Aurifil vs Mettler & must have tools!
 

Hello! I'm new to this forum.. actually I'm new to forums in general. :o I'm wondering which quilting thread everyone prefers.. I've heard a lot of good things about both lines. I'm new to quilting so I'd like to start with something that won't leave me frustrated and disheartened!

What are you experiences with these two thread brands?

Also, what are some must have tools I should stock up on?

Thank you in advance!!

I have just recently started to buy Aurifil and love it. I have used Mettler and Gutterman for years & my machine works well with them, but I have heard some complaints from others. Why not buy one of each in a generic grey tone that you can use for all your piecing & then you'll know which one you prefer.

Both threads are good threads. I'm using Aurifil now because I stocked up when I found a sale. I have used so many brands of thread over the years that I now buy whatever name brand is on sale. I just ordered cones of 70wt poly from Connecting Threads. That thread is being discontinued and it is excellent bobbin thread for me and good to fmq.

I wouldn't stock up on a lot of tools just starting out. Each quilt will provide the opportunity to try new tools.
I know my tool choices have changed from year to year I've been quilting. I use the Go die cut machine for most all my fabric cutting so I don't need a lot of rotary blades or rulers I've collected.

I use aurifil, mettlers and the cotton thread from connecting threads. I find that the mettler cotton thread is the most linty. but I still like the thread, and will continue to use it up until its gone <g>

I am a big fan of Aurifil.

I love Aurifil, but it's pricey. I try to buy it when I find it on sale! :thumbup:

I always used Mettler silk-finish but then I tried Aurifil. It is a little thinner (still strong) and a bobbin filled with Aurifil seems to last forever. Since I hate to stop and fill bobbins, I now exclusively use Aurifil.

I have used gutterman, mettler, connecting thread, all work well and are readily available, haven't tried aurifil because it is expensive and the others are more affordable and work just fine. I use gutterman the most because I can use joanns coupons

Check out the website for Superior Threads. It is a good place to learn about threads. They have a great newsletter and lots of education on threads. I've ordered the DVD - now I just need to watch it.

I used Mettler silk finish cotton thread for years. Finally tried a spool of Aurifil 50wt 2-ply and *LOVE* it! It is smoother, finer (so more fits on the bobbin), and creates very little lint compared to Mettler. Although a spool of Aurifil is expensive, it seems to me there is a lot more thread on the spool. Even if there weren't, I'd still buy Aurifil over Mettler.

Just started using Aurifil and I LOVE it! So does my Elna!

I use only Aurifil and I love it and so do my Babylocks! The bobbin seems to go on and on and I love the less lint.
It is more expensive, but my quilts are worth it!

I picked up a spool of Mettler quilting cotton, 40wt, because the color was such a good match to a hand-piecing project. Yum. It looks heavyish for piecing but it's making very nice seams for me. Haven't tried it in a machine.

I too, use both of these. Love them both. As for tools, a sharp seam ripper, Clover glass head straight pins, I love my 4inch little scissors & a thimble if you hand sew. Don't go out & buy a bunch of stuff you may or may not need. Take it slow & see what you really use. Welcome to he QB. You will find a wealth of help on here. A great place for a new quilter. Vonda

I like to use one brand so I can fill bobbins and know what's in them later (they aren't labeled). I like 50 wt or higher because a lot fits on the bobbin and it doesn't have a lot of bulk in the seam.

Talking to other quilters and my own experience, some machines work better with one kind than with another.

Different kinds of peacing/applique/embroidery/quilting and the design of them are done/look better with one type thread or another.

So my answer is: just depends. I like the idea of getting a med grey/tan in several different brands/wts/fiber content and test them out for yourself. Find what works best for you.

Thanks for posting the question, Lolabella. Good information posted here.

I use Aurifil 50 weight for piecing only, light grey for everything. Great for bobbin. My featherweight doesn't like it on top (it breaks). It really isn't that expensive when you consider how much is on the spool. Metler (sp?) is great also. I use the polyester much of the time as it has a little stretch.

