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Here is an interesting article from Mary Corbett on what to look out for when you are buying or have been given old thread. I now wonder if some of the trouble some of you have had with Ebay purchases or garage sale finds is down to ancient thread doing what old things do...

Great article! Now I'm scared to use the thread I got from eBay last year. They are in floss away bags on bobbins and some of the threads are gross! I don't mind the cat hair, but some of the threads feel "sticky" . I'm guessing that the cats had some of the floss in their mouths before the owner wound the bobbins. When I find a sticky one, I just throw it away. Maybe I should just trash the whole set...but I paid a pretty penny on that bid.

Here's a continuation on the dilemma of what to do with older threads: washing!

One thing I don't see mentioned is how long-term storage of your threads on bobbins that aren't acid-free can deteriorate the threads.

http://www.scarletquince.com/tips.php?#" target="_blank
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