Polyester embroidery thread
The workhorse. 100% filament polyester, #40, bleach and abrasion resistant, for uniforms, caps, towels and sportswear.
- Put-up
- 5,500 yd cones, 1,100 yd spools
- Weights
- #40, #60, #75
Buckets of Ink · Madeira Distributor · Tempe, Arizona
All ThreadsEmbroidery and sewing thread, every type in one place: what each one is for, how it is sized, and which ones we stock
Thread is sold under a dozen names and three sizing systems, and most of them are not interchangeable. This page is the directory: all threads used in embroidery and sewing, side by side, with fiber, weight, put-up and the job each one does. It ends with the Madeira embroidery thread we keep on the shelf in Tempe and ship to every state.
12Thread types in the directory
1,200+Madeira embroidery thread colors on this page
#40Standard embroidery thread weight
~5 mTop thread per 1,000 stitches
All threads, explained in one paragraph
Embroidery and sewing threads fall into three families. Top threads form the visible stitch: machine embroidery thread (polyester or rayon, #40), all-purpose sewing thread (polyester or cotton-wrapped, 50 weight), and specialty top threads such as metallic, matte, wool blend, monofilament and flame-resistant. Bobbin threads are finer and hidden: prewound bobbins and bobbin cones in 60 to 90 weight. Hand threads are separated by fingers, not fed by a machine: six-strand embroidery floss, pearl cotton and tapestry wool. The machine you own, the fabric and how the piece is washed decide which family and which weight.
The directory
All threads for embroidery and sewing
Twelve thread types, what they are made of, how they are sold and what they are for. Cards marked In stock are on the shelf in Tempe; the rest are described so you can recognize them and buy the right one elsewhere.
Rayon embroidery thread
100% viscose with the deepest sheen and softest hand. Fashion, monograms, linens and heirloom work. No chlorine bleach.
- Put-up
- 5,500 yd cones, 1,100 yd spools
- Weights
- #40, #60, #30, #12
Matte embroidery thread
Polyester with a flat, chalky finish for vintage looks, tone-on-tone logos and tonal monograms.
- Put-up
- Cones
- Weight
- #40
Metallic embroidery thread
Real foil over a polyamide core (FS), coated polyester (CR) or triple-twisted sparkle (Supertwist). Accents, logos and holiday work.
- Put-up
- Cones and spools
- Weights
- #40, #50, #20
Specialty embroidery thread
Fire Fighter flame-resistant, Burmilana wool and cotton blends, Monolon clear monofilament, Polyneon Green recycled polyester, Sensa Green lyocell.
- Use
- FR workwear, heirloom texture, invisible tack-downs
Bobbin thread
Finer polyester that locks the stitch from the back. Prewound bobbins in L, M and A styles, paper, plastic or sideless, plus magnetic cores.
- Put-up
- 144 per box, also bobbin cones
- Weight
- 60 to 90
All-purpose sewing thread
Polyester or cotton-wrapped polyester, about 50 weight, built for seam strength rather than shine. Garment construction, repairs and hems.
- Put-up
- Spools, 100 to 1,000 yd
- Needle
- Universal 80/12
Serger and overlock thread
Lightweight spun polyester on tall cones for three and four-thread overlock seams. Runs fast, not made for decorative stitching.
- Put-up
- 3,000 yd cones
- Weight
- About 40, loosely spun
Quilting and longarm thread
Long-staple cotton or trilobal polyester for piecing and quilting. Cotton for piecing, polyester for longarm speed and sheen.
- Put-up
- Spools and cones
- Weight
- 40 to 50 cotton, 40 polyester
Embroidery floss
Six-strand mercerized cotton in 8.7 yd skeins for hand embroidery and cross stitch. Numbered by DMC or Anchor. Not for machines.
- Put-up
- Skeins
- Guide
- Embroidery floss, Emb floss
Pearl cotton and tapestry wool
Non-divisible hand threads. Pearl cotton in sizes 3 to 12 for hardanger and redwork; tapestry wool for needlepoint canvas.
- Put-up
- Skeins and balls
Heavy-duty, upholstery and bonded nylon
Bonded nylon or polyester in Tex 70 and up for leather, canvas, webbing and outdoor gear. Needs a size 16 to 20 needle and an industrial or heavy-duty machine.
- Put-up
- Cones, 1 lb
- Size
- Tex 70 to 270
Thread by machine
Which thread each machine runs
The machine narrows the list fast. Embroidery machines want smooth #40 top thread and fine bobbin thread; sewing machines want 50 weight construction thread; sergers and longarms have their own put-ups.
Home, single-head and multi-head
Embroidery machines
- Top thread
- #40 polyester or rayon embroidery thread; #60 for small lettering
- Bobbin
- 60 to 90 wt prewound, L-style most common
- Needle
- 75/11 embroidery
- Examples
- Brother, Janome, Happy Japan, Tajima, Barudan, Ricoma
Cones on a stand for home machines; cones on the overhead rack for commercial heads.
