When to use silk thread?

My favorite use for silk thread is in applique. The stitches just disappear, even if the color match isn't exact. This 4-inch-tall kitty, on a quilt I'm quilting now, was appliqued with silk:

this: 's also good for any basting you need to do on delicate fabrics and for sewing pearls onto lace, as in bridal gowns. It's easy to thread tiny size 12 sharps, because it is so fine. Doreen in Alabama

I use it for sewing all silk fabrics and for as many hand sewing processes as possible, including basting. Silk thread clings to itself and tangles less than other threads, making it good for hand sewing, and it leaves less of a mark when pressed if used for basting, so I use a very fine silk thread for that.

Love the appliques!

I had heard that silk thread should not be used on some fabrics because it is stronger than the fabric which could lead to tears, as opposed to split seam.

The same is even more the case with poly thread. Both are monofilament threads rather than made of multiple short filaments, like cotton or wool. This is why you should match threads as far as is practical with the fibre content of the fabric to be sewn:

Silk to silk Poly to poly Poly/cotton to poly thread Poly to rayon/viscose (another monofilament fabric) Wool to cotton thread Poly/wool blends to poly or cotton depending on the amount of poly in the blend Polycore thread is a good compromise for wool/poly blends and viscose fabrics: it has a polyester core (makes it strong) with a cotton wrap (makes it more forgiving).

Silk thread is good for hand sewing because it tangles less, and careful hand stitching will not rip through the fabric the way machine stitching can on some more delicate fabrics. This is why so many cotoure garments are still largely hand stitched with silk thread.

When sewing silk garments for customers, I only use poly thread in the serger for neatening seams: all actual seams and hand stitches are done in silk thread. In an emergency, I'll use silk thread rather than poly on wool and cotton because it has a softer finish and is less likely to cut through the other fibres than the poly. This habit is born of experience over 40+ years of sewing.

I always sew silk and wool with silk thread. Well, not

*always* -- some hand mending on wool is done with wool embroidery thread.

I greatly prefer sewing thread that requires the same washing products and storage conditions as the fabric it is holding together.

Make sure you get reeled silk for seams -- spun silk is much weaker, and I use it only for ornamental stitching. (Guetermann is spun, Tire is reeled, I've never seen the other available brands.)

Joy Beeson