The same seam length needs different amounts of thread depending on the stitch type and density. Drawing on material from the thread maker AMANN, this guide sets out the conditions a calculation needs: stitch type, material thickness, seam width.
The same seam length can need different amounts of thread
For each seam, look at what it does and what stitch form it uses. Even at the same length, a different stitch type, stitch density, material thickness or seam width changes how much thread it takes.
Record the sewing conditions the calculation uses
- Note the stitch type and what the seam is for.
- Record the stitches per unit length and the seam length.
- Check the thickness of the layers and the seam width.
- Check the balance between the needle thread and the bobbin or looper thread.
- Allow for back-tacking at the ends, colour changes and thread used up in production.
Thread tension and balance also change how the thread lies and how much is used. That is why this guide gives no fixed multiple of seam length for a product.
When the conditions differ, measure a trial seam
AMANN also describes unpicking a trial seam to measure the thread where the calculation uses conditions that differ from the product's. Measure on a sample made with the actual material and sewing conditions, and add the thread consumed during production to the quantity you prepare.
Related words are in Threads and needlesand Sewing techniques.
Sources
Written with reference to the sources above. The specification and performance of the material you buy must be confirmed from its own datasheet and test reports.
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