GagaSmith

I received my HQ Avante 18" long arm machine this week--loving it.
Have any of you long armers used Connecting Threads cotton in your machine. They have 1200 yd spools, not cones on sale for 15% off for sets--only about $2 a spool.
Says they fit all sewing machines but I'm not sure about long arms because they aren't really a cone.
Any advice is appreciated.
Thanks
http://www.connectingthreads.com/cft...emorialDaySale

Polly C

I use them all the time in my Tin Lizzie. I prefer the large poly cones but only because they produce less lint but they have more colors available in the cotton so I use those a lot too; both top & bottom. I have heard some LA owners say their machines prefer one thread over another but I have never had a problem with the Connecting Threads brand. Hope this helps.

krafty14

You might want to try Glide. From Fil-Tec at Bobbin Central. 5000m for less than $7. And almost no lint!!!

PaperPrincess

Yes, I've used it, a little linty, but just clean your bobbin area. I like the fact that it matches their fabrics. As with any new machine, try different threads to see what you and your machine like, then stock up.

GEMRM

I use almost exclusively Connecting Threads cotton thread in my machine. No problems with tension unless it's operator error!

mamagrande

I use Aurifil 50wt on my HQ16 just becuase "Harriet" like it and she does not give my any trouble. I use the thread on a cone and also small spools. Sometimes I need an specialty color and I'd rather buy a small spool of that particular color. Never used Connecting Threads, I would buy a few and try it out and if it works for you then go for it because at that price you can't go wrong...Aurifil is $11. for a small spool, $35-47 for a cone.

amandasgramma

Congrats on your Avante! I LOVE mine!

Your Avante should have a little arm just above the tension disks..http://www.handiquilter.com/shop/pro...tal-spool-pin/ you can thread the spool onto that and go thru the disks. One reason longarmers use the cones..........we use SO much thread on a longarm. It's cheaper to do the cones. Check out www.metroemb.com. I use their MetroBig thread all the time for longarming. And at $2.75 for a 5000 m cone, you can't find a better price. It's just like Aurifil (bet it's made at the same factory)!!!! As for the type of thread it is.....it's poly.....Don't worry about it....I used it in 100s of quilts...won prizes with it, too. AND converted a long time "cotton only" quilter with the thread.

Snooze2978

I use all of Connecting Threads on my long arm. Used it on my streched Juki 18" before that. The cotton threads do lint a lot but since I clean out my bobbin area with every bobbin change it doesn't bother me. Just clean, oil and go. Only thing I don't like about CT's threads is they keep discontinuing certain colors then bringing them back under another name but with the same code number. I made a chart of all their threads I have and noticed a few sure looked close to another color by a different name but then noticed their code number was the same. Nothing like keeping us on our toes.

feline fanatic

No. Aurifil is cotton thread made in Italy. Metro embroidery thread is high sheen poly made in China. Metro is good for those that are budget conscious and don't mind the super shiney finish of it. I will use it if I need a particular color and don't want to spend a lot. It is a good strong thread and I have never seen a better price for thread anywhere.

I have used the connecting threads cotton on the little spools. It is cross wound (as opposed to stack wound, which must be fed on a horizontal spool holder) so you can put it on your vertical spool holder. I liked it ok other than the lint factor. I prefer fil tec glide over just about any other thread on the market and have by far more of this in my thread stash than any other brand or type. Karen McTavish turned me on to it and I have never looked back. Love the stuff as well as their magnaglide bobbins. Glide is also a shiny tri-lobal poly thread but does not appear to me to be as shiny as Metro. I too have converted a long time cotton only quilter to preferring the Glide in their quilts for the quilting.

Thread is like fabric. You need to try loads and experiment with what you like. But don't limit yourself to any one brand. There will be times where you want the thread a matte finish over a shiny finish. There will be times you don't want the thread to show or want to do tight back fills and don't want all that thread build up. For those times none of the threads mentioned are really adequate you will need something finer like Superior So fine or Wonderfil invisifil or even one of the invisible monofilament threads like Superior Monopoly or fil-tec Essence. You may even want to splurge on silk thread. Then there are the fun threads like metallics and holographic threads and bobbin work threads like Superior razzle dazzle. You need to branch out and try lots of different threads. Yes it is a big investment. You will find your thread stash growing like your fabric stash.

Go ahead and buy the CT pack. That is exactly what I did when I first got my LA. I still have some left but have had occasion to pull out a spool for color reasons and use it. I am sure you will use it all eventually, as I will use mine eventually. If you don't like it in the LA you can always use it for piecing or machine applique. Or you can gift it to a special quilter in your life.

patski

I only use Glide thread from Fil Tech in my long arm. Love it