Aurifil Thread Colors - confused
 

Is Aurifil 2000 1LQ the same color as Aurifil 2000 1NQ? The look the same, but I'm confused trying to track down what the color is.

If you can wait until this afternoon, I can ask the product manager of Aurifil (he's coming to give a presentation at LQS). As far as I know, Aurifil doesn't/hasn't used letters to refer to their threads. If I had to guess, I'd guess those letters probably have something to do with either the distributor or vendor. This is what #2000 thread should look like, per Aurifil:
http://www.aurifil.com/wp-content/up...0-1030x689.jpg

What colors are the spools in question??

2000 ... is the colour number
1LQ and 1NQ are the dye lots

As per the norm, you may notice a difference between dye lots in the colours.

Not too long ago, I went to buy another spool of an Aurifil green variegated thread that I already had. Same colour number, but a totally different hue ... one was white, and the other more yellow. TOTALLY DIFFERENT threads! That's when I learned about the dye lot numbering on each spool.

When I was at Quilt Canada, I took my spools along and spoke with the Canadian rep, who verified the same. She also told me that with the change in manufacturing locations of Aurifil threads, there have been many noticeable differences in the tones/hues of many of the threads.

eeeekkkks as far as trying to match up what we have! :)

Thank you all!! Bree123 - yes, my thread looks like that. I was given 1 of the spools of thread, needed a 2nd one for a current project. Researched, and felt I was buying the same thread color. But then I noticed the 1LQ and 1NQ on the labels and thought - oh no!! Yet they look the same (but I know something can look like something else but then when you use it you find it really isn't the same).

It is sounding like 2000 is really the thread color then. If it's a different color, then it will be a different number. I really like the Aurifil thread! So much less lint that other threads I have used.

Change in manufacturing. To me that means change in the product to yield more profit. Why can't a good thing be left alone?

Yes ..... as noted in post #4

"manufacturing location".... Even more sinister......Bree as the rep where the new location is...I bet across the water!

..... it always was across the water!

How disappointing -- many of us rely on being able to buy the same color number and having it matched (that is one of the reasons I pay the premium for the Aurifil and other good brands). So we need to guess how much thread we will need and if we have leftovers, we pitch them cause we can't match them. I remember being told that because of the new computer techniques, there is no need to worry about thread dye lots.

Matching dye lots (or not) has always been something to be aware of whether it is fabric , knitting yarn, thread, etc. When buying any of these products it is always recommended to buy the amount you will need for a certain project at one time because there can be differences in dye lots. If you underestimate, it can be a problem. If you just like a color and want to use it again for a different project, differing dye lots shouldn't have too much impact.

Ok, so I went to a 90-minute Aurifil lecture today & learned more than I ever thought was possible about thread ... only to realize I still know only a fraction of what there is to know.

First of all, there have been no recent changes in the manufacturing plant. Second of all, it is made in Italy just as it always has been. So we can put to rest any idea that they are now making the thread in some substandard third world warehouse with people who don't know the first thing about dyes (although, let's be honest, that's where most of our fabrics come from & they are still quite lovely ... just wholly toxic to the workers making them, which is why the plants can't exist in the US).

Aurifil thread is actually certified as non-toxic. The process is -- and long has been -- the forefront of thread technology. Almost every part of the process is automated. I remember seeing on Aurifil's website & social media in the past that in years where the previous growing season was a drought, that affected how the cotton took the dye. They only buy top-rated extra long staple Egyptian cotton, but they buy enormous bales of it. Sometimes pickers will manage to sneak in some second-rate cotton in the batch in drought years & it's not practical to catch every time that happens. Aurifil pulls the lower quality cotton if found during spot checks or if someone happens to notice it at just the right time, but it does get through on occasion. If you have a problem with the quality of a batch of Aurifil, they are very good about quickly replacing it & extending excellent customer service (as other members of the board can attest).

Any time you are working with cotton, even if you have the exact same dye lot, there will be variations in the color. I have found Aurifil colors to generally be very consistent. I don't look at dye lot numbers & I've never had issues from one spool to the next, but they aren't exactly identical either.

#2000 is an Indanthren color, which tend to be more consistent than the Reactive colors. The ones that are least consistent are the sand-blasted threads that are variegated single color threads (#'s 3910, 3920, 4150, 4250, 3660, 3840, 3770, 4060, 3320) because the process is considered artistic & no two spools are alike.

Thanks for the info. I love aurifil thread, very little lint.

To clarify what I stated earlier, I contacted the Canadian distributor ... Aurifil changed their plant locations a few years ago, from Italy to Italy! :) With that change, some of the variegateds did change colours/hues/tones, but the plains pretty much stayed the same.

To identify the difference production locations, looking at the labels on the spools, smaller print was used at the older plant, and thus larger for thread made at the new plant. Without two spools in front of you it is hard to know that difference, but those of us with a thread stash may find some of both!

If you have a colour chart dated 2015, it is representative of the new plant and any of the changed colours.

As for colour numbers and dye lots, please see post #4.

Hope this helps.

The multi-color variegated threads changed because they are printed, not dyed.