I've never read a word against CT or any of its products and personally have been happy with my purchases. Edie, who commented early in this thread, said the colors are too pretty to use. A few Christmases ago I asked my husband to buy me threads for Christmas. He thought of going to Joann's with me and seeing me buy plain old Coats & Clark and said he didn't think that was a gift. When I showed him the CT catalog he said to pick out anything I wanted. I did, and when they arrived I put them in a basket. They were so pretty it took me a long time to start using them!