Go Back  Quiltingboard Forums > Main
Coats threads >

Coats threads

Coats threads

Thread Tools
 
Old 03-17-2011, 09:02 AM
  #111  
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Northeastern Washington
Posts: 203
Default

I switched to higher quality, Coats has 'dumbed-down' their quality so they can compete at Wal-Mart.
libber is offline  
Old 03-17-2011, 09:12 AM
  #112  
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Missouri
Posts: 155
Default

Originally Posted by libber
I switched to higher quality, Coats has 'dumbed-down' their quality so they can compete at Wal-Mart.
If you look at the numbered ends of the spool, you will see that what Wal-Mart carries is a different number than the quilt shops (like me) carry. A few years ago I had a customer bring in a spool of grey quilting thread, Star 1200 yd spool. She said she had purchased it at my shop. Luckily it still had the end pieces with numbers on it and I compared the numbers and told her that she had not purchased the spool from me but has possibly got it at Wal-Mart. The look on her face told me that is exactly where she had purchased it. She then bought a spool from me and never had the problems encountered with the Wal-Mart spool.
OzarksGma is offline  
Old 03-17-2011, 10:20 AM
  #113  
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 291
Default

When the spool jumps it's usually because one end of the spool has a little slit in the edge to put the thread into when not sewing to keep it from unravelling. Look to make sure you have the slit away from where the thread comes off, put it on the bottom of the spindle or away from where the thread is coming off from. The thread gets caught on that slit and causes problems Hope you understand this.

Good Luck

Suzy
Suzy is offline  
Old 03-17-2011, 01:26 PM
  #114  
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Missouri
Posts: 155
Default

Originally Posted by cpfrog
I've used Coats and Clark for years as well. For many years, it was all one could buy!
I use the cotton covered poly for regular sewing; the craft and machine type for my machine quilting; and the 100% cotton for hand quilting. There are also diff. thicknesses for top stitching and for buttons. You have to read the label !! Of course now JoAnn's only sells the 100% poly...it's okay too.

There is only one color that I had problems with... and it's the perfect blending color called FAWN - a dull purple-ish, gray-ish, beige-ish...Anyway... it always
frayed esp. when hand sewing my appliques. DARN!!! I loved that color!!!!

Try Silk Thread for applique, number 242 -#100 is a taupe and blends with all colors. It is very strong. Just be sure to tie a knot after you thread your needle, this will keep the thread from coming out of the needle.
OzarksGma is offline  
Old 03-17-2011, 01:27 PM
  #115  
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Missouri
Posts: 155
Default

Originally Posted by OzarksGma
Originally Posted by cpfrog
I've used Coats and Clark for years as well. For many years, it was all one could buy!
I use the cotton covered poly for regular sewing; the craft and machine type for my machine quilting; and the 100% cotton for hand quilting. There are also diff. thicknesses for top stitching and for buttons. You have to read the label !! Of course now JoAnn's only sells the 100% poly...it's okay too.

There is only one color that I had problems with... and it's the perfect blending color called FAWN - a dull purple-ish, gray-ish, beige-ish...Anyway... it always
frayed esp. when hand sewing my appliques. DARN!!! I loved that color!!!!

Try Silk Thread for applique, number 242 -#100 is a taupe and blends with all colors. It is very strong. Just be sure to tie a knot after you thread your needle, this will keep the thread from coming out of the needle.
Forgot to tell you that is YLI Silk Thread.
OzarksGma is offline  
Old 03-17-2011, 01:32 PM
  #116  
Super Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: North Carolina - But otherwise, NOTW
Posts: 7,940
Default

Originally Posted by Lisa_wanna_b_quilter
Coats and Clark is fine for me. Of course, none of my quilts will ever be heirloom blue ribbon quilts. Try it out on a small project and see what you think. Everyone has different ideas.
I do use Coats & Clark for piecing. I have to use other thread for my quilting machine, because C&C won't hold up to the speed.
jljack is offline  
Old 03-17-2011, 02:22 PM
  #117  
Super Member
 
Rose L's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Nebraska..The Good Life
Posts: 2,102
Default

My mom used to always say "don't buy that cheap thread, buy good quality C&C" and it was more expensive than other brands way back when. Well about 10 years ago I bought a huge box of threads at a garage sale and it was a mix of the 'expensive' C&C and the 'cheap' threads as my mother called them. Today, I'm still using all of those threads in every machine that I have including my LA. I have had NO PROBLEMS!

C&C are not all the same. If you look at each spool you will see them marked T2, T4, T6 etc. Each is a different weight of thread, the store should have a little chart to tell you how it relates in thickness to other brands. I find that many people do not understand the sizing on the needles that they purchase and are often using thread that is too thick for their particular needle (and often fabric) which is for sure going to cause shredding and lint. I also find that the lint factor is more of an issue of what kind of fabric you are sewing (fabrics are not all the same either). As long as you match your needles, threads and fabrics to the proper size I find that most any thread will act as it is intended. I think with all of the expensive threads that are available today it's pretty much like my mom saying "don't buy that cheap thread". C&C works just fine as long as I match my fabric and thread to the proper needle. The other thing that I find a lot is that people just don't change their needles often enough. That causes further stress on the thread as it is being dragged through the fabric rather than being inserted. If you can HEAR your needle going through the fabric, it's too dull in most cases. JMHO.
Rose L is offline  
Old 03-17-2011, 02:31 PM
  #118  
Power Poster
 
BellaBoo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Front row
Posts: 14,646
Default

If C&C was really as bad as some say it is then it would be out of business years ago.
BellaBoo is offline  
Old 03-17-2011, 05:02 PM
  #119  
Super Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Outer Space
Posts: 9,319
Default

Originally Posted by BellaBoo
If C&C was really as bad as some say it is then it would be out of business years ago.

There's always a market for inexpensive items. Quality is subjective.
Candace is offline  
Old 03-17-2011, 05:12 PM
  #120  
Super Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Maine-ly Florida
Posts: 3,917
Default

Originally Posted by BellaBoo
A co worker use to own a small sewing factory that contracted sewing some clothes dept stores. He did all the sewing machine repairs. He said if the machines had outside threading lint wasn't a big concern, just clean when you see the lint. It's the inside threading the new machines have that lint build up will cause damage. You can't see or get to the lint in them. Vintage machines have outside threading with lots of thread guides. Thread guides are very useful for a good stitch. It's cheaper to make a machine with inside treading and horizontal spool spindles and few thread guides. The savings can go into other features of the machines that most want these days.
This was interesting - thanks for sharing it with us.
lots2do is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
bearisgray
Main
46
12-01-2014 08:55 PM
craftiladi
Links and Resources
2
08-29-2010 09:04 AM
dseale40
Main
15
08-16-2010 03:37 AM
butterflywing
General Chit-Chat (non-quilting talk)
5
01-03-2010 06:00 AM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off



FREE Quilting Newsletter