I have a HQ Sweet Sixteen and was wondering what type (cotton or poly) and brand of thread do those of you that LAQ use and why?

signature it also depends on what your machine likes.

99% of the time i use poly. i only turn to cotton when i can't find what i'm looking for in poly but that is very rare.

my machine works better with poly - cotton creates too my lint.

soon cotton thread is so bad i can't even go one pass on the quilt without skipping stitches due to lint build up.

im a long armer, and my favorite thread is coats n clarks star thread, it is rather linty, alsew 100% cotton.
But, i alsew like poly thread, guess what, NO LINT!!
i have an HQ 16 and love it, shes been my best bud for years.
and lets not forget another favorite thread of mine, from Canada,
its verigated Valdani.
katz

I've been using Signature Cotton. I really want to try poly but my machine hates it. Or rather I cannot get the tension correct! I bought silk thread and I'm hoping I can get it to work. It's gorgeous! I'll be very sad if I can't figure out the tension for the silk thread.

I am so glad you asked that question. I am a brand new longarmer - didn't realize there were so many thread choices. Do you use the same thread on top as in the bobbin?

Yes I use the same thread top n bobbin. Especially if its on a color. cuz sometimes it does pop thru the top.

lots of quilters prefer King Tut or Superior threads. But I still find those expensive and linty.
katz

I have a Tin Lizzie 18LS. The recommendaiton was King Tut on top and So Fine on the bottom, which is what I usually use. I always get a good stitch with that combination. King Tut is cotton, so there is lots of lint with it. I also use Omni thread. It's a poly, so no lint. It works well in my machine also, and is less expensive than King Tut. You can purchase the Omni in 6000 yard cones. King Tut is only 2000 yards (I think), and costs more. These are all Superior threads.

I haven't tried other brands in my machine. I tend to stick with what I know works because nothing is worse than problems with tension, poor stitches, or thread breakage. I have had my setup for less than a year. Perhaps as time goes I'll get braver and try other brands.

Kerry

It all depends on the look I want to accomplish. I have an HQ16. Most often I use Maxi-Lock serger thread. If I want a heavier thread I mostly use King Tut. I prefer to use a thin thread because of backtracking, fine stippling or small background fill. Most of the time I do use the same thread in the bobbin and needle. I also use the Super Bob's from Superior. I also use trilobal poly machine embroidery threads.

I have a HQ Sweet 16 in the sitdown version, not on a frame. I use lots of different types of thread - SoFine, King Tut, Aurifil (probably my favorite because the varigations are so nice), Gutterman, and some miscellaneous others. For bobbins I used to use the same as the top, but now I almost always use a SuperBob prewound. I think it is a 60 weight or so, and I really like it. It is a real bother to have to change a bobbin in the middle of quilting, and the prewounds hold a lot of thread! I have a collection of 10 different basic colors, and I generally can use one of them successfully.

Pam