Sewing Thread Numbering or Sizing:
The relation between the length and the weight of sewing thread is expressed in number. This number is called the count or size or sewing thread numbering. Sewing thread is made in various thickness and their counts or sizes are expressed in various systems. The counts or sizes or numbers of threads are expressed mainly in two systems that means how much length of thread is there in a specific weight (indirect system) and what is the weight of a specific length of thread (direct system). To determine the count of thread is comparatively easy in the second system, that is in the direct system, and the greater the thickness of the thread the larger its count number. So, it is easy to understand. But for expressing the count or size of threads, the indirect system is followed in most of the countries of the world. The systems in which the numbers of threads are expressed for various types of sewing threads are discussed here:
Metric ticket number system:
The size or count of sewing thread is called the ticket number. The metric count or number is called Nm in brief. The number of hanks of 1000 meter yarn of one kilogram weight or the number of units of 1 meter length in one gram weight of yarn is called the metric count. As for example, if the length of one single ply and one gram weight of yarn is 60 meter, then the metric number or count of that yarn will be Nm 60/1. This way, if two yarns are twisted together, then it will be called Nm 60/2 and in this case the weight of 60 meter length of thread will be 2 grams. In the same way, Nm 90/3 means that one thread has been made by twisting three single yarns, each single yarn is 90 meter in length and one gram in weight and the weight of 3 ply (Nm 90/3) 90 meter thread is 3 grams. This means that in metric count system, the first number represents the length of each single thread and the second number represents the numbers of single thread present in the twisted thread.
In metric system, the sewing thread is called the metric ticket number. In metric count system, metric ticket number is the three times of the resultant count of the thread. This means 2, 3, 4 or whatever ply or single thread be in the thread, finding out its resultant count and then it is expressed at three times of it. As for example, a thread in Nm 90/2, its resultant count will be 45 (this means that the weight of 45 meter length is one gram) and the metric ticket number will be 135 (45×3 = 135) that means the weight of 135 meters length of thread is 3 grams. In metric ticket number system, the number of meters of thread in 3 grams weight is the metric ticket number. More example may be shown as:
| The metric number of thread (Nm) | The ticket number of thread |
| The metric number of thread 80/2 | The ticket number of thread 120 |
| The metric number of thread 80/4 | The ticket number of thread 60 |
| The metric number of thread 60/1 | The ticket number of thread 180 |
| The metric number of thread 60/2 | The ticket number of thread 90 |
| The metric number of thread 60/3 | The ticket number of thread 60 |
| The metric number of thread 60/4 | The ticket number of thread 45 |
It is seen in the above example that metric ticket number 60, 3 ply, 4 ply or any number of ply may be, but in each case the thickness of thread (thickness/dia) will be same that means the length of 3 grams of weight thread will be 60 meter. In this system, greater the ticket number the thread will be so fine and lower the ticket number the thread will be so heavy. Generally, the metric ticket number system is mostly used for synthetic thread and core spun thread.
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Generally, cotton ticket number system is used for cotton sewing thread. For example, cotton count means, the 3/60 Ne thread is 3 plied and each ply is of 840 yards of hank (840 yards = 1 hank) and its weight is 1 pound. Cotton ticket number is the 3 times of the resultant count of the cotton thread. For easy understanding of cotton ticket number, a number of examples are given below:
| The count of cotton thread (Ne) | Ticket number of cotton thread |
| The count of cotton thread 2/40 | Ticket number of cotton thread 60 |
| The count of cotton thread 3/40 | Ticket number of cotton thread 40 |
| The count of cotton thread 4/40 | Ticket number of cotton thread 30 |
| The count of cotton thread 2/60 | Ticket number of cotton thread 90 |
| The count of cotton thread 3/60 | Ticket number of cotton thread 60 |
| The count of cotton thread 4/60 | Ticket number of cotton thread 45 |
From the above examples it is understood that the number of single thread in the same ticket number of thread may be plus or minus. Between two threads of the same ticket number, the ply of the single thread may be plus or minus, but the thickness (thickness/dia) of the two threads will be same. The greater the cotton ticket number, the thread will be so fine and lower the cotton ticket number, the thread will be so heavy. The thread of ticket number 30 will be double in thickness than the thread of ticket number 60.
If conversion from cotton ticket number to metric ticket number or from metric ticket number to cotton ticket number is required, then it can easily be solved by the following equation:
Ne = 0.59 x Nm
For example, if the metric ticket number of a thread is 100, the cotton ticket number of that will be equivalent to the cotton thread of ticket number 59.
Generally, the number and size of the sewing thread are expressed in two systems mentioned above, but without these sometimes there is another system that means, tex system expresses the number and size of thread. The gram weight of 1000 meters of thread is the tex of that thread. For example, if the weight of a thread of 1000 meter is 60 gram, then the number or size of that thread will be 60 tex. The metric ticket number can easily be converted from tex with the help of the following equation:
(1000 meter / tex) x 3 = metric ticket number.
The process of conversion from tex to metric ticket number is described with an example. If the number of a sewing thread is 60 tex, then its metric number will be: (1000m/60) x 3 = 50. Cotton ticket number also can easily be converted from tex number using the following equation:
(590.5 / Tex number) x 3 = Cotton ticket number
The process of conversion from tex to cotton ticket number is also described with an example. The cotton ticket number of a sewing thread of 60 tex will be: (590.5 / 60) x 3 = 30.
From the above discussion it is clear that the thickness or size or sewing thread numbering may be different. For sewing any specific fabric beautifully, the selection of the size of the sewing thread is not a very simple task. Specially, during the sewing and after the sewing what the performance of the thread will be, is related with the selection of the size of the thread. The selection of the sewing thread numbering is related with a number of factors, such as, the weight and types of fabrics, types of stitch, types of seam, size of the needle, strength of the seam, and desired use etc.
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