What Thread Should I Use for Bag Making?
Thread might seem like a small detail when you're choosing fabric, stabiliser, hardware and zippers, but it's quite literally what holds your entire bag together!
Bags go through much more stress than many other things we sew. We fill them, carry them by their handles, pull on straps, stuff pockets and open and close zippers over and over again. That means we need seams that can cope with everyday wear.
For most bag making, my recommendation is simple:
Use a good-quality polyester sewing thread.
Why polyester rather than cotton?
I don't recommend cotton thread for constructing bags.
Cotton thread can be lovely for quilting and other sewing applications, but for something that will be subjected to the repeated pulling, rubbing and strain of everyday use, I prefer polyester.
Polyester thread is strong, durable and abrasion-resistant, with a little more give than cotton. That makes it very well suited to the stresses we put our handbags through.
This doesn't mean you need the thickest, strongest industrial-looking thread you can find! For most bag construction, a good-quality all-purpose polyester sewing thread is an excellent choice.
Thread quality really does matter
Not all thread is created equal.
A good-quality thread should be smooth and consistent in thickness so that it can travel freely through your machine, tension discs and needle.
Poor-quality thread may be fuzzy, uneven or have tiny thick and thin areas. Apart from producing less attractive stitching, those irregularities can contribute to thread breakage, inconsistent tension and even skipped stitches. And it can wear unnecessarily on your machine due to the lint it produces, making you have to service it more often (source is my father that has a sewing machine store and works with sewing machine repair and service ).
And occasionally you can get a bad spool even from a very good manufacturer!
I've had a spool of Gütermann thread with tiny irregularities along it that were almost impossible to see with the naked eye. Every time I put that particular spool in my machine, I got skipped stitches.
So if your machine suddenly starts misbehaving and you can't work out why, try a fresh spool of good-quality thread before dismantling your sewing machine or throwing it out the window. 😂
Having skipped stitches?
My Sewing Machine Is Skipping Stitches →
Which brands do I recommend?
You don't have to buy an exotic specialist bag-making thread.
The most important things are that it is good quality, polyester and suitable for your sewing machine.
I personally use Gütermann for almost all of my sewing, and it's the brand I know and trust best. Their regular Sew-All polyester thread is my go-to for general bag construction.
Mettler is another quality brand I've used successfully, and there are of course other excellent manufacturers too. If you already have a reputable polyester thread that works beautifully in your machine, there's absolutely no reason to change just because it isn't the brand I normally use.
Sewing machines can have preferences of their own - because apparently choosing fabric wasn't enough drama for us. 😂
What about heavier thread for topstitching?
For visible topstitching, I love using a slightly heavier polyester thread. It gives the stitching more definition and can look especially beautiful on vinyl, cork, faux leather and solid-coloured fabrics where the stitching becomes part of the design.
However, most domestic sewing machines are much happier with regular-weight sewing thread than very heavy thread. The heavier you go, the more likely you are to run into problems with tension, skipped stitches or the machine simply not feeding the thread happily.
One of my favourites is Gütermann Deco Stitch 70. It's noticeably heavier and more decorative than normal Sew-All thread, but it's specifically designed to work well with household sewing machines, so I've found it to be a great option when you want more prominent topstitching without jumping straight to a very heavy thread. Gütermann recommends a size 90-100 needle for it.
Whichever heavier thread you choose, remember that the thread and needle need to suit each other. A thicker thread needs enough room to pass freely through the eye of the needle. If the needle is too small, the thread can catch or rub as you sew, which can lead to shredding, breaking or skipped stitches.
Try regular thread in the bobbin
If you've chosen the correct needle but your machine is still struggling with your heavier topstitching thread, there's another trick that's well worth trying:
Use the heavier thread only on top and put your normal polyester sewing thread in the bobbin.
Many domestic machines cope much better with this combination, and it can allow you to use a heavier top thread than the machine would happily sew with if that same heavy thread were also wound onto the bobbin.
You'll still get the beautiful, heavier topstitching where it's visible, while making life considerably easier for your sewing machine.
As always, test your thread, needle and tension combination on scraps from your actual project first. Different machines have different tolerances, and some are much happier with heavy thread than others.
Do I need heavy-duty thread for bags?
Usually, no. This is one of those places where "stronger" doesn't automatically mean "better".
Heavy thread may be difficult for a domestic sewing machine to handle, require a much larger needle and cause tension problems. Your bag also isn't relying on one heroic strand of thread to hold the entire thing together - the construction, seam allowances, materials and reinforcement all contribute to its strength. A very heavy thread can also be more visible in the finished bag. In high-stress areas such as corners and side seams, the stitching may become visible as the seam is put under tension. A finer construction thread is generally much less noticeable.
For most Pink Pony Design bags, a quality all-purpose polyester thread like the Gütermann Sew-all is perfectly suitable for the main construction.
Use a heavier thread when you specifically want heavier stitching or when your pattern or materials call for it - not simply because you're sewing a bag.
Don't forget the needle
Thread and needle work together.
If you're having problems with breaking thread, shredding, skipped stitches or unattractive stitching, don't automatically assume the thread is at fault. Your needle may simply be the wrong type or size for the thread and materials you're using.
As a general rule, your thread should be able to pass freely through the needle eye without catching or rubbing excessively. This is where a topstitch needle can be your saviour - with its larger eye, it allows even heavier threads to run freely.
And when sewing the thick layers we often encounter in bag making, always start with a fresh, good-quality needle. A needle can be damaged or slightly bent long before it looks damaged to us.
What about old thread?
That beautiful collection of vintage thread you inherited may be better suited to decorating your sewing room than constructing the handles of your next handbag. 😄
Thread can deteriorate over time depending on its age and how it has been stored. If an older spool breaks easily, feels brittle, looks excessively fuzzy or is causing unexplained stitching problems, replace it with fresh thread.
Thread is inexpensive compared with the fabric, stabiliser, hardware and hours of work that go into making a bag. It's not the place I'd choose to take a chance.
My simple bag-making thread rule
If you don't want to remember anything else from this chapter, remember this:
For bag making, choose a fresh, good-quality polyester thread from a reputable manufacturer, pair it with the correct needle, and test heavier decorative threads on scraps before using them on your finished bag.
That's really all you need. ❤️
Still need help?
If your thread looks wrong once you've started sewing, these chapters may help: