I was looking over the guidelines in the manual for my machine, and it recommends different threads for different projects. For one that I am going to be working on, I need to use 50 3 ply cotton. Sounds simple enough.

Until I go to the store, lol. Apparently marking the weight on threads is not a priority for the thread companies. And the few people I have asked don't seem to know how to determine this either.

Can anyone tell me what brand to look for, or how to determine if the thread is indeed a 50 3 ply cotton? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I did see that hand quilting and machine quilting threads were different.

Give the Superior Threads website a try at www.superiorthreads.com. Click on the "education button" and then "reference guides". Ther is a ton of thread information here and a chart showing which of the threads they sell are 50/3. The chart only shows their products, but if you're stuck for thread they are a really good resource.

You are absolutely correct about the hand and machine quilting threads. The hand quilting threads are "glaced" or "glazed" and has a finish on them that can make sewing machines very unhappy.

If this is a double post, my apologies. The internet is acting a little balky!

the spools either have the weight/ply on the end of the spool or on the wrapper-
it will say
50/3
or 60/3
or 100/2
or 12/4 (very thick thread!-my nephew bought that one once)
what ever it is- 40-60 wt threads are the most common- available everywhere- the second number is the number of strands (ply)

I understand your frustration. I too have noticed that some thread manufacturers don't print the wt or ply on the spool. Drives me bananas!! Why do they think this information is optional?

Can't offhand remember which company did this ... ran into one just this weekend. It *might* have been a Mettler Serger thread - I liked the varigation but couldn't find the data, and the spool was wrapped in plastic so I couldn't finger it to feel the aprox wt or count the ply.

I've run into others on occasion as well.

So ... I stick to the companies that print the data on the spool.

Gutterman ... bless them, prints it on the actual spool, not just the end wrapper.

And while we are on the subject, why do some companies that do have all this data, find it necessary to place this data smack dab in the middle of the end wrapper where it's going to be torn when you put it on a spool??