Adele wrote: <I was thinking of a discussion we have had on this list a couple of times, where people have complained that their reel of cotton (or linen) thread broke all the time and other people came back and said "Really? I've never had any problems with that thread" and we thought that deterioration of the thread itself might be a factor.
For example, in very dry climates some people keep their threads in the refrigerator to stop them from drying out and becoming brittle. Those of us in a temporate, rainy climate don't have those problems. Other people may live in a sunny place and their threads have been exposed to a lot of sun and deteriorated from that. In northern climates it's less likely that would have happened. There are probably a lot of other microbe problems, like mildew, that would affect thread quality.> I've just finished reading "The Technology of Thread and Seams" published by Coats. Although it concerns the use of threads in sewing machines, (I didn't know that joining two pieces of fabric together could be so fascinating) some of it is applicable to any thread. For specific problems, their research team can be contacted, but I thought the list might be interested in what they say on two topics - yellowing of white threads and thread storage. Yellowing of whites "It is generally agreed that the most common cause of yellowing is the reaction between oxides of nitrogen from the atmosphere and phenolic chemicals present in the fibres. Oxides of nitrogen are produced in combustion processes and are commonly emitted into the atmosphere from exhaust gases. The most likely source of the phenolic chemical is antioxidants added to such as plastic wrapping material, waxes, oils and elastic to reduce the effects of ageing. Carboard contains naturally occurring phenolic chemicals which can also interact with oxides of nitrogen to form yellow compounds. It has been proved that these pnenolic chemicals can readily transfer from the host substrate to textile material in close contact with it. Research has show that it is possible to suppress the oxides of nitrogen/phenolic yellowing phenomenon but not to completely eliminate it. The common factors which influence it are: (i) pH - a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a substance. High pH promotes the apparance of yellowing whilst low pH conditions suppress it. It is recommended that textile material is left in an acid condition (low pH) (ii) Temperature/Humidity - Low temperature has been shown to reduce the propensity to yellowing and high humnidity to enhance the degree of yellowing. Best storage conditions are therefore low temperature and low humidity. (iii) Softeners - Cationic softeners have been found to promote the appearance of yellowing and should therefore be avoided if possible. A small number of Fluorescent Brightening agents have been found to react with oxides of nitrogen to produce a yellow colour. Those are banned from use on Coats threads." Thread Storage: "Where possible storage should be in a clean, cool, dust free atmosphere out of direct exposure to sunlight) Electric lighting - tungsten or fluorescent - is satisfactory, although close proximity to any lights should be avoided. Ideally the thread should be boxed. Ventilation should be periodically checked to ensure that no contamination/yellowing occurs from boiler, central heating, vehicle exhaust emissions or other atmospheric pollutants.... Ambient temperature and humidity in the store are imprtant. There should be as little variation as possible to prevent 'breathing' of storage containers which might encourage the formation of mildew over a long period of time. Threads should not be stored above radiators............ The ideal storage conditions are: Temperature 15 degrees - 25 degrees C (59 - 77 degrees F) Relative humidity 45-65% Under extremely adverse conditions, faults which may be caused over a prolonged period incude: Loss of strength due to over-exposure to ultra-violet light. High friction and therefore poor sewing performance due to lubricant migrating to the centre of the thread because of high temperature. (Obviously for sewing machines - all modern threads intended for the sewing machine have a lubricant built in) Fading of colour in non-fast shades and potential yellowing of white threads. Attention to correct storage conditions can avoid these hazards. Thread is an investment worth protecting." Jean in Poole - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
