Questions & Answers

Are these threads as good as the Gütermann threads in the stores?
According to Gütermann the "Mara" threads are exactly the same as the "Sew All" which is available in the sewing shops.
In other words the "normal" spools of 200m. However according to my own observations Mara is noticeable better.
Please see this blog post. (It was writting before I started my webshop).

I've never heard of Mara before. Why don't they sell these threads in normal sewing stores?
Mara is industrial thread and is meant for another market than home sewers.
In a way we could say Mara is a "professional" thread while the threads in the sewing stores are for "home use".
200m spools are fine for home sewers who occasionally sews. But many hobby sewers are sewing daily and many also do it for sale. Many home sewers are becoming more professional, and hence get other needs like larger spools of sewing threads.

What's the difference between Mara and Epic?
Both are industrial threads made by Gütermann (Mara) and Coats (Epic).
Epic is a "better" thread which is stronger and more elastic.
Mara is a "nicer" thread which is smoother and less lint.
That being said the differences are rather small. Both brands are great threads and you can even mix them.

Which thread for overlock?
Normal thickness (tkt 120) works fine. Both Mara and Epic are suitable.
I would especially recommend Epic.

Often thinner threads are used on the loopers, which are the threads who covers the edge. You can either use Mara 220 or Princess 160 (woolly nylon). Also some specialized threads like Tera 180 exists for this purpose.
Note that you don't need 4 cones in every colour. Most often it's sufficient changing the left needle to match the fabric. Which means you can have the remaining 3 threads in white only. Optionally you can also have 3 cones of black and gray to be safe. It's only the leftmost thread which is visible.
A good and common setup is having 3x 5000m cones on your overlocker and then having a good selection of 1000m spools in different colours for the left needle. These spools can also be shared with your regular sewing machine!

Which thread for coverstitch?
Since coverstitch seams are often visible I would recommend Mara.
These threads are beautiful and practically free of loose "hair" and lint". Especially noticeable on seams in contrasting colours!
Normal thickness Mara 120 is fine. You can also use thicker threads, like Mara 70 if you want bold and visible seams.

Tkt, 120, #220, 160 huh? Care to explain the thread thickness?
I wrote a blog post some time ago.
In short a higher number means thinner threads while a lower means thicker. Normal is around 100 +/-. The measurement is linear, which means tkt 50 exactly twice as thick as tkt 100. So Mara 220 is almost half as thin as Mara 120.

I want a colour you don't have in the webshop.
I can get any colour for you, but you'll have to buy whole boxes with 10 spools of 1000m in the same colour. For larger 5000m cones there is no minimum quanity. You can even order only 1 in any colour you desire.
I continuously expand the stock with more colours, so if a colour is interesting for other people as well, then I'll put it in the shop. In that case you don't have to buy the whole box.

In order for me to find the correct colour for you I need either a colour code (from a Gütermann or Coats thread, or from shade card).
A photo of the fabric is not suitable as reference!

Can I buy only sewing needles or bobbins from you?
Yes, please send me an email.

Willy Sews!