O.K. I use plain ole Coats and Clark 30 weight thread, it is sold for machine quilting and crafts, it is all cotton and is ELS which means Egyptian Long Staple. It is a mercerized cotton and comes is 1200 yd spools for about $6.00, I buy it at JoAnns when they put the stuff on sale for 50 percent off so 3.00 for a spool, and I use my discount card for another 10 percent. I have never had a problem, no shredding, not a lot of lint, and I use it with a #11 or 12 needle, which I know is smaller than recommended for that needle size. The quilting shows up nicely and it is strong. I am wondering what the 2 represents after the 30. I always use the same weight in the bobbin as on the top. I have been sewing for over 60 years, and sometimes you just have to find what works for you and your machine. Mine is a Brother 1500. I do not use this thread in my embroidery machine, but use a much finer weight silk or rayon. I check the bobbin area for lint each time I change bobbins and it takes a long time to build up any lint. I listen to my machine and when it gets a little noisy, I change the needle, clean the bobbin area and the feed dogs, and oil the machine. At the end of that exercise she purrs like a ktten.:)