Originally Posted by
Mrs. SewNSew
I generally just grab a spool of thread and am happy if the color matches! <snip>
I've gotton so many spools of thread when picking up machines that I now try and sort what seems thicker to one area. Most of them all feel the same to me! If I get a lot of breakage with a thread I double check the bobbin, the needle and the guides for rough spots and if none are found the spool is considered too old and dumped in the trash.
Both the bobbin and the top threads on this machine read cotton/poly blends but I can't find where it states a thickness. ?? Should it say on the spool?
Most threads have the size on a paper on the end of the spool.
It's not unusual to have it come off when you stick the spool on a pin. One thing that doesn't help is that the thread size that we use isn't really standardized. 50/2 50/3 with one company may look like a thin thread - think Aurifil, and it may seem comparatively quite thick in another brand, like say a Connecting Threads spool.
I am bad with needles. I not only rarely check size, but I've been known to piece with a leather needle. Thread, I notice more since I started quilting on a frame. I was warned early on that I would become a thread snob once I started frame quilting and it's true.
I actually have a "good thread" and "bad thread" drawer too.
Thread Shelf Life:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84NrnFxAsZc He shows a thread break test here too.
Thread "Weight" -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OJaftMW9uo
ALL of the Thread therapy videos are worth watching.
Originally Posted by
sdhaevrsi
40 is for actually quilting, or at least hand quilting, I am not sure about machine quilting.
With machine quilting, we use almost anything depending on the look we're trying to achieve. I've seen people use 100wt silk and I've seen them use 30wt cotton thread. With appropriate tension adjustments to the machine, you can run -almost- anything.
Originally Posted by
Mrs. SewNSew
many of them say "all purpose" .
All Purpose will typically be about a 50wt. This is so that the Assumption, er... Automatic setting on most machines will work approximately right.