aurifil thread
 

what is the big deal about aurifil thread? fatquartershop is constantly pushing this brand. is it stronger, brighter, better than say mettler or sulky? is aurifil a brand of thread or a type of thread?

It is a brand. The 50/2 weight is used for piecing. It is a very fine strong cotton that takes up less space in the seam line and makes it easier to get your 1/4 or scant 1/4 seam allowance. It is all I use for quilt piecing. I also like it for machine applique with the buttonhole stitch if I don't want the stitches to show a lot.

Aurifil is a 2-ply thread, rather than a 3-ply, so I assume it is not as strong as 3-ply threads, which is why I haven't used it for piecing or quilting. But being 2-ply, it does take up less space in the seam line. I think the other thing that makes it so popular is all the beautiful colors available. I've used it for applique, and the heavier weights for hand quilting and embroidery. My favorite piecing thread is Masterpiece, which they changed from 2-ply to 3-ply for strength reasons, but that doesn't come in nearly as many colors as Aurifil.

I like the aurifil because it doesn't throw off lint and fuzz. My work area and bobbin (and I pray my tension discs) stay cleaner. The colors blend better and don't peek through the seams. If you use a different color in the bobbin, it really goes invisible. I love it for piecing.

I got a few Aurafil spools, just to try it out. And I find that it breaks more often than my Metler or Guterman thread. We have a lot of people (at the store where I work) who can't find the colors they want. I think I'll stay with to Metler as my main thread.

I had the same issues with aurifil

I love Aurifil!!! I use it for piecing and also on "Harriet" (HQ 16). I do have to adjust the tension when I change and use other threads and I have to be sure that Harriet has a new needle every time I start a new quilt. It is quite expensive as I buy it on a cone. I have 8 cones in common colors and 10 spools of specialty colors.

Aurifil is in a class by itself. There are 2 main reasons why most people like it: it's very low lint so less maintenance for your machine, and it's 2-ply making it easier to do more precision piecing.

Here are the other reasons I love it:
- they use extra long staple cotton instead of long staple cotton. that makes a stronger thread that is less prone to breaking (also, combined with the mercerizing process that makes it the ultra low lint).
- Extra long staple Egyptian cotton is the best cotton there is & within that category, Aurifil only buys the XL variety that is the highest rated (cotton is rated similar to beef; Aurifil buys the equivalent of Grade A)
- the 2-ply thread is twisted rather than braided, resulting in less pressure on each of the plies, which is supposed to make each ply less prone to breaking/splitting/fraying/weakening
- 2-ply generally means I get more thread per spool, resulting in a cost that isn't that much more than Gutermann or other decent-but-not-as-good brands
- 2-ply thread means I can use a size 70/10 needle with 50wt, or 80/12 needle with 28 & 40wt, resulting in smaller holes for quilting (& piecing)
- it comes in 270+ different colors
- all 270 colors are available in 50, 40, 28 & 12wt, and their 6-strand floss
- their dying process is the leader in the industry. it is almost entirely automated, resulting in great consistency with the solid colors (variegated threads are not consistent because the multi-color ones are printed, not dyed & the multi-shade/single-color ones are sand-blasted to remove some of the color [lighten] and the sand goes where it wills). No process is perfect & it depends in part upon the cotton itself, but from one year to the next, Aurifil thread colors are very consistent when stored in similar conditions
- on the large size spools (1100-1300m), the cap comes off the end, so when I put it on my machine, there is nowhere for the thread to puddle/wrap around/get caught. it's a small benefit, but I've had issues with that on other brands so I do appreciate that little touch

And finally, check out this link to see what different threads look like under a microscope: http://owensolivia.blogspot.com/2012...icroscope.html

I use it because I was able to get a good deal on it. Even at full price it's so much cheaper than guttermann cotton. I use a size 14 needle because I stocked up on those when my Connecting Threads thread kept breaking with a size 12 (I don't buy that kind anymore). Good to know i can use it with smaller needles if I need to.

