Gütermann Sewing Thread Guide: Which Thread Should I Use?

Choosing the right sewing thread can make a big difference to your finished project, but with different types of Gütermann thread available, it isn't always obvious which one you need.

Should you use Gütermann Sew-All or Natural Cotton? What makes Maraflex different? Is cotton or polyester thread better? And what should you choose if you need several colours for a project?

In this guide, we'll explain the differences between the main Gutermann sewing threads available from The Yorkshire Sewing Guy and help you choose the right thread for your sewing, quilting, patchwork or dressmaking project.

Quick Guide: Which Gütermann Thread Do I Need?

If you just want the quick answer, here's where to start:

If you're still not sure, don't worry. We'll look at each thread in more detail below.

Gütermann Sew-All Thread

Gütermann Sew-All is the general-purpose sewing thread that many sewists reach for first.

Made from polyester, Sew-All is designed for a wide range of sewing applications and is suitable for both sewing machines and hand sewing.

It's a particularly useful choice when you want one versatile thread that can be used for a variety of fabrics and projects.

What is Gutermann Sew-All good for?

Gütermann Sew-All is suitable for:

• General sewing

• Dressmaking

• Clothing alterations

• Repairs

• Home sewing

• Cotton fabrics

• Polyester fabrics

• Lightweight and medium-weight fabrics

• Craft projects

• Sewing machine projects

• Hand sewing

Its versatility makes it a great everyday sewing thread and a useful thread to keep in your sewing box.

Shop Gütermann Sew-All Polyester Thread

Gütermann Natural Cotton Thread

If you're specifically looking for a 100% cotton sewing thread, Gütermann Natural Cotton is the option to consider.

Natural Cotton is particularly well suited to projects where you want a natural-fibre thread, making it a popular choice for quilting, patchwork and sewing with cotton and other natural fabrics.

It's available in a carefully selected range of 40 colours, covering everything from everyday neutrals to brighter shades.

What is Gutermann Natural Cotton good for?

Natural Cotton is particularly suitable for:

• Quilting

• Patchwork

• Quilt piecing

• Cotton fabrics

• Natural-fibre fabrics

• Linen

• General sewing

• Craft projects

• Hand sewing

• Sewing machine projects

If you're making a quilt from cotton fabrics, Natural Cotton is an excellent thread to consider.

Shop Gütermann Natural Cotton Thread

Gütermann Maraflex Elastic Sewing Thread

Gütermann Maraflex is quite different from Sew-All and Natural Cotton.

It's a specialist elastic sewing thread designed to create flexible seams using a standard straight stitch on a household sewing machine.

Using Gütermann's Micro Core Technology® (MCT), Maraflex can provide up to 80% seam stretch, making it particularly useful when sewing stretch fabrics.

What is Gutermann Maraflex good for?

Maraflex is particularly useful for:

• Stretch clothing

• T-shirts

• Tops

• Dresses

• Close-fitting garments

• Stretch fabrics

• Knitted fabrics

• Necklines

• Cuffs

• Elasticated areas

• Flexible seams

One of the biggest advantages is that you don't necessarily need an overlocker or coverlock machine to create a flexible seam.

Maraflex can also be used in both the needle and bobbin.

Shop Gütermann Maraflex Elastic Sewing Thread

Gütermann Sew-All vs Natural Cotton

This is one of the most common choices you'll face when deciding which Gutermann thread to buy.

The biggest difference is the fibre.

Sew-All is polyester, while Natural Cotton is 100% cotton.

If you're doing general-purpose sewing and want a versatile thread suitable for a wide variety of fabrics, Sew-All is usually the natural starting point.

If you're quilting, patchworking or specifically want a cotton thread, Natural Cotton may be the better choice.

Which one should I choose?

Choose Gütermann Sew-All if:

• You want an everyday general-purpose thread

• You're making clothing

• You're repairing or altering garments

• You're sewing a mixture of different fabrics

• You want a versatile polyester thread

Choose Gütermann Natural Cotton if:

• You're quilting

• You're making patchwork

• You're working predominantly with cotton fabrics

• You specifically want 100% cotton thread

• You prefer a natural-fibre thread

Gütermann Maraflex vs Sew-All

Maraflex and Sew-All are both useful sewing threads, but they are designed for different jobs.

Sew-All is the general-purpose option, while Maraflex is specifically designed for flexible seams.

If you're sewing a woven cotton shirt, for example, Sew-All would normally be the more appropriate choice.

If you're sewing a close-fitting garment from a stretch jersey fabric, Maraflex may be the better option because the thread can stretch with the seam.

In simple terms:

Woven fabric → Sew-All

Stretch fabric → Maraflex

There are, of course, other factors to consider when sewing stretch fabrics, including the fabric itself, needle choice, stitch type and machine settings.

Cotton or Polyester Sewing Thread?

One of the biggest questions when buying sewing thread is whether you should choose cotton or polyester.

Neither is automatically better. The right choice depends on your project.

Cotton thread

Cotton thread can be an excellent choice when:

• You're quilting or patchworking

• You're working with cotton fabrics

• You want a natural-fibre thread

• You want the characteristics of a cotton thread

Polyester thread

Polyester thread is a versatile option for:

• General sewing

• Dressmaking

• Repairs

• Everyday sewing

• A wide range of fabrics

• Projects where a strong, versatile synthetic thread is appropriate

This is why having both Gütermann Sew-All and Natural Cotton in your sewing box can be useful. They each have different strengths and applications.

What Gütermann Thread Should I Use for Quilting?

For quilting and patchwork, Gütermann Natural Cotton is an obvious choice if you specifically want a 100% cotton thread.

Cotton thread works particularly well alongside cotton quilting fabrics and is widely used for piecing and other quilting applications.