Aurifil vs Mettler & must have tools!
 

I love Glide thread from Bobbin Central. It is good to quilt with or sew.
Mary in TX

Thanks for all the info on thread.

http://www.superiorthreads.com I love Superior Thread's "Sew Fine" 50 wt. for piecing and quilting. Their web site is a wealth of info. on thread.

Mettler as knots. LOVE aurifil.

There is a glossary on this message board that will guide you through the abbreviations people use, like WOF (width of fabric) etc. I found it very helpful since I am also new to this board.

Are you a hand quilter/needle turn appliqué-r like me? For appliqué, remember the finer the thread (I use Aurofil 50-wt) and the smaller the needle the finer the stitch. The larger the number on the needle, the smaller it is. I use betweens for hand quilting (10 or 11, but am going to attempt to use 12's soon) and 11 appliqué or straw (longer than appliqué).

Hoop? I used a quick snap for years, but the snap part is beginning to crack, so am trying Dritz no-slip 14". So far so good!

Thimble? I have had mine for years and years, made in England, all metal, flat top with high ridge to catch the needle. Clover makes a metal top with silicone sleeve that fits your finger pretty well.

Marking tools? I like the Clover white pen that disappears when ironed, and a disappearing purple pen (you can only mark a bit at a time because it really does disappear). Just test any marking tool on a scrap to be sure it does what it says it will do!

Rotary cutter and cutting mat, ruler (transparent and with markings you can see on light or dark fabric), very fine pins (I like the flat head ones), 1/4" foot is very useful to getting seams straight, and very sharp scissors (I have a large pair and a very small, sharp, very pointed pair for appliqué).

Welcome to quilting! I hope you have someone nearby with whom you can interact in person so you have some hands on guidance! Makes the first attempts so much happier!

I love my 8.5 inch x 24.5 inch ruler made by creative grids. It seems to slide less when cutting strips and is wide enough for most block sizes that I need. I love aurifil!

I have a June Taylor template that cuts at 1/2 inch increments (terminology might not be exact)

I am convinced that threads are especially meant for specific applications. The Superior company, as others have said, has information and a video that is well done. It helps you understand how thread is made and how it should be used. When deciding whether or not a thread fits your budget be sure to check the yardage you are receiving for the money. I like both of the brands you mentioned. I like to use 50 or 60 for piecing and buy in in cones-white, beige and gray. I use a heavier thread size 30 for the top thread when quilting (topstitch 14 needle). I enjoy some of the Sulky threads for this purpose. Therefore, I have a small cabinet of thread. My latest discovery is using Superior Bottom Line thread (size 60 polyester) to stitch in the ditch for stabilizing my quilt before FMQ. I like it far better that the old polyester invisible thread. It is totally hidden. As for basic tools: rotary cutter, mat, a lipped ruler or two. I like some rulers that have multiple functions and steer clear of those that have only a single use. Happy quilting!

I just use Coats & Clark but I'm about to try others just to see the difference.

Can anyone tell me where to buy the aurifil thread as I cannot find any in my local shops or Joanns store. Is it mainly online stores?

I love Superior Bottom Line and So Fine. They work wonderfully as both bobbin and top thread, and you can get a lot on a bobbin. They are truly beneficial in getting that scant quarter inch seam. As suggested by someone else, go to their website. There is a lot you can learn, and they sell sampler packs of thread so you can try out a variety. I would suggest not stockpiling. Your tastes and needs will change over the years and you won't want to be stuck with earlier purchases that you are not using.

I am new to Aurifil thread but I love it. When I was having some problems with my regular thread, I had some Aurifil thread & tried it & voila, no problems & so far so good. I try & get it at the most economical price I can find. Also found another new thread Tristan thread which is very similar to Aurifil (made in Italy) & really like that too.