Construction and repair
Sewing machines
- Top and bobbin
- Same 50 wt all-purpose polyester in both
- Decorative
- #40 embroidery thread on top with an embroidery needle
- Needle
- Universal 80/12; topstitch 90/14 for heavy thread
Embroidery thread sews beautifully for topstitching and decorative stitches; it is not the right choice for stressed seams.
Overlock, coverstitch, longarm
Sergers and quilting machines
- Serger
- Spun polyester serger cones, 3 or 4 at a time
- Longarm
- 40 wt trilobal polyester or cotton on large cones
- Domestic quilting
- 50 wt cotton for piecing
Madeira Polyneon #40 runs well on longarms for shops that want the embroidery palette on quilts.
Weight, Tex and denier
Thread weight and sizing systems compared
Three systems describe thread thickness and they run in opposite directions. Weight and number get smaller as thread gets thicker; Tex and denier get larger. This table lines them up for the threads on this page.
| Thread | Weight / No. | Approx. Tex | Approx. denier | Needle | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polyneon #75 | 75 | Tex 16 | 150 | 65/9 | Micro lettering |
| Polyneon or Rayon #60 | 60 | Tex 18 to 20 | 170 | 65/9 to 70/10 | Small text under 5 mm |
| Polyneon or Rayon #40 | 40 | Tex 27 | 240 | 75/11 | Standard embroidery |
| Classic Rayon #30 | 30 | Tex 35 | 320 | 80/12 to 90/14 | Bold fills, jacket backs |
| Classic Rayon #12 | 12 | Tex 80 | 720 | 100/16 to 110/18 | Heavy decorative |
| All-purpose sewing | 50 | Tex 27 to 30 | 250 | 80/12 | Seams, hems |
| Bobbin thread | 60 to 90 | Tex 12 to 20 | 110 to 180 | n/a | Underside of embroidery |
| Serger thread | About 40, spun | Tex 24 to 27 | 220 | 80/12 to 90/14 | Overlock seams |
| Bonded nylon | Tex 70 and up | Tex 70 to 270 | 630 to 2,400 | 110/18 to 140/22 | Leather, canvas, webbing |
| Six-strand floss, 2 strands | n/a | About Tex 60 | About 540 | Hand needle 8 to 9 | Cross stitch on 14 count |
Tex and denier figures are rounded conversions for comparison; check the manufacturer spec sheet when a contract calls for an exact size.
Polyester, rayon, cotton, nylon
Thread fiber and how the finished piece washes
| Fiber | Look | Strength | Bleach and hot wash | Choose it for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polyester filament (Polyneon) | High shine | High, fewest breaks at speed | Bleach-safe, colorfast | Uniforms, caps, towels, anything laundered hard |
| Viscose rayon (Classic Rayon) | Deepest sheen, softest hand | Moderate | No chlorine bleach | Fashion, monograms, linens, gifts |
| Matte polyester (Frosted Matt) | Flat, no shine | High | Bleach-safe | Vintage looks, tonal logos |
| Metallic (foil over core) | True metallic | Moderate; slow the machine | Gentle wash | Accents and logos |
| Cotton (floss, quilting) | Matte to soft sheen | Moderate, lint | Fades over many washes | Hand stitching, quilt piecing |
| Bonded nylon | Slight sheen | Very high | UV degrades; use bonded polyester outdoors | Leather, upholstery, bags |
| Wool blend (Burmilana) | Hand-stitched texture | Moderate | Cool wash | Heirloom and crest work |
Shop embroidery thread
Madeira embroidery thread in stock: polyester, rayon, matte and metallic
The four embroidery thread types most machines run, from Madeira, on the shelf in Tempe. Tap a color family to filter, or search by name or color number. Specialty lines, backing, needles and bobbins are on the embroidery thread page.
Top thread vs. bobbin thread
What goes in the bobbin?
Every machine stitch is two threads locked together. The top thread is the one you see; the bobbin thread is finer, hidden and, on embroidery machines, almost always white or black.
| Top thread | Bobbin thread | |
|---|---|---|
| Job | Forms the visible design or seam | Locks stitches from underneath |
| Embroidery machine | #40 polyester or rayon | 60 to 90 wt prewound, L, M or A style |
| Sewing machine | 50 wt all-purpose | Same 50 wt thread wound on the machine bobbin |
| Colors | Every color in the design | White or black; match only on towels and reversible items |
| What you should see | All of the front | A narrow center line about one-third the width of a satin column on the back |
Confirm the bobbin style your machine takes before ordering; L-style is the most common on embroidery machines. Prewound bobbins from Madeira, Fil-Tec and Coats are on the embroidery thread page.
Interactive
Thread calculator: how much embroidery thread does a job use?
Enter the stitch count from your design file and the number of pieces. The calculator uses the common estimate of about 5 meters of top thread per 1,000 stitches and a 5,000 meter (5,500 yard) cone.
Typical stitch counts: left-chest logo 5,000 to 10,000; cap front 6,000 to 12,000; full back 30,000 to 60,000.
0Meters of top thread
0Yards of top thread
0Share of one 5,000 m cone
0Avg. meters per color
Estimate only. Dense fills, small lettering and thread trims change usage; order a little extra of the dominant color and keep lot numbers together.
