Over the 25 year I have been sewing, I have amassed an enormous collection of threads, which I keep on display in the studio on this home made spool rack.
I can’t help but collect threads when I see them in charity shops or car boot sales but there are some rules I follow.
My personal preference is Sylko cotton, which is no longer made, so I have to get these threads second hand. It is thicker than standard polyester or modern cotton thread, which I find easier to hand sew with. It tangles less than polyester and the thickness helps create a bolder stitch which I like.
For machine sewing I tend to use Gutermans polyester thread, mainly for practicality as it is easy to buy. I aim to gradually replace all my polyester threads with biodegradable cotton. Polyester is best for any seams under strain and for things like buttons and zips but a good quality cotton is quite strong enough for most things too.
When I am sewing something really special in silk or wool, I use silk thread which disappears almost invisibly into the fabric.
I can’t help collecting vintage threads but I use them with caution; natural fibres will degrade with exposure to light so they can be liable to breaking which makes them impossible to use in a sewing machine. I tend to use them for hand sewing only, or just keep them looking lovely in the studio.
I recently bought some spools of organic cotton thread from Raystitch and I am finding them to be really lovely to work with. I am also the proud owner of some Singer-branded thread, a fabulous gift from my friend and fellow thread-addict Scrapiana.
Ruth Singer 
Let me know what you think