Everything Bree123 said!

Bree, Thanks for the link. Wow what a eye opener.

I use to only use Mettler Silk wrapped but I enjoy using the 2 ply of Aurifil. I am paying over $8 for 547 yards of Mettler and over $8 on sale for 1422 yard of Aurifil. I find that with Aurifil, my seams lay flatter for better block accuracy.

It is a wonderful thread for sure. I make lots of charity quilts and use Connecting Threads for them. If I am doing a special quilt where accuracy is needed, I will use Aurifil or Masterpiece. I have just a couple of colors---one light and one darker.

I have never tried it on my HQ16. I use CT machine quilting thread on that machine and never have a bit of trouble.

Thank you, Bree123, that was quite an education about Aurifil and the thread under the microscope. Who knew?

That is what I love about this board, it is so helpful and so educational. I can't think of a better place to go for information.

I've used it in my Bernina and have had really good luck with it. I haven't tried it in the 301 yet because I started a piecing project with gutermann. I tried use the aurafil and there really is a difference. My 1/4 inch seams were much smaller and seemed to lay flatter with the aurafil. After this project, I"m trying aurafil in the 301. It will probably be my go to for piecing.

I'm surprised you had problems with it breaking when it worked in my Bernina. My Bernina is usually the machine that thread breaks in if I don't remember to reset the tension. Bernina's seem to come with the default tension settings pretty tight.

Mettler isn't 'silk wrapped' - a common misconception. There's no actual silk in the thread, which is 100% cotton. The 'silk' refers to it's finishing process - which Mettler has chosen to name 'silk finished'.

My kids had a microscope and I did my own test. I looked at all the brand of thread I had. I was shocked at the flubs that all brand name threads have but some a lot more, looked liked barbed wire.

I like Aurifil for piecing. It's doesn't break on me. That's odd that it does for others. Aurifil comes in every color you can think of. It's up to the seller to have those colors to sell.

I buy Aurifil online, the price at the shops are way over priced in my opinion on all thread. I never buy thread at a quilt shop. I stock up on the colors I like when I find a sale. I like Superior thread and most of the other quality brands too. I use Connecting Threads poly a lot, it's thin and strong. I recently tried MSQC brand of thread. I was pleased with it.

It's amazing how many think the thread is wrapped in silk.

I use whatever thread I have on hand, from cotton to cotton poly, whatever. And the thread holds up well no matter what it is. Fabric can be another story as I posted in another message thread. I have an older quilt where I used a very high quality batik which is starting to degrade.

I think people should do what makes them comfortable, but thread isn't a big deal to me. Just my opinion.

A couple years ago I read a message thread (no pun intended ;-)) about how polyester can saw through fabric. I sewed a couple of fabric scraps together and hung a weight to one of the pieces to put a ton of pressure on the seam. Two years later, the test is still on my bulletin board. The poly thread is now a little stretched, but no damage to the fabric.

I'm most worried about good tension and nice small stitches, which my old Pfaff 7550 can provide with pretty much any thread. The thread itself doesn't really make that much difference

And about lint, the lintiest thing we work with is batting, followed closely by fabric. Thread comes in last place in that race. I used beige thread on a green quilt. My lint was green, hardly beige at all.

Is Aurifil the thread on the orange spool? I was using it this morning and it was breaking a lot.

Aurifil spool colors are different for each thread size. Aurifil is 2 ply so your tension has to be adjusted and a smaller size needle is used.

Why not try a spool and see how it works for you. There are small spools available if you just want to give it a try. Like many things in quilting, we each have our own favorites. You need to experiment to find out your favorites. I use Aurifil thread for most everything, my favorite. Less lint in the bobbin area, more thread on each bobbin, makes a nice flat seem and doesn't break for me. I use it in my Pfaff.

