Thank you all for your input! I have been meaning to start up the same conversation, but hadn't found the time.
I was so irked every time I opened a quilting magazine and saw a C&C advertisement, because I have seen the local store inventories change from cotton covered polyester (more than 50% cotton) to 100% polyester, and had read that one should use cotton thread on cotton fabric. I didn't understand why they would change to 100% polyester, and continue to advertise in quilting magazines.
Then I finally found that the stores carry some of the C&C 100% cotton thread, but not nearly as many colors.
I simply cannot afford to buy the expensive threads in the range of colors I would need for piecing, so I continue to use C&C because of the availability/convenience.
Some of you ladies run your machines thousands of hours per year more than I, and I appreciate you sharing your experiences with those super nice machines and their idiosincracies (sp?).
I have also read somewhere that fabric quality is better nowadays, and it isn't so likely to be "cut into" by polyester thread. If we could step into the future and see how today's quilts hold up with the various threads, that would be something!
Thanks again for the sharing!
ps. I am slowly acquiring CT threads, too...love those prices!