How-to
How to choose the right thread in five steps
Work down the list and the directory above narrows to one or two threads.
- Start with the machineEmbroidery machine, sewing machine, serger, longarm or hand needle. That picks the family: embroidery thread, all-purpose, serger, quilting or floss.
- Decide how it will be washedBleach, hot industrial laundering or outdoor wear means polyester. Gentle wash and a premium look allows rayon. Leather and gear mean bonded nylon.
- Match weight to the smallest detail#40 for standard work, #60 or #75 for lettering under 5 mm, #30 or #12 for bold fills. Higher number, thinner thread.
- Pair the needle75/11 embroidery for #40, 65/9 for #60, 80/12 universal for sewing thread, 110/18 and up for bonded nylon.
- Match the bobbinFine prewound bobbin for embroidery machines; the same thread top and bottom for sewing machines. Stitch a test and check the back.
Happy Japan · Sold and supported from Tempe
Embroidery machines that run all of these threads
Single-head Journey and Voyager for startups and home studios, HCD3e-1501 for growing shops, and HCR3 4, 6, 8 and 12-head production machines. Sold by quote with local setup and training; every one runs the Madeira thread above.
Request a Quote
Happy Japan machines are sold by quote. Reach our equipment team and we will follow up with pricing and availability for this model.
Where to buy
All threads for embroidery in Tempe, delivered in Phoenix, shipped anywhere
Buckets of Ink
906 S Priest Dr #101
Tempe, AZ 85281
480-229-7806 · bucketsofink@gmail.com
Monday to Friday · 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM
We stock the machine side of the directory: Madeira embroidery thread in every line, prewound bobbins, needles and E-Zee backing. Sewing, serger, quilting and hand threads are described above so you can buy them with confidence elsewhere.
More thread guides from Buckets of Ink
- Embroidery thread near me: Madeira thread, backing, needles and bobbins in Tempe
- Emb thread: machine thread guide, polyester vs rayon, cones on home machines
- Embroidery floss and Emb floss: hand floss explained
- Happy Japan embroidery machines: single to 12-head
Questions we answer at the counter
All threads FAQ
Top threads: machine embroidery thread in polyester, rayon, matte and metallic; all-purpose sewing thread; serger thread; quilting and longarm thread; bonded nylon for heavy work. Bobbin threads: fine prewound bobbins and bobbin cones. Hand threads: six-strand embroidery floss, pearl cotton and tapestry wool.
Yes for topstitching and decorative stitches, with an embroidery or topstitch needle. For seams that carry stress, use 50 weight all-purpose sewing thread, which is built for strength rather than shine.
It will run, but it is duller, thicker and breaks more often at embroidery speed, and designs digitized for #40 thread will look heavy. Use 40 weight polyester or rayon embroidery thread on top and a fine prewound bobbin underneath.
Weight is a thickness rating where a higher number means thinner thread: #40 is the embroidery standard, #60 and #75 are finer for small lettering, #30 and #12 are heavier. Tex and denier run the other way, larger number means thicker thread. Sewing thread is usually 50 weight.
Polyester is better for anything washed hard, bleached or worn outside: uniforms, caps, towels. Rayon has a softer hand and deeper sheen for fashion, monograms and decor, but should not see chlorine bleach.
On an embroidery machine, a finer 60 to 90 weight bobbin thread in white or black, usually prewound in L, M or A style. On a sewing machine, the same all-purpose thread used on top.
No. Floss is six loosely twisted cotton strands for hand stitching. It sheds and jams in a machine. Use #40 machine embroidery thread instead; see our embroidery floss guide for the full comparison.
Bonded nylon or bonded polyester in Tex 70 and up, with a size 18 to 22 needle on an industrial or heavy-duty machine. Use bonded polyester outdoors, since UV degrades nylon.
Yes. Madeira Polyneon and Classic Rayon are made for high-speed commercial multi-head machines and run on single-head and home embroidery machines from Brother, Janome, Happy Japan, Tajima, Barudan and Ricoma.
All Madeira machine embroidery thread lines, prewound bobbins from Madeira, Fil-Tec and Coats, embroidery needles and E-Zee backing. We do not stock all-purpose sewing, serger, quilting, bonded nylon or hand floss.
About 5 meters of top thread per 1,000 stitches. An 8,000-stitch left-chest logo uses roughly 40 meters, so one 5,000 meter cone covers about one million stitches. The calculator on this page runs the numbers for an order.
Buckets of Ink stocks Madeira embroidery thread at 906 S Priest Dr #101 in Tempe, AZ, Monday to Friday 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM, with delivery across the Phoenix metro and shipping to every state.
References and further reading
- Madeira USA, specifications for Polyneon, Classic Rayon, Frosted Matt, FS Metallic and specialty lines: madeirausa.com
- Schmetz, needle system and size guide for embroidery, universal and topstitch needles: schmetzneedles.com
- Buckets of Ink: Embroidery Thread Near Me, Emb Thread, Embroidery Floss.
Cite this page: Buckets of Ink. "All Threads: Embroidery and Sewing Thread Directory." bucketsofink.com/page/all-threads. Updated September 30, 2026.
