Personally, I craft thread from the muscle sinew of my dead enemies. It tends to be a bit reddish in color. That is a good thing come Xmas..the green and red go over big with the kids before I kill them.
Members of a certain guild insure I always have my armor in great and frequent repair. Not that I am naming a guild...just a "certain" guild that happens to die to me quite a lot....every day....all of them...really easy....really, really easy...