Here is a sewing tip to add to your sewing techniques book.

Learn how to sew more professional looking top-stitching at non flammable yarn the sewing machine using your regular sewing thread.

Use the same thread that you used to sew your garment for a matching top-stitching. Or, use a contrasting thread for more definition.

When you top-stitch with a single thread, it seems to sink into your fabric and is not very noticeable.

For more professional looking top-stitching, try using three threads on the top of the sewing machine.

You don't need to buy three spools of thread to do this.

Just wind three bobbins of sewing thread and place them on the spindle at the top of the sewing machine where you normally place your single spool of thread.

Try to have your bobbins full to begin top-stitching.

Fill one bobbin as you normally do for the bobbin case.

Thread the bottom bobbin as usual.

Hold the end of each of the top three bobbin threads together in your hand and thread them as one thread through your sewing machine and needle. Moistening the threads first seems to help.

You may need a needle threader to help you do this. You can find a needle threader in the notions department of your favorite sewing or fabric store or you may already have one in your sewing case.

Set your sewing machine stitch for a longer stitch (about 6 to 8 stitches per inch).

Stitch very slowly and straight. Use a stitching guide or tape to help you if you need it.

This makes a very elegant top-stitch. Try it!

Stitch multiple rows about 1/8 inch apart for a high quality look.

Contrasting thread adds more definition. Try using white or a metallic gold or silver thread on a dark fabric or a darker shade of thread on a light fabric. Experiment on scraps to get the look you want.

Check out the finest ready-to-wear boutiques for more top-stitching ideas.

You are the designer! Have fun with top-stitching.

Three threads are better than one!

It just makes sense!

What, Exactly, Is Kona Cotton? Kona(R) cotton is a premium, 100% cotton broadcloth from Robert Kaufman Fabrics in Los Angeles. The company introduced the fabric in the 1980's in response to the then rapidly emerging quilting industry, an interest that continues unabated today. It is a soft, light fabric, often called the 'Quilter's Cotton', that is also ideal for fine apparel such as children's clothing; soft, comfortable shirts; dresses; applique and home decorating. It has a 'meaty' hand, which means you can really feel the difference when you touch the fabric and that makes it a joy to work with. Warps. And Wefts, Too Kona cotton has a high 60 by 60 thread count. This means there are 60 warp threads and 60 weft threads per square inch of fabric. Until I did some research, I didn't know what warp and weft threads were. (I had never even heard the word 'weft'.) A warp thread is a support thread in the loom, long and strong and usually tied down onto the loom; a weft thread is passed back and forth between the warp threads to form cloth. It is that high thread count, all those warps and wefts playing together, that make Kona cotton a soft, light, yet very durable material; one of the best woven fabrics available for hand or machine quilting. Pre-use Care It's a good idea to launder the fabric to remove any sizing/finish before using it in your project. Treat it as you would any new 100% cotton fabric: Gentle wash, mild detergent, tumble dry low, remove promptly and iron. Expect about a 1-3% shrinkage. What About Color? Kona is available in plenty of colors, 170 solid colors according to the manufacturer's web site, RobertKaufman. And a quick search for 'hand dyed Kona cotton' will pop up vendors offering hundreds of colors and patterns of beautifully dyed Kona cotton fabric. But Aren't You an Embroiderer? Yes, I am a machine embroiderer and those same qualities that make Kona cotton ideal for quilting and sewing apply to machine embroidery, too. That meaty feel I mentioned makes it very easy to hoop and quick to stabilize. The push/pull factor is minimal and, best of all, the stitched out designs are gorgeous on it. Even though there a many cheaper fabrics, I test all my embroidery designs on Kona cotton and turn to it first for any finished embroidery project I have.