Yesterday a lady brought me a quilt for me to put up that our group will be quilting next Tuesday. Since my room is a little tight for a queen size quilt I always quilt one side so we have more wiggle room and when I started quilting I noticed that my thread was breaking . Upon checking the thread that she brought I noticed it was machine quilting thread. Is this thread thinner than hand quilting thread? Since I never machine quilt I don't know much about machine quilting thread.

Usually machine quilting thread is a 50wt thread. Most all hand quilting thread is 50wt but is GLAZED so that it can tolerate being pulled thru fabric and batting several times and resist abrasion.

You might be able to use this thread if you use bees wax. Pull the thread thru bees wax 2 or 3 times and then run a hot iron over the thread. I would also use a shorter length of thread if using the machine quilting thread.

I hope this helps.

This happens alot when the thread is old.

are you hand quilting or long arming the quilt? i don't understand the question.

i agree with this

I'm hand quilting it.

me, too.

Thank you so much for the advice. I tried it and it works. I will definitely tell the lady not to buy machine quilting thread for hand quilting. thanks so much again.