just had a realization about my sewing machine
 

My sewing machine had been making a funny sound all of a sudden. I changed the needle, re-threaded it, dusted it with no avail. I left a message for my sewing machine repair guy to call me. Since his mother is in the hospital I could not reach him this weekend. So today I had a light bulb moment. I bought more gutterman thread. I changed the needle again and this time the thread as well. Now she purrs like a kitten. So the thing I learned about my machine is that she does not like coats and clark thread. Bad thing is that I have a lot of coats and clark. I checking the thread weight on the coats and clark. However the weight is not listed on what I have, except for the spool that was on it. It is 35 weight and the gutterman cotton that I am using is 50 weight. So my question is this, Is the higher the number the lighter the thread? Because that is what it feels like to me. And no, the 35 weight is not hand quilting thread, I checked that first. So I guess you could say that my machine has expensive taste in thread LOL.

You are right, the higher the number the finer the thread is! Too bad that your machine doesn't like C&C. And I am really glad that mine does!!! I am a tried and true C&C Dual Duty XP user and rarely use anything else. Glad you could figure out what was wrong with your machine before having to shell out some cash to have you SMG look at it!!!

I like coats and clark as well. I have always used it. However my machine seems to not like it. I guess I need to figure out where to look on their spools for the weight of the thread. Could you help with this?

Is this a new machine? If not maybe it's just this spool..If you like coats and clark b4 and used it

I used Coates and Clark thread in my Singer and it worked perfectly fine. Then I bought a Pfaff. An expensive machine likes expensive thread. I can't use anything less then 50 wt thread in it. I've been buyuing my thread at Connecting Threads and it seems to be a perfect combination with the machine.

I have a few machines like that :shock: . My older (vintage) babies will sew with anything....but put some C & C near any of the newer ones and they'll start making one heck of a ruckus.

That is a very thick thread and too thick for piecing as it takes a large size needle. I have no problem with C&C thread as long as I use the right size needle for the wt of the thread. One thread I recently found that I really like for piecing is DMC cotton embroidery thread. It's a 50wt 2 ply and it sews like Aurifil and Guttermann.

You didn't say if you were quilting or piecing. That weight thread wouldn't normally be used for piecing quilting cotton, but quilting with it is okay. You didn't say how the tension was either. Perhaps the other C +C thread will be fine. I bet it is also 50 wt. I'd try the others before giving up with them.
i have also heard how different colors can affect the thread as well. Something to do with the amount of dye required can make it thicker. That could affect tension, so why not cause other problems.

if it doesn't like to be used as the top thread, you can always use it in the bobbin