The colour of the thread is also important. For piecing, many quilters choose a coordinating or closely matching shade, while quilting stitches can be matched to the fabric or deliberately contrasted for a decorative effect.

If you use several different fabric colours in one project, having a selection of thread colours available can be much more convenient than buying individual spools as you go.

What Gutermann Thread Should I Use for Stretch Fabric?

For stretch fabrics, Gütermann Maraflex is the specialist option in our range.

Maraflex is designed to create flexible seams while using a conventional straight stitch.

It's particularly useful for garments where the seam needs to move with the fabric, such as:

• Jersey tops

• T-shirts

• Stretch dresses

• Close-fitting clothing

• Necklines

• Cuffs

For the best results, always consider the fabric, needle, thread and machine settings together.

Buying Multiple Colours? Consider a Gutermann Thread Set

If you're building your sewing thread collection from scratch, buying individual spools isn't always the most convenient or cost-effective option.

That's where Gütermann thread sets can be useful.

A thread set gives you several complementary or commonly used colours in one purchase, making it an easy way to build up your thread collection.

They're particularly useful for:

• New sewists building their first thread collection

• Quilters working with lots of colours

• Dressmakers who regularly sew different fabrics

• Crafters who want a selection of everyday shades

• Gift ideas for sewing enthusiasts

• Keeping a useful selection of colours to hand

Rather than trying to predict exactly which individual colours you'll need in the future, a carefully selected thread set can give you a useful starting collection.

Explore our Gütermann Thread Range

Individual Spools or Thread Sets?

There are advantages to both.

If you already know the exact shade you need, buying an individual spool is usually the simplest option.

If you're starting a collection or need several colours, a set can be a convenient way to get multiple threads together.

How Do I Choose the Right Thread Colour?

Once you've chosen the correct type of thread, the next question is colour.

For seams that aren't intended to stand out, choose a thread that is as close as possible to the fabric colour.

For decorative stitching, quilting or topstitching, you may want to deliberately choose a contrasting colour.

Remember that the colour shown on your screen may not exactly match the physical thread. Your monitor, device settings, photography and lighting can all affect how a colour appears.

If you're trying to achieve an exact colour match, we recommend checking a physical shade card where possible.

You can find useful Gutermann product information and shade cards in our Downloads section.

What Sewing Machine Needle Should I Use?

Choosing the correct needle is just as important as choosing the thread.

The right needle depends on the fabric you're sewing.

As a general guide:

• Lightweight fabrics: use a smaller, finer needle

• Medium-weight fabrics: use a suitable universal needle

• Stretch fabrics: consider a jersey, stretch or super-stretch needle

• Heavy fabrics: choose a needle designed for the fabric's weight and construction

For Maraflex, Gütermann recommends Jersey, Stretch or Super Stretch needles in NM 70–80, depending on the fabric.

Always test your chosen combination of thread, needle, fabric and machine settings on a scrap before beginning your project.

Which Gutermann Thread Is Best?

There isn't one Gütermann thread that's best for every project.

The best choice depends on what you're making.

For general sewing:
Choose Gütermann Sew-All.

For quilting and patchwork:
Choose Gütermann Natural Cotton if you want a 100% cotton thread.

For stretch fabrics:
Choose Gütermann Maraflex.

For building a selection of colours:
Browse our Gütermann thread range.

The important thing is to choose your thread based on the fabric, construction method and finished project, rather than simply choosing the same thread for everything.

Gütermann Thread at The Yorkshire Sewing Guy

At The Yorkshire Sewing Guy, we stock a growing range of Gutermann sewing threads, including Sew-All, Natural Cotton and Maraflex.

We offer individual spools for when you need a specific colour, as well as thread sets for projects where you need a wider selection of shades.

Whether you're making your first sewing project, repairing a favourite garment, creating a quilt or building up your sewing room supplies, we aim to make it easier to find the right thread for the job.

Explore our full range of Sewing Threads or browse our Gütermann Thread Range.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between Gütermann Sew-All and Natural Cotton?

Gütermann Sew-All is a general-purpose polyester sewing thread, while Gutermann Natural Cotton is made from 100% cotton. Sew-All is a versatile everyday thread, while Natural Cotton is particularly suited to quilting, patchwork and projects where a cotton thread is preferred.

Is Gütermann Sew-All suitable for sewing machines?

Yes. Gütermann Sew-All is designed for use with household sewing machines as well as hand sewing.

Is Gütermann Natural Cotton suitable for quilting?

Yes. Gutermann Natural Cotton is particularly suitable for quilting, patchwork and sewing with cotton and other natural-fibre fabrics.

Is Gütermann Maraflex suitable for stretch fabric?

Yes. Maraflex is a specialist elastic sewing thread designed to create flexible seams when sewing stretch fabrics.

Can Gütermann Maraflex be used in the bobbin?

Yes. Maraflex can be used as both needle and bobbin thread.

Is cotton or polyester sewing thread better?

Neither is universally better. Cotton and polyester threads have different characteristics and are suited to different projects. Choose the thread based on your fabric and the requirements of your project.

Should I buy individual Gutermann threads or a set?

If you know the exact colour you need, an individual spool is ideal. If you're building a collection or need several different colours, browsing our Gütermann thread range can help you find a suitable set.

How do I choose a sewing thread colour?

For concealed seams, choose a shade that closely matches your fabric. For decorative stitching, quilting or topstitching, you can use a coordinating or contrasting colour. A physical shade card is recommended where accurate colour matching is important.

Final Tip

If you're unsure which thread to buy, start by asking three simple questions:

What fabric am I sewing?

Does the seam need to stretch?

Do I want cotton or polyester?

Once you know those three things, choosing the right Gutermann thread becomes much easier.