long. Knot one end. Run the thread through a chunk of beeswax. Iron the thread to soak the wax in. This will discourage the thread from tangling. Don't use wax if you are sewing white fine fabric that will show wax marks.

My favourite hand sewing thread is Rice's silamide finishing thread but it is not available everywhere: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkZ33TC5k_Y>


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### Answer by username_3 on 2016-12-22. Score: 1

For a 4 inch repair I would use the yarn and needle in the repair kit, and do it now before it spreads further.
Use the most matching colour and the finest thread if you have several options, and as thin/fine a needle as you can handle for the repair.

When sewing a whole project, it is good to get good quality thread and needles, but for a small repair you use what is at hand.

While silk thread is available, it is expensive and many people will still use polyester or cotton for the hidden seams and only buy silk if there is top stitching where it shows. When you do buy it for the top stitching you might well use it for the rest of the sewing as well.


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