50/3-ply cotton thread... Is there really a difference between brand names?
 

I've been using C&C on my quilt because that is what's available from Walmart. Even though I haven't had any problems with C&C other than having to replace the spools quite often, I would like to get a better quality of thread based on what I've been reading here. There's Masterpiece from Superior and Essential Cones from Connecting Threads, both are 50/3-ply extra long staple cotton. One holds more than the other and of course the price is a big difference. Is there a difference in quality? Has anyone used both and liked one better than the other? I'll be mainly piecing and quilting.

I have been told by many sewing machine technicians that C&C is the worst thread to use on your machine. I have recently tried Gutermann but I occasionally get that skipped stitched followed by a loop in the thread. I never have any problem with using Mettler Silk finished thread.

There are significant differences in different threads. What I think is best are very long staple threads since they have fewer "fuzzies." You can see the difference if you unroll some thread and look at it carefully. I really like Superior threads in general, but I also use Gutterman and Aurifil a lot. My all time favorite piecing thread is So-Fine by Superior. It sews like cotton, but it has almost no fuzz since it is really a polyester thread. For quilting, I use all kinds, depending on the look I am going for.

My favourite thread is aurifil. I have a large spool of So Fine that I don't use because I find it too fine.

C&C is very expensive for the not so great quality. I don't use it. Connecting Threads cotton is a thick 3 ply thread. I prefer Connecting Threads poly on the cone. The best cotton thread is Long Staple Egyptian Cotton. I use Aurifil and Superior the most. If you have access to microscope (the kid's toy one will work) look at the different threads. You will be amazed at how some look like barb wire. You don't want that going through your machine.

What you may perceive as a bargain with C&C from walmart is actually not a bargain at all.

For the sake of argument lets compare C&C sold in spools at walmart to Connecting Threads cotton. This is a very nice thread to experiment with as you branch out and start to learn the differences.

When I looked up walmart on line for C&C thread the item that came up as "in stores only" was this:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Coats-Clar...hread/20743481
Which is an all purpose Polyester thread. The well known "dual duty". A spool with 135 yards sells for $1.27

I refined my search to only cotton thread and found this:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Coats-Clar...-Blue/20683188
This is marketed as 100% cotton but does not give weight or ply but for comparisons sake we will use this product.
450 yards for $2.97

Connecting threads thread:
http://www.connectingthreads.com/thr...d__D21253.html
1200 yards for 2.79

Almost three times as much thread for less $$!

Now granted you have to pay shipping when ordering on line but if you make an initial investment of $50 on thread and say some batting or a couple of books or some fabric or buy a few of the CT thread sets
http://www.connectingthreads.com/thr...d__D21253.html

You will have an initial outlay but a nice stock of threads to last you a very long time.

CT threads are nice. They work for piecing and machine quilting. I find them a far cry better than C&C. They can be a bit linty but many people love them. You can't beat the price and they are nice way to expand your horizons when it comes to thread.

Edited to add, thread is like fabric and machines. We all have our preferences and for different reasons. I like Aurifil for my top thread in piecing and I use Superior bottom line in the bobbin. For quilting I have many types and brands of threads. I find I prefer running polyester in my longarm and I like Glide thread for that. But I also like King Tut, Invisifil, Isacord (primarily marketed as an embroidery thread) and YLI. Different threads for different looks and purposes.

Coats & Clark was the very first thread I used when I started sewing. It's fine for basic garment sewing, but I had a hard time getting the colors I wanted so I typically use Gutermann for garment/home dec projects. It does a decent job with sewing straight lines. C&C in particular starts to struggle when you add in curves, don't backstitch to reinforce seams or put much strain on it. It is more prone to snap & will definitely shed like crazy in your machine. Gutermann sheds pretty badly also, so that means stopping to clean out bobbin case & "floss" my thread run. And it's not as durable in the wash. Plus, you definitely do not want to use either of those for quilting -- especially FMQ -- because the stress of changing direction & going through the thick batting will substantially weaken the thread. In addition to all that, the dyes used in the thread can bleed or fade with heat and/or washing.

According to the Connecting Threads website, MasterPiece is a 2-ply thread. Superior is definitely a well-regarded brand and long-staple cotton truly makes a difference. It's also Egyptian cotton, which is a finer, stronger cotton than other varieties of cotton.

Their Essentials threads I saw online say they are mercerized. Mercerized cotton is great for hand-work, not so great for piecing by machine (and would be almost impossible to machine quilt with it). It is a chemical treatment that makes the thread thick & crisp. I used it once before I knew better & it gummed up my machine & gave me terrible results. I use it for hand stitching on my binding & that's about it. I use bee's wax + Aurifil for hand quilting because I didn't really even like it for that. It's just too, too stiff.

Personally, I like working with Aurifil 50/2 for piecing & 40/2 for quilting (I buy at http://www.hawthornethreads.com/threads/aurifil). I feel spoiled every time I quilt with it. Aurifil threads are also Egyptian long-staple cotton and come in hundreds of colors. The dyes hold up well in the wash & with the pressing required to prepare the quilt top. It definitely costs more, but the money I save by not having to service my machine as often helps to offset the additional cost. However, you would definitely do well by switching to Superior cotton. It's not my personal favorite, but it's a very, very nice thread.

