Little Diversion to a Bag and a Purse

Ever get started on what seems to be a small project that explodes into a life of its own?  I spent the night learning how to match my thread and needle size to my fabric.  You may wonder 'what is he talking about and how did this happen?'  It started yesterday when I made a set of curtains for my son's kitchen window.  I used a rather funky upholstery fabric with a WS coating that required a lining to hide.  The curtains came out well, but I had a little fabric left over.  I made a iPad size bag for me wife, and she was pleased with it.

The bag was totally from materials I had on hand.  Inspired by the bag, I decided I'll make a matching purse.  The NewLook 6080 pattern is really for a ladies top and pants, but they added a simply purse pattern as an accessory (nice touch).

I didn't have enough of the curtain/bag fabric left, so I decided to make the purse from a really tough nasty, but very attractive, upholstery fabric.  The fabric cut well enough, took the heavy fusible interface well enough, and the magnetic snaps went in fine.  When I decided to sew a sample on my Singer 20U33 before trying to sew the purse, the result was a total disaster.

I had a good quality Gütermann poly thread, but the machine dropped stitches like mad.  Figuring it was tension, I tried everything including cleaning and oiling the bobbin hook.  If I sewed at 600spm, the thread disintegrated.  Sewing on a light cotton, the stitching was perfect.  Then it occurred to me.. it's the fabric eating my thread!  I pulled out a roll of V69 UVR Bonded Sunguard Polyester thread and loaded it on the 20U with a 110/18 needle.  This thread is used for outdoor umbrellas on my walking foot Sailrite sewing machine, but I've never had the nerve to try it on the 20U.

Wow!  No dropped stitches even at 1,000spm through 5 layers.  QED:  nasty heavy upholstery fabric needs a nasty heavy thread with a wicked heavy industrial needle.  I feel dumb.  Tomorrow I'll finish the purse.  I am certain that 100 years from now, the stitches won't come out of this purse. G'night