Aurifil is always my first choice. Leaves almost no lint in the bobbin area. I think it is well worth the price in the long run.

i concur with the Superior thread link. i love their threads. They have so many applications available. Thread for every need. It is spendy but it goes a long way. I bought 3 spools of the King thread for the queen size quilt i made for my daughter thinking i'd machine quilt it. i ended up hand quilting it with the King thread which did as well or better than the hand quilting Coats and Clark thread. I did machine quilt the borders and it came out lovely. On the website, they talk about not using the rayon threads because they aren't colorfast. They suggest using the new ultra luster polyester threads instead. I just finished a wall hanging using the rayon, so i hope it stays color fast once i wash it before i gift it.

I like good old reliable, available and affordable Coats and Clark. Look up the history of this thread on the Internet. It's interesting and fun--and Coat and Clark makes a bunch of colors. froggyintexas

I prefer the Aurilfil. It is pricey, but check the internet. I have seen it sold for decent prices. I believe jhittlesewing.com carries it, among others. Also, much as I love tools, shop carefully.

I have always purchased my Aurifil online during sales to keep costs down. Even with shipping, I don't think I've paid more than $8/spool. However, I have seen it in some local quilts shops (not many) for about $11/spool.

Here is where I have purchased my existing stash of Aurifil:
http://www.sewezdesigns.com/Aurifil1.html
Another discount website to check out is this one:
http://www.tristan.bc.ca/specials.html
And for just regular discounted prices:
http://www.redrockthreads.com/aurifi...Fa5DMgodVHQABQ

All of these websites are somewhat less-than-easy to navigate, so take your time. It is the 50-wt 2-ply that I use for both piecing and quilting. It comes in other weights, so make sure you are ordering the weight you want.

I love Aurifil. It is the best thread on the market in my opinion.

I think Mettler thread is one of the best on the market for quilting, I use it for the sewing machine and the waxed for hand quilting ( I don't machine quilt)

Re: Price, that's exactly what I was thinking. Even at $1 a spool for 100m (110yd) of mettler on sale, $9.99 for a 1300m (what, 1400 odd yards?) spool of Aurifil is actually "cheap" in comparison. As an added bonus, a local quilt shop puts Aurifil on sale once a month for 21% off, so it's under $8 for a spool. Good time to stock up. :)

I use Robison Anton at the moment, because i got a good deal on a bunch of it, and I like it better than the Gutermann and Mettler.

Sally, Aurifil is a cross wound thread, it's not terribly happy on a vertical spool pin like a featherweight's spool pin. Try using a spool holder, so the thread will come off the top, instead of rotating the spool. You can also try a tea cup and just drop the spool into it.

I used to have my spools periodically take flight while sewing with a vintage machine. It was always cross wound. When I watched the Superior Threads "Threadology" videos on YouTube and he described all of this, the light bulb went on. :)

The other thing is, the stretch in the poly can sometimes contribute to the tension problems with the cross wound thread on a vertical pin. (Think of an elastic band and the tension it holds when you pull and let go.) Something else to play with.

I use the Superior Threads website, and use both Masterpiece (50#, 3 ply cotton) for piecing, and King Tut (Polyester) for quilting. I've tried others, and sometimes even use others, but these are my favorites.

Nammie to 7 -- for heaven's sake, watch that video! It's awesome!

I agree with the video, 100%. I believe all of it is on their YouTube Channel.
http://www.youtube.com/user/Superior...?feature=watch

But, King Tut is actually 100% Extra Long Staple Egyptian cotton,... not Poly... http://www.superiorthreads.com/product/Brand/king-tut/

I especially like their needle and tension recommendations right on the spool and on their product pages.

I'm thinking of ordering their home quilting sampler. Something like 7000m of thread for $51 plus shipping. http://www.superiorthreads.com/shop/...sampler-set-c/

For garment sewing, I use Mettler or Gutterman; but for quilting, I use only Aurifil because I like the thinner thread for quilting. Aurifil puts more thread on my bobbin and I like the way my 1/4" seams look with Aurifil.