Masterpiece is a 3 ply thread, the pre wound bobbins of Masterpiece are 2 ply.

You used Handquilting thread with a coating, not mercerized cotton thread. Essential threads are not crisp and will not gum up your machine.

Good to know. The Americana thread I bought must be mislabeled. The label says "mercerized", but it's definitely coated with something. I don't remember where I bought it, but boy did it mess up my machine. I still have it but almost never use it. I've been scared to buy mercerized cotton ever since. ;)

I may be wrong as I'm not in my sewing area, but I think Americana is definitely from JAF and is for handquilting....

I piece with mettler cotton. It runs smoothly through my machines. I use superior and fil-tec on my long arms, so I would imagine they would work for piecing too. The big difference in the big brands is how the thread is wound on the spool, or how it comes off the spool. I know it sounds crazy but it can make a big difference. I would avoid any thread that is sold on a giant cone at a price too good to be true. Also read your spool carefully, make sure it is not a blend. It's like batting, it says cotton but at closer reading it's a poly cotton blend.

Thank you to all who responded. Wow! so much to learn and research. C&C was the only thread readily available so that why I used it. After reading all your comments, and they are very helpful, I think I'm going to try a thread set from CT and then a Try Me Special of a couple of different threads from Superior, Aurfill is also high recommended here so I'm going to order a spool of that too. This is exciting. Different machines like and don't like certain threads, so when I find a thread that works well in my machine and don't have any troubles with it I'll stock up. Thank you all again for your wonderful wisdom and advice!

Asking that question, is likely to get as many answers as there are sewers. But I've gotten excellent results from Aurifil for years and seeing different threads under a microscope, in my mind, solidifies my choice. Equal to none:

http://owensolivia.blogspot.com/2012...icroscope.html

I just spent 33K on a Gammill longarm and they recommended Permacore by A&E. I was using 100% cotton on my old longarm but the Permacore is so nice and it doesn't lint the bobbin all up. I really like it and it's cheaper than King Tut which I was using.
Michelle

The cotton from Connecting Threads is linty, so if you used that you would have to adjust the tension and make sure your needle is suitable. There is a huge difference in threads. Many different threads and posts on here addressing this. This is me, as everyone has differences and favorites, but I prefer polyester thread over cotton for my piecing. It is stronger.Simply google Superior threads, Isacord, Sulky, Aurifil, and evenn Connecting Threads Polyester and also ThreadArt/polyester thread. You will see differences in price, but they are all very good quality for quilting, embroidery, and even everyday sewing. My projects have been proving it for many, many years of sewing. Also, in my honest opinion, I will never ever use C&C thread again. Ever. Not worth the cheap price. I have Brother machines, Babylocks, and have sewn on Kenmore and Singers. Good needles and the good threads are always a given.

Thank you!

Sheri, if you PM me your address, I can send you a cone of Aurifil so you can try it. I used it until I tried Superior So Fine, and I now prefer that for both piecing and quilting, but have a few cones of Aurifil left...

Oops...I just noticed that I offered the thread to the wrong person! (Getting close to bedtime...)

Anyway, Ginger's Mom, if you're interested, I'd be more than happy to give you a cone of Aurifil to try...just PM me your address and I'll try to send it to the right person. :D

My Janome 6600 hates Coates thread. I use Gutterman and Connecting Threads almost exclusively now.

I started with Gutterman, but then someone told me about Aurifil for piecing and I have been using it every since. I have some old Coats and Clark (C&C) that I will used for buttons or a similar repair.

I have tried some other brands for my DM, but Aurifil seem to be my favorite, no matter if it's my 8900, my 221, or my 301. I may have to try the Connecting Threads products, since I have seen a lot of good reviews.

I also prefer to use poly in my LA (Innova), usually Glide or lately, Magnifico/Fantastico as well. I have used cotton, like King Tut or Cairo, and poly wrapped Omni, but find they all tend to be too linty for my liking.

Mercerized thread is a good thing.

http://tinyurl.com/orgchru

Although I WOULD like to use strictly Aurofil, I simply can't justify the price so I use CC Essentials, although it's a little lintier, than Aurofil, I get a lot more bang for my buck with the Essentials and my machine likes it just fine, I just clean the bobbin case every 2 bobbins, no big deal. I've never yet had to adjust my tension because of the brand of thread I use.

Aurifil costs more than Connecting threads and Coats and Clark but it is NOT an expensive thread when you figure out the price per per yard. I would post a link to a post I made on my blog 2+ years ago but I get censored every time I do. I did the math and Mettler and Gutermann come in only less expensive than KingTut and Masterpiece.

I'm really grateful for all of this information on thread types. Thank you to all of you for sharing, as I'm sure many have learned a new thing or two!

Wow....thanks everyone for all of the information.

Aurifil is my thread of choice but I have some King Tut thread left that I still use for quilting. It is a good color for what I need, working with Christmas fabrics currently, and I like it as does Sarah. She is my Singer 15-91 that I'm currently quilting with because she's in a cabinet. I have used Presencia a bit. It is a polyester thread that isn't linty and slides smoothly through my machine plus it's very fine so the bobbins hold a lot of thread. I just prefer cotton over polyester so no longer use it but will recommend it to others.