CashsMom .... If Aurifil is your most used thread, when you have your machine serviced, ask them to reset your machine for Aurifil. The Bernina standards are for Mettler, but the technician can set it for any go-to thread. The dealer first offered to do it for me, and now I just leave a note taped on the machine bed to remind him. ONe time I forgot ... and what a nuisance until I had him re-set it.

TeresaA .... how fast can you say "old wives tale"??? :)

RosaSharon .... If it is Aurifil and the spool is orange, then it is a 50 wt thread. However, there are other brands that have an orange spool too, so you can't just assume Aurifil when orange. The other Aurifil weights are coded by n green and grey.

Bree, you should get a commission from Aurafil. LOL. I like Aufafil's quality and selection of colors.

I love the colors of Aurifil Thread and it works great for me!! Just started gathering more colors this year, so don't have many, but Bree is right on all counts and I for one love the way it looks on my quilts. I just finished a special Celebration of Life quilt for my nephew and it really makes the quilting pop!! I tend to go between Essential and Aurifil. Usually Aurifil though and when I was trying to find a good deal, I heard about pumpkinvinecorner.com and it gets to me in 3 days. Good thread and good shop equal a very happy customer!!

I don't like cotton thread for this reason. Call me radical but I piece with a poly/cotton.

I really disagree. I used Mettler cotton for a queen size quilt and had so much more lint than I ever had with Aurifil. I had to clean my bobbin case almost every time I changed it. The lint was the color of the thread, not the fabric.

I am a huge fan of Aurifil for the reasons already mentioned.

I used Aurifil once and I've never looked back! It was remarkable how accurate my seams became. I never have a problem with the thread breaking...if it breaks, it's because my needle is old or my tension is off. LOVE it. Will explore Superiors threads next.

That is my experience. I had Aurifil and it broke so easily (just taking two ends in my hand and pulling). I was reluctant to use after that.

Aurifil is mako cotton thread from Italy. There are other mako cotton thread brands. I have spools of the Genziana thread made in Italy and it is excellent thread. I buy from here: http://www.tristan.bc.ca/page1.html
<body id="cke_pastebin" style="position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; left: -1000px;">[TABLE]
<tbody>[TR]
[TD="class: PListImgBox, align: center"]See details[/TD]
[TD]Genziana [/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE]
</body>

I believe that one reason aurifil sells so well is because popular authors like Edyta Sitar or Gudrun Erla reccommend it in their books. Because of lint and shredding, I stopped buying Connecting Threads brand and bought a lot of aurifil in neutral shades that was part of a close-out offer. That was the earlier Connecting Threads, more recently I have ordered thread from them and was happy with it. To me, Connecting Threads just gets better and better in their thread and fabric collections. I also stock up on Coats & Clark when on sale. When picking out and re-sewing what someone else has sewn, the brand of thread does not matter nearly as much as how careful the sewer is, or if the sewing machine has been fine tuned.

I like the Aurifil thread, and have never had a breakage using it.

I did notice that Connecting Threads is now labeled as "extra long staple cotton" -- it was long staple cotton probably even as recently as maybe a year ago. I plan to stick with Aurifil, but I definitely agree CT is making major strides in improving their brand of thread.

I love Aurifil for all the reasons stated. I haven't had a breaking problem and I use in it my Bernina and Featherweight.

I have many different brands of thread, but what makes me keep buying Aurifil is:

1. I don't have to refill my bobbin nearly as often.
2. It doesn't lint up in my machine as bad as any of the brands which means I don't have to clean it out of my machine as often which is a real pain for me since I have an extraordinarily finicky bobbin case.

testing because I can't seem to get to page 2 of this thread. Maybe I can this way.

Gale, pg 3 won't load for me... Very strange.

so TRUE. Thank you for clarifying. Sometimes "marketing" detours our conception...tho it is called Silk "finish".
Sandy

The heavier weight Aurifil can and is used in machine embroidery.
Sandy