Wanted to point out that usually thread manufacturers will recommend a particular size needle for their threads. For Aurifil 50/2, the company recommends using an 80/12 Microtex needle for piecing & an 80/12 either Microtex or quilting needle for quilting. I've also had success with a 70/10 Microtex for piecing with the 50wt Aurifil. I just love how teeny the holes are when I use that & I personally haven't had any issue with thread snapping with that size needle.

I don't remember which, but I know some 50wt threads recommend using a 90/14 needle. You might try getting a multi-pack with the different sizes and see which one(s) work best which which threads. The needle size can definitely make a difference in both your stitching & your sewing experience.

I totally agree. I did the math vs. Gutermann as well & it worked out to be almost identical -- especially when I compared the smaller spools (100 yards Gutermann vs. 200m Aurifil) that I use for applique. But $10 for 5000 yards for the Connecting Threads spools is well below the price of Aurifil. Still, I have no intention of switching away. I get beautiful results with Aurifil ... it makes me look like a better quilter than I actually am every single time. I only wish I could go back & sew my very first quilts with Aurifil. All those frustrating experiences using cheapy threads & fabrics from big box stores. I almost gave up quilting a few times. I'm not a fancy person by any means, but I do love my collection of Aurifil threads. :thumbup:

I was lucky in that I found Aurifil early on. The join date in my profile pre-dates my quilting so that lets you know how new I am. :) I remember the first time I bought a spool of Aurifil, I cringed at the cost and thought, I hope it's as good as people say!

Then, as I was driving home, I started doing the math in my head - driving in Edmonton is REALLY dull... - and realized that that spool of Aurifil had cost me less than the same number of meters of Mettler - which I buy at cost. I almost turned around right then but resolved to try the thread first. Tried it, went back the next month when it was on sale again and stocked up. ;)

When I did the price comparison Gutermann and Mettler came in as some of the most expensive threads - in fact, if I eliminated Superior's threads - they were the most expensive. Considering the lint I get from both of those brands, what Gutermann poly did to my Lucey (actually cut her guides!) and how my seams look with them compared to Aurifil, I wasn't willing to pay the premium.

There's an added bonus too when you buy the 1300M spools of Aurifil - less plastic waste. I find one of those spools fits the same spot a 250m Gutermann spool does and I get more than 5 times the thread to each plastic spool that I will just have to recycle.

I love this board!

Although this thread comparison is a couple of years old, it will still give you some useful information re price/value of some popular threads. Happy quilting :)

Thanks for posting that, Knitette! :)

I reference it all the time - either the one above or your Quiltboard post on the subject :thumbup:. You get what you pay for............ but only sometimes ;).

I find connecting threads to be very linty, I love the stitch from Aurifil but is also a little linty, it seems Masterpiece is the least linty to me and the stitch is also quite nice

I don't see anybody mentioning my favorite thread, Presencia! It's thin and low-lint like Aurifil, but it's 3 ply instead of 2 ply so it's stronger. It was recommended to me in a quilting class when my Aurifil kept breaking when trying to sew through a quilt sandwich that had a layer of interfacing adhered to the top with quilting designs on it. Someone let me use her cone of Presencia and no more breakage!

It's even MORE expensive than Aurifil, but since I use it for piecing almost exclusively I just bought a gigantic cone in a neutral color. LOVE it.

I still use my Aurifil for piecing or when I want topstitching or quilting stitches to "hide".

I also really like the Connecting Threads cotton - it's so inexpensive that I can afford to have a spool of every color on hand, which I love. I use it for quilting that I want to have show, or any sort of decorative topstitching, or any time where having a very thin thread isn't necessary (like making bags/totes). Yes, it's linty compared to Aurifil/Presencia, but it's still good sturdy thread and my 6600 doesn't kick up a fuss about it at all. And the price simply cannot be beat!

I posted it to the QB too? LOL! Suffering from CRS more than usual lately. ;) I'm glad it's helped you out.

So many threads to select. Your sewing machine may decide it doesn't like some of them. I find I don't like invisible thread. You get what you pay for. Cheap thread excellent for basting so buy bright colour as contrast to quilt.

My wife was at the sewing machine store yesterday and they recommended we try a higher quality thread in the new machine. The instructor for the store recommended that we try Madeira cotton. No one in this thread even mentioned this brand. Any comments on Madeira?

We just watched a show on thread selection on Fons & Porter and she liked poly thread, but I notice that many of you sew with 100% cotton.

ClairVoyantQuilter, thanks so much for the wonderful link with the microscope photos of different threads - wonderful article!

It's a matter of personal preference. Years ago poly thread developed a reputation for 'cutting through' cotton fabric. This is no longer the case and many polys are 'weaker' than cotton when pulled. I've always thought of Madeira as a decorative thread and it's not widely available here. I'm an Aurifil fan for piecing. My advice - buy what suits your budget.

it is just like cars or anything else if it matters to you then yes but if it doesn't than the brand name